Unit 6
News, Tabloid TV
and the Creation of Community

Fictional series are not the only offerings on television; sometimes we may wonder if they are even the most popular ones. In this unit, we consider two other types of programming: news shows, which have always had a certain stature, and talk shows, whose status is more ambiguous. We explore the extent to which talk shows, in particular, contribute to a sense of community among viewers. We discuss the social and ideological factors that affect both news and talk shows, and the extent to which both are manufactured and manipulated to serve a hegemonic function.

Objectives

After completing this unit, you should be able to

1. discuss the differences and the similarities between the various types of talk shows.
2. discuss the kinds of ideologies that are protected by talk shows and news shows, and analyse how these ideologies are reinforced.
3. describe the strategies for or ranges of possible audience resistance to news items and approaches.