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Television Idents

ROBBIE HICKMAN

+Purposes A television ident is a method employed by television networks with the core purpose of providing themselves with an identity which enables specific

channels to stand out amongst others; this is generally accomplished by a channel representing itself through usage of a short video clip which acts as a visual simulation, as well as the main representation of the television company. Idents are also designed with specific colours, objects etc. which are utilized to provide a consistent theme across a variety of platforms, as well as to enhance the visual quality of a channel and appeal to the viewer. Idents are often used to establish a corporate identity that can be sold across the world, as well as act as reminders regarding which channel the viewer is on. Therefore, idents do well to create a brand in a range of different locations. Creating a brand is particularly important because it encourages the viewer(s) to stay loyal to a specific channel. The viewer is also very likely to remember the brand image of a channel through its ident because it is ‘imprinted’ into the mind of the viewer, thus increasing the chances of the viewer coming back a second time. This shows that idents help to encourage brand loyalty by appearing multiple times, allowing the audience to become familiar with the logo and style of that channel. As a direct result, channels are recognized by their logo. At times, channels may alter their idents entirely through use of a new suite of idents. A good example of this is when the TV channel More4 redesigned its ident with the likely purpose of enhancing its appearance or ensuring that it appeals to a bigger audience. More4’s initial ident was described as ‘bold and uncompromising’ whilst providing the channel with a look that seemed too ‘grown up’. The only colours present within the original ident were green and black, the latter of which can be considered a somewhat negative colour due to the fact that it is associated with mystery and fear which makes the channel appear dark. The present ident for More4 is composed of multiple colours and features a significant amount of detail which could do well to attract the eye of the viewer. The ident also features more animation compared to the original and represents multiple locations which provides a great deal of content for the viewer to interact with. The decision of the producers to change More4’s image could have been influenced by the fact that they wanted to attract more viewers, which is also another purpose of idents. It can also be stated that the producers desired to keep up to date with current trends regarding the quality of television programmes, as well as adverts, thus enabling More4 to retain viewers. This can be considered advantageous for the channel because it allows the channel to remain popular, even though countless other channels are present on television today.

Another core purpose of a television ident is to convey the dimensions of brand personality. For example, a channel could be represented as highly sophisticated, competent or daring via its ident. In the latter case, the Weather Channel sometimes features an ident prior to the beginning of a programme that involves severe weather e.g. a tornado. Within the ident, there is clear focus on a tornado in a field which is depicted in an extreme long-shot. A strong implication of danger is created and it is made obvious that the creators of the ident intended to represent the daring and adrenaline-evoking nature of the channel, as well as some of the programmes featured on it. This shows that an ident has the potential to communicate the genre of a programme, as well as provide insight regarding what the programme will entail i.e. the cameraman who is capturing the shot of the tornado will have been required to possess a great deal of courage, much like the characters depicted within the programme who are likely to be storm chasers. Idents are also employed with the purpose of marketing i.e. producers have a wide range of approaches in regard to the promotion of a new product, whether it be a car or a film, either by featuring interviews of people in the public or utilizing brand messages. Idents themselves could be considered as clever promotional tools because they help to promote a channel and its content e.g. programmes as well as increase its viewing figures. Idents also tend to remind the viewer which channel they are watching, as well as establish the brand of the channel to the audience. Therefore, an ident could be considered a good example of a marketing technique. Idents are placed at the beginning and end of a television programme, as well as throughout the advert breaks. This shows that the usage of idents is quite repetitive. Idents can also be used to promote large events which are taking place, as well as advertise a new series of programmes. Another purpose of idents is to provide segmentation of broadcasting which does well to keep a channel organized and provide key information in regard to programming. This technique can be considered vitally important because it ensures that the channel mirrors professional-standards and entices the viewer to continue watching programmes on the same channel as opposed to switching to an alternate channel and viewing programmes on that one. A good example of this can be found on the channel BBC One, which is non-commercial meaning that it does not provide advertisements between programmes and therefore shows uninterrupted programming. Instead, idents are provided in order to add time between programmes on this channel with the primary purposes of providing information, promoting the programming and allowing studio workers to take well-needed breaks.

+Purposes (continued) Television in general was first established in the late 1920s, eventually becoming popular as black-and-white TV.

Within the United Kingdom, television began as a public service with no advertising in the year 1936, and the first transmissions were originated by the BBC Television Service in the years following World War II. Although Britain was able to broadcast television prior to the start of the conflict, television broadcasts were suspended throughout the course of World War II, primarily due to the fact that the signals could have enabled German bombers to locate cities throughout the nation easily and endanger lives. For this reason, there was no television whatsoever at the time, although the BBC Television Service were able to begin coverage of events after 1945. The BBC Television Service was initially the only public television service worldwide, until additional channels such as ITV began to appear in the 1950s and 60s. There were no idents present whatsoever in the early days because they wouldn’t have been necessary. The sole reason for this is because only one channel was present at the time and there wouldn’t have been any need to promote it if people only had access to a single channel. As commercial television arrived for the first time in 1953, however, idents began to emerge. The first ident (also referred to as a ‘television symbol’) appeared. This ident was titled ‘Bat’s Wings’ and took the appearance of a spinning globe with a pair of eyes in the centre of it; these eyes would turn slowly, overlapping each other in order to create a somewhat mesmerizing effect for the viewer(s). The letters ‘BBC’ were positioned beneath the contraption to identify the channel represented by the ident.

Due to a lack of technological innovation in regard to the visual quality of film and TV in that time period, there was a lack of colour to the ident, as well as a general lack of effects. Unlike the idents we see today, the ‘Bat’s Wings’ ident (1953 – 1960) was filmed and no computer-generated imagery was present. The following decade would feature the incarnation of ‘the globe’ ident which depicted a 3D moving image of a rotating minature Earth, with focus on the planet’s continents and oceans and the channel’s logo positioned in the centre of the animation. However, similar to the ‘Bat’s Wings’ ident, the globe was only a mechanical model. The development of graphic technology over the years has clearly had a significant impact on the way idents changed throughout the 20th century. A good example of this is the Computer-Generated World (COW), which represented a rotating blue globe (Earth) with golden continents on its surface. The introduction of the COW globe clearly had a positive impact on the public because it completely altered the way people perceived the channel and provided something more effective than mechanical models like the BBC Globe. The introduction of the COW Globe occurred in 1985 and became the first computer generated ident for the British Television Service, now known as BBC One.

+BBC1 BBC One, which is considered the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom, appears to utilize a wide

range of on-screen channel identities (idents) which are displayed at the beginning and end of programmes, and sometimes during the advertisement breaks between programmes. Idents on BBC One possess a unique visual style, often featuring high-resolution video clips that represent various aspects of nature such as animals and trees, as well as aspects of everyday life (particularly sports). The idents are designed in a specific way so that the things appearing in them are methodically arranged into a circular formation which reflects the fact that all BBC One idents revolve around a circular theme. The presence of a circular formation in every ident for this channel is clearly influenced by the manner in which BBC One has been symbolized in the past. The identity of the channel has always been represented by a ‘globe symbol’ over the years, and it is possible that the BBC decided to incorporate the ‘circle’ theme in order to ensure that the channel retains its original identity whilst simultaneously trying something new. Attempting to make alterations to the channel’s identity can be considered advantageous for BBC One because it allows the channel to keep up with current trends in regard to television. The idents for BBC One tend to consist of people dancing, cycling around or playing sports, whereas others feature animals swimming, flying or cantering whilst in a circular formation. A variety of environments (mainly exterior) are also depicted within BBC One idents and, depending on the time of the year, may feature snow or people skating on an ice rink, thus providing a ‘winter theme’ which has the potential to intrigue the viewer(s). In essence, a new suite of idents is introduced and this shows that BBC One is seasonal i.e. somewhat dependent on the seasons of the year. Different times of the day, as well as the content of upcoming programmes on the same channel, may also require an ident with a specific tone. A possible reason behind the decision to incorporate idents in this way could have been to maximize the quality of the channel to ensure that it maintains its role as the leading TV channel within the United Kingdom. Another reason could be to increase the chances that people will continue to watch programmes on the same channel, mainly because the idents of BBC One are visually intriguing. Adhering to a desired tone is also beneficial because it helps to differentiate BBC One from other channels, particularly ITV and Channel 4 which feature idents with different tones.

Upon the circular formation of the moving plants, people, animals etc. within the idents, the appearance of the circle is emphasized even further by animated white or red lines forming around it before the BBC logo appears on-screen. The BBC has stated that the symbol of a circle does well to represent unification, and this reflects the fact that the people, animals etc. shown in the ident seem to join together. This could do well to convey a strong sense of togetherness, which is a positive message for the viewer(s). The ident is often accompanied by a narrator, who provides information regarding the upcoming programme whilst the ident is playing on-screen. The use of a voice-over can be considered quite beneficial because it is informative as well as entertaining because the programme is entertainment value and the narrator informs the viewer(s) what is coming up next. The main reason why a voice-over is present as opposed to text is because there is clearly no room for text to be inserted alongside the ident without interrupting the smooth flow of action it possesses. Although the interaction with the audience is quite brief, the variety of idents present ensure that BBC One always appeals to the target audience. Idents are also accompanied by a slow and tranquil soundtrack which fits with the slow pace of the scenes that make up the ident, and an atmosphere that is calm and quite serene is generated. Ever since the emergence of satellite television in the previous century, television idents have become increasingly important. The BBC One idents tend to represent real-life in a positive way, and also seem to provide significant focus on nature. This is evident due to the presence of animals, plants and multiple settings such as forests, skies, oceans, lakes etc. The idents for Channel 4 contrast greatly to BBC One because they create a somewhat bizarre depiction of reality. There is little focus on nature; the primary focus of these idents appears to be the number ‘4’ which represents the background of the channel; it was first established with the core purpose of providing a fourth television service to the United Kingdom, not too long following the inception of ITV at the time. The Channel 4 idents tend to utilize computer-generated imagery to intrigue the viewer(s), unlike the BBC One idents which seem to employ staged shots of animals and people interacting with each other in a specific way. Channel 4 often features animated blocks which roll over each other, burst out from the ground etc. A good example is the ident which features two people sitting in a car which has apparently broken down, looking around in curiosity as multiple glowing cuboids float through the air around the car, attaching themselves together to form the channel’s logo.

+BBC2 Television idents for the channel BBC 2 are designed in a specific way. Each ident clearly depicts

the number ‘2’, the dimensions of which are considerably large; this ensures that the channel’s logo takes up much of the screen and attracts the eye of the audience before any other aspect depicted within the ident. The size of the logo could imply that BBC2 possesses a great deal of importance in relation to television; the channel was the third British television station to be launched. It came out in April 1964. BBC Two was also the first channel in Europe to broadcast programmes in colour regularly. The style of the idents for the channel may have been influenced by this because they tend to consist of significant amounts of colour (particularly positive ones such as blue and yellow) which make the ident appear visually intriguing to the viewer. The usage of colour in this manner does well to create an atmosphere that is exuberant i.e. full of joy and enthusiasm which could reflect the nature of the programmes shown on the channel. The usage of the number ‘2’ within the ident also does well to communicate the channel’s brand, which is based on the common channel number for BBC2. The ident is also played between programmes, incorporating the channel’s logo whilst being accompanied by a continuity announcer who provides information regarding the upcoming programme. Therefore, the ident interacts with the viewer.

The idents for BBC2 are often referred to as ‘Window on the World’ idents, mainly due to their depiction of various environments which are represented through the channel’s logo; the number ‘2’ does well to act as a frame which the viewer looks through. Therefore, the idents feature a view of an everyday environment which are encompassed inside the ‘2’. This style is quite unique, and thus effective because it helps to differentiate BBC2 from other channels. However, the BBC 2 idents are similar to the BBC One idents because they feature a depiction of real-life, as well as a similar positive atmosphere and strong variation in regard to the aspects of the world which are shown in the idents. The logo of the channel is positioned to the left hand side of the screen with the purpose of providing increased space for the producers to incorporate programme information on the right side.

+ITV The idents for the channel ITV clearly represent daily life within the United Kingdom. For example, the ‘Hot Air

Balloon’ ident (2013) features the inside of a hot air balloon with a chequered design; the colours red, blue and white (which are the same colours present on the Union Jack) are featured within the ident. Also, the ‘Marching Band’ ident depicts cavalry solders playing instruments whilst marching down a street as crowds of people look on. The soldiers represented in the ident are possibly Queen’s Guard Infantry, in which case the ident does well to convey strength and well-being. This shows that the idents for ITV attempt to communicate specific characteristics of the United Kingdom, as well as creating an accurate representation of real-life. Representing the U.K. in this manner can be considered effective because it ensures that the idents will appeal to those living within a specific geographical location. It is also beneficial because people living in the U.K. should be able to relate to the ident more. The idents for ITV bare many similarities to those for the channel BBC1; both idents appear to represent real-life in a positive way and feature the logo for the channel, which is positioned somewhere close to the center of the screen to attract the viewers’ attention. Also, the idents for both BBC1 and ITV are informative because they each provide a voice-over regarding upcoming programmes. Similar to BBC1, the ITV logo appears in a somewhat gradual manner as the video progresses instead of appearing at the beginning of the ident. This technique is effective because it enables the viewer to focus on the scene which is depicted in the ident before the logo appears. Unlike BBC1 however, the idents for ITV appear to focus solely on people going through everyday activities, particularly sports such as jogging, surfing, cycling etc. Therefore, the idents for ITV can be considered simple compared to BBC1 idents because they seem to have a specific focus.

The idents for ITV have changed since 2013. In late 2014, ITV introduced a series of new idents which appear more visually intriguing, feature a broad range of environments and create juxtaposition A good example is the ‘Horses’ ident which depicts two individuals riding horses across a beach during a rainy day. The atmosphere created by this ident is quite grim, although the people are shown to be enjoying themselves. As a result, this ident creates juxtaposition because it features contrasting elements (the grim atmosphere created by the weather and the joy surrounding the activity depicted) which provide the viewer(s) with increased aspects to interact with. Another example is the ‘Flamingos’ ident which represents a colony of flamingos being fed spinach seeds by an unseen individual; this ident is effective because it features a close-up shot of the person’s arm with the flamingos visible in the background. This type of shot makes the ident appear visually intriguing. The ident is also effective because it features contrasting colours: green (the tree leaves in the background) and pink (the colour of the flamingos). All of this shows that the new set of idents for ITV feature significant focus on animals , as well as a variety of locations such as fields, parks and beaches. The presence of multiple settings within the idents does well to provide a strong sense of variety. A possible reason why ITV decided to incorporate idents in this manner could have been to intrigue the audience even more and breathe new life into the idents for the channel. This decision may have been influenced by the fact that the original idents were lacking in terms of quality and variety and thus failed to meet the expectations of the viewer(s). In other words, if people switched to a different channel after watching programmes on BBC1, they would most likely find that the idents for ITV or other channels aren’t as intriguing. Therefore, the latest idents provide focus on nature, similar to the idents for BBC1. This could imply that ITV employed techniques similar to BBC1 in order to ensure that their idents bear many similarities to other channels.

+Channel 4 In September 2015, Channel 4 rebranded its idents by employing animated coloured blocks, as well as

special effects which make them appear visually appealing to the viewer(s). Although most television idents nowadays tend to feature the channel’s logo very clearly in order to ensure that it is fully visible to the audience, the latest idents for Channel 4 only depict coloured three-dimensional shapes which appear to comprise the logo for Channel 4, however they are scattered all over the screen and an impression is created that the ‘4’ has collapsed into pieces and is attempting to rearrange itself throughout the ident. Referred to as ‘Clock idents’, they represent the shapes comprising the channel’s logo, although the logo has been dismantled. The screen is shown to rotate to the right, causing the blocks to tumble over each other. Throughout the video, one can easily spot the outline of the channel’s logo (the ‘4’) in the center of the screen. Those who are familiar with Channel 4 are very likely to spot this easily, because they have already seen idents that feature the ‘4’ clearly. Therefore, the audience would automatically assume that the shape in the centre of the screen is a ‘4’.

The ident appears to create a twisted version of reality, as the blocks within the ident appear to be trying to arrange themselves into a ‘4’. In my opinion, this does well to increase the level of enjoyment the viewer(s) will experience, mainly because the ident appears entertaining. This is quite beneficial because a core purpose of television programmes (particularly on Channel 4) is to provide entertainment. Another ident belonging to Channel 4 is the ‘Red Crystals ident’ that appears to represent the aspects of real-life (particularly nature) along with computer-generated imagery. Multiple shots are utilized in order to establish the tranquil nature of the setting (which is clearly a rainforest). As the ident progresses, a series of pink or red crystals are shown to be attached to the rocks at the side of a waterfall. It is very likely that the viewer will associate these crystals with previous idents belonging to the same channel which represent coloured blocks. Therefore, both idents possess many similarities, although the red crystals ident does not feature the logo for Channel 4. A possible reason for this is because the audience may already be able to recognize idents which belong to Channel 4, just because they feature similar elements i.e. coloured shapes. The fact that the Channel 4 idents (particularly the ‘Clock’ idents) create a twisted version of reality somewhat reflects the nature of the channel, as well as the various programmes which are broadcast on it. This could do well to offer a sense of escapism for the viewer.

+E4 E4 is a British terrestrial television channel that was initially launched with the purpose

of acting as the ‘companion channel’ to Channel 4. Established in early 2001, the primary purpose of the channel appears to be entertainment as shown by the nature of its programmes as well as the fact that the ‘E’ within the logo stands for ‘entertainment’. E4 is also shown to possess a signature theme: the colour purple which is the colour of the channel’s logo as well as the colour which is depicted in the majority of the idents for E4. The year 2013 saw the ‘refreshing’ of the channel’s idents, which took on a new style; a fictional robot character referred to as ‘Eefer’ (which was designed in the form of E4’s logo) is depicted exploring various locations such as a caravan park, a café and an area of countryside. These new idents possess a somewhat amusing atmosphere which could potentially intrigue the viewer(s) and increase the level of enjoyment they will experience whilst watching programmes on the same channel. The idents do well to offer a sense of escapism because they exaggerate the things which are possible in the real world i.e. the presence of sentient robots, thus ensuring that the channel is more entertaining.

Despite the fact that the idents exaggerate what is possible in real-life, they are still able to represent the aspects of the locations depicted within them in a highly accurate manner. For example, the ‘Caravan Park’ ident consists of a long panning shot depicting a series of caravans next to the sea. The people residing at the park are represented as engaging in various activities including fixing an exterior television aerial, dancing to music and cleaning graffiti. The only aspect of the ident that clearly isn’t real is the presence of ‘Eefer’. This shows that the ident features contrasting elements; this does well to create juxtaposition which provides the audience with more to interact with. The usage of a unique character that portrays the channel’s logo is quite effective because it ensures that the audience are very likely to remember the ident, mainly because of the nature of the character depicted.

+BBC4 BBC Four is a British cable channel belonging to the British Broadcasting

Corporation. Established in March 2002, the channel broadcasts a wide range of different programmes, particularly documentaries, comedies and international/original programmes in order to satisfy its audiences. The core purpose of BBC4 is to provide high-quality programming and explore a wide range of subjects in an in-depth manner. Viewers are able to interact with programmes on this channel via cable and satellite television. The current idents for BBC4 (which were launched in 2005) are designed in a specific way; they all feature footage of various scenes e.g. a swimming pool. The ident consists primarily of four quadrants, all of which represent different stages of the same footage. In essence, four different images are shown on-screen at the same time as opposed to a single video clip, although this is not obvious at first. For example, the ‘Flowers’ ident depicts a close-up shot of flowers growing in accelerated motion during the day.

Initially, the viewer would automatically assume that a single piece of footage is present in the video. However, when a bee collecting nectar appears and vanishes only to suddenly reappear elsewhere on-screen, it becomes increasingly obvious that the ident consists of four alternate frames, each one representing different stages of the same footage. This technique does well to create an optical illusion of sorts which is very likely to disorient the viewer(s). It can be considered quite effective because it provides the ident with a unique style which differentiates BBC4 from other channels. The viewers are also likely to recognize the channel upon seeing its idents a second time, mainly because there aren’t many idents which employ a style similar to the one shown in the idents for BBC4.

+ E4 The idents for E4 depict a fictional character (Eefer) who interacts with the world around him within the ident. The

character is clearly based off the channel’s logo, possessing the exact same visual qualities of the purple ‘E4’ symbol, and apparently acts as the official ‘face of the channel’. The colour purple does well to ensure that Eefer stands out amongst his surroundings (which tend to appear dull), thus attracting the eye of the viewer and allowing them to remain focused on the character throughout the course of the ident. The colour purple is strongly associated with power, dignity and ambition, all of which could possibly relate to the nature of the character. Purple also conveys extravagance, which relates to something on which a large number of resources and/or money has been supplied, therefore resulting in a highly elaborate appearance. This could imply that the ident is trying to communicate the time and effort the producers put in to the creation of Eefer, who is clearly a computer-generated character, as well as the extent of technology required to produce high-quality idents as of recent times. The logo of the channel is clearly represented on the body of Eefer; a bold and white number ‘4’ is visible against the character’s purple body. The choice of colour here is quite effective because it immediately attracts the eye of the viewer, who is very likely to notice the logo before any other feature in the ident. The idents for E4 are composed in a specific way; they include both bright colours (in regard to Eefer) and dull ones (in regard to the surrounding locations). The possible reason for the aesthetic alteration of the ident in this manner could be to ensure that Eefer (as well as the channel’s logo) stands out amongst the aspects of the environment he is in, or to communicate that Eefer is unique compared to every other person depicted within the ident. It is implied that the ident is trying to convey escapism by representing the characteristics of the real world as dull and insignificant, whilst Eefer (who is a fictional character) is depicted as influential and somewhat vital within the ident. A good example of this can be found in the ident depicting Eefer settling down in a chair and viewing multiple programmes on different television sets at the same time. Eefer’s surroundings are made to appear somewhat useless; it seems as though things in the room have been haphazardly arranged, and low-key lighting is also present which ensures that dark tones and shadows predominate within the clip.

BBC4 BBC4’s idents appear visually intriguing. A positive atmosphere is provided due to the presence of bright colours and

high-key lighting, which do well to represent the tranquil nature of the locations featured within the idents in an accurate manner. For example, the ‘Lake’ ident for BBC Four features an extreme-long shot of a lake, with clear focus on an azure sky above. A mountain range is visible on the horizon. The colour blue is shown to be the predominant element within the ident; this can be considered highly beneficial because blue is strongly associated with confidence, loyalty and stability and this makes the ident appear quite significant compared to other idents belonging to the same channel. The colour blue also suggests tranquility and calmness; these themes reflect the characteristics of the location featured within the ident. The logo for BBC4 is positioned in the centre of the ident, thus enabling the audience to identify it before any other feature. The colours that make up the logo contrast significantly from the other colours featured within the ident, therefore it stands out. The words ‘BBC Four’ have been positioned in the centre of the black square at the centre of the ident in bold white capital letters; this enables the viewer to see the words clearly. A series of ripples are present within each frame that makes up the ident; an impression is created of a second lake being present on the sky, with unseen objects hitting the water.

Content of Idents

+ E4 The programmes broadcast on the channel E4 are clearly aimed at teenage/adolescent audiences due to

the fact that they explore things like friendship, bullying, school life and maturation. Programmes featured on E4 consist of Skins (2007-2013), Youngers (2013-2014) and The Inbetweeners (2008-2010). The current idents for E4 could do well to evoke humour within the audience, primarily due to their exaggeration of things which are possible in real-life (the presence of a non-human character) within each ident. The nature of the idents for E4 clearly reflect the genre of the channel’s programmes. The idents create a warped version of reality, therefore a sense of escapism is provided for the viewer and this can be considered quite entertaining, especially for younger audiences. The idents also represent things such as mischief, exasperation and idleness. For example, the ident depicting Eefer watching television programmes suggests laziness and reflects the stereotype that ‘all teenagers are couch potatoes’. It is thought that when the word ‘PlayStation’ or ‘Xbox’ is mentioned, people tend to associate it with a teenager ‘with a controller in one hand and a bag of nachos in the other’. It is possible that the producers of the ident wanted to communicate a common stereotype of teenagers and young adults by depicting Eefer watching ‘a lot of television’ and not exercising. The fact that E4 idents reflect the stereotypes of teenagers is also obvious in the ‘Caravan Park’ ident which depicts a group of teenagers dancing to loud music in a caravan. This ident clearly reflects the stereotype that ‘teenagers don’t have any respect’. In this case, teenagers are represented as boisterous and having little to no respect whatsoever towards adults or the elderly.

BBC4 The target audience for the channel BBC4 is clearly people living within specific regions in the United

Kingdom, particularly Yorkshire, Cornwall and Essex due to the fact that most of the programmes broadcast on the channel are based in the U.K. BBC4’s programmes appear to be based around travel (Britain’s Best Drives), history (the First World War), nature and world news. They are likely to appeal to the Achiever psychographic because a person who fits into this group is constantly ‘looking to become more, and make more’. People of Social Class ABC1 are also likely to be targeted due to the fact that they are highly administrative and professional individuals i.e. intelligent. The idents for BBC4 clearly support this audience; for example, the ‘Books’ ident (2009) depicts a female librarian navigating sections of a massive bookshelf via a ladder. The ident creates the implication that the bookshelf is never-ending and that hundreds, possibly thousands, of books are present. It is hinted that these books can provide a great deal of knowledge to those who read them, and people who belong to an upper class or fit into the Achiever psychographic are likely to be intrigued by this ident because it suggests insight i.e. the capacity to gain an understanding of something.

Audiences

+Issues E4

The primary target audience for the channel E4 is teenagers and young adults. Attempting to develop a suite of idents that appeal to this age group can be quite precarious i.e. dependent on chance because people might assume that the producers are attempting to differentiate teenagers and young adults from individuals belonging to other age groups by representing them as lazy, troublesome or intimidating. A channel’s ident might reflect a common stereotype of teenagers whilst attempting to evoke humour; for example, an ident for E4 may depict teenagers being irresponsible in regard to road safety. This could potentially result in complaints because it can be seen as prejudiced towards young adults and therefore discriminative. Therefore, producers of channel idents should be careful in regard to the manner in which they represent people of this age group in order to ensure they do not offend anyone. It could be quite a challenge to ensure that E4’s idents appeal to teenage audiences because teenagers need to be able to relate to what is being depicted within the idents and it could be difficult to represent the everyday lives of teenagers without depicting them as irresponsible, unintelligent and disrespectful, even if they are being represented in a comedic manner.

BBC4 The majority of programmes on BBC4 clearly appeal to people of all ages because they

revolve mainly around world news, history and travel. No specific gender is targeted, although the idents are likely to appeal to those who belong to an upper class (in regard to social grade). It could be difficult to create an ident which appeals to people of ages, mainly due to the fact that the ident would be required to cater to the interests of teenagers, young adults and older individuals i.e. the elderly. Also, those who produce the ident should bear in mind that they shouldn’t represent people who fit into Social Grade ABC1 (highly administrative persons) in a manner which could be deemed unfair.

+Comparison of Idents The idents for both BBC4 and E4 bear many similarities. First of all, they all appear to depict

locations that are similar in comparison such as lakes, forests, and regions within the countryside, thus creating a tranquil atmosphere which does well to intrigue the audience. Both sets of idents also represent the aspects of real-life in an accurate and positive manner; this can be considered advantageous because it enables the audience to relate to what is being depicted on-screen. Both sets of idents possess a strong visual quality, and the channel’s logo is clearly depicted with the primary purpose of ensuring that the audience are able to identify which channel is being represented. Also, both sets of idents feature a logo that has a contrasting appearance to the aspects of the environments depicted; this ensures that the logo stands out and attracts the eye of the viewer(s). Different approaches are utilized by both channels; the E4 idents feature an animated character in the shape of the E4 logo whereas BBC4’s idents incorporate a black and white logo, which is shown at the centre of the screen. This clearly shows that each set of idents are effective in regard to ensuring that both channels differ from each other.

Although E4’s idents depict aspects of real-life, they clearly exaggerate what is possible in the real world. The incorporation of a non-human character is effective because it provides the audience with something else to interact with throughout the ident; BBC4’s idents do not feature a character similar to Eefer, therefore both sets of idents contrast greatly. This could be advantageous for both channels because it ensures that they possess a unique style. The idents for E4 feature multiple shots, thus the action taking place on-screen is shown from different viewpoints. However, the ‘Caravan Park’ ident is composed of a single shot (although the camera pans slowly to the right) depicting a row of caravans with individuals present around them. The BBC4 idents are composed of multiple frames which depict different stages of a single piece of footage; although this technique is quite disorienting for the viewer(s), the idents are different from E4’s because they seem to accurately represent the aspects of a variety of real-life settings. Another difference between the idents for both channels is the manner in which both sets of idents interact with the viewer; although BBC4’s idents do not seem to address the viewer directly, E4’s idents clearly interact with the audience through the character Eefer. For example, Eefer is shown to behave in a similar manner to people in real-life; although the character does not speak, people who see the idents are very likely to be able to relate to the character due to his actions.

+ In my opinion, the latest suite of idents for the channel E4 is the most

successful because of the fact that the idents introduce a fictional character that interacts with the world around him, therefore viewers are provided with increased elements on-screen to interact with, most notably juxtaposition which is established by the presence of contrasting elements (aspects of real-life and a fictional character). The character, which is clearly a computer-generated, three-dimensional moving image, appears visually intriguing and a great deal of sophistication is strongly implied in regard to the team behind the production of the animated character. The appearance of Eefer also serves as a reminder to the audience regarding the extent of technology in regard to television as of recent times. The idents are also clearly successful because they depict E4’s purple logo very clearly; the usage of dull colours in the background ensures that the logo stands out and attracts the eye of the viewer before any other feature. The ident is made to appear increasingly entertaining and even has the potential to provide a sense of escapism for the viewer(s), primarily due to the presence of an animated character amidst people in real-life.

The idents for E4 are more successful than those created for BBC4 in my opinion because the latter set of idents do not seem to offer anything new in regard to the appearance, as well as the tone and atmosphere, of the idents. Although the atmosphere created by BBC4’s idents is somewhat serene, the idents feel extremely similar to other idents created for other channels like BBC1, BBC2, ITV etc. E4’s idents may be more effective because they feature something different and are very likely to intrigue the audience because of their utlization of CGI.

+ The producers of idents should bear in mind that idents themselves are employed with the

primary purpose of providing the target audience with information regarding the channel (as well as simply identifying it). Idents have the potential to reflect the nature of programmes which are broadcast on the channel; for example, the ‘Caravan Park’ ident for E4 clearly depicts teenagers in a stereotypical manner (dancing to loud music) and this could highlight the type of programme the viewers should expect to see on E4. It can be considered important for producers to make sure that their idents communicate what a channel’s programmes will consist of, as well as set the desired tone for the channel and ensure that it appeals to the target audience. In the latter case, the idents should be appropriate for the age group they cater to and should not feature content that is likely to harm or offend the public; this could refer to violent images or representations which are discriminative. Failing to consider this could potentially result in audience complaints which would be a major issue. However, idents may feature stereotypical representations of a specific age group; a good example of this is E4’s Caravan Park ident which clearly depicts a variety of age groups such as children aged 5-10, elderly individuals and teenagers. Within the ident, the latter age group is represented as troublesome, boisterous and having little to no consideration for other people. The teenage characters are shown to be dancing to loud music in a caravan whilst wearing bathing suits, and the neighbouring caravan has clearly been vandalized by the teenagers with graffiti. Although the ident is depicting teenagers in a stereotypical manner, it could potentially mislead the public because people who see this ident may falsely assume that all young adults behave in this manner, and are therefore likely to consider the age group as a whole to be a nuisance.

Another issue producers of idents should consider is the fact that idents should be informative as well as entertaining; this is generally accomplished through use of continuity announcers who provide information regarding any upcoming programmes, events etc.

Issues (CONT.)