Research Task 2

Research Task 2

The BBC has 4 channels, BBC 1-4. I have chosen BBC 3 as the best place to air my script as this shows similar programs to my idea. Many of the programs shown on the channel are very different to what you would see on the other BBC channels. BBC 3 is seen as the 'experimenting' ground for the network and often has programs that are 'out there' and not afraid to break the rules. Often if a new series is successful on BBC 3 it is moved either BBC 1 or BBC, to widen the audience. Some programs that are of a similar genre to mine, such as sci-fi program such 'Being Human' have been very successful on this network. BBC 3 also proves a great place for new series to be aired, like the soon to be launched called 'In The Flesh' which is a post-apocalyptic thriller which is again similar to my script. 

When it comes to viewing figures according to BARB, BBC 3 has around 1.5% of all viewing figures in 2009 with most viewers being within the demographic of 16-24 year old's. Viewing figures for pilot episode of sci-fi show 'Torchwood' got a colossal 2,519,000. This information was all provided by BARB, which is the company that compiles all audience measurement for the UK, so is a very reliable and unbiased source, meaning we can trust the information they have provided. 

I also thought it would be good to research into who uses the internet the most, as this is where the rest of the series will be accessed from. I searched from the highest users of the internet and found this statement 'Teens and Gen Y (ages 18-32) are the most likely groups to use the internet for entertainment and for communicating with friends and family. These younger generations are significantly more likely than their older counterparts to seek entertainment through online videos, online games and virtual worlds.'. This statement clearly shows that through putting my show on BBC 3 I am reaching a demographic that are the most likely to use the internet for entertainment, and therefore the most likely age group to continue watching the series online. 

This statement was provided by PEW internet via  marketingcharts.com. Pew is a research company that specializes in the internet. Pew is also an independent research company, meaning its research is endorsed by anyone else. This means the information they provide is completely unbiased and there for a trust worthy source.  


When looking at programs of a similar genres on BBC 3 and other competitor channels such as Channel 4 i have found that they are usually broadcast at around the same time slots. Recent thriller series 'Utopia', BBC 3 hit sci-fi series 'Torchwood' and Charlie Brookers mini series 'Black Mirror' where all aired at either 9  or 10pm on weekdays  Monday-Thursday. Considering all the above are of similar genre of my script 10pm on a Tuesday seems like the correct time for my series opening to be aired.  

However, these programs are all 1 hour long, and we can ignore the fact my show is only 5 minutes. So, i researched what time shorts are usually shown on BBC and also its competitors. I found that on Channel 4, there is a designated time for short films at 7.55pm. All the short films that are aired on the channel are limited to 5 minutes long, so this sounds perfect for my opener. However, i am pitching my script via the BBC commissioning process so i had to find alternatives in the BBC scheduling. Because most sci-fi programs are shown on BBC 3 at 10pm, i thought that a perfect time for my opener to be shown would be 9.55pm. This would be perfect as it would be of a similar genre of the following program and would mean that the audience is being shown to would be interested in programs of that genre. On the other hand, new BBC 3 drama 'In The flesh' is due to broadcast on a Sunday at 10pm. Broadcasting on this day seem out of convention for this type of genre. But, broadcasting a taster of a new web series before the pilot episode of a new BBC series seems like the perfect opportunity, as there will be a large amount of viewers who are fans of the genre. 

From the above research i have chosen to broadcast i have chosen to broadcast my web series opening on BBC 3 on a Tueday at 9.55 pm. I have chosen this slot as it people who like the genre of sci-fi/thriller will be watching the TV as they are watching similar programs that are being shown at the time. This means that they are more likely to be interested in the series opener and more likley start watching the series online. I have chosen BBC 3 because the programs that they show are most similar to my script. Also, they 'offers an environment for new ideas', which to me sound like the perfect environment for a new series to air. If i had chosen another time slot or a different channel the people who view it are less likely to be interested in it, which would mean that they would not want to go on the internet and continue to watch it (which is the purpose, to get people to watch online).