It is where a TV
channels assortment of idents is spread across the year based on the time of
the year, seasonal period and what is to be shown after the idents. For
instance, E4 idents, the beach house which projects elements of stop-motion
animation by having objects more autonomously. This ident would most likely be
played during summer periods. Another reason for this ident being shown amid
the summer periods is probably down to how the British weather is highly
unpredictable, especially when you need it to be sunny and to keep viewers
feeling a little brighter when they show this ident.
In this ident there is clearly a lot going on, by mixing several genres of movies into one ident to show all the kinds of movies they have to offer. The ident is set in day time, meaning that it will be played mostly during daytime. Seeing these genres and all the action packed into this ident, people will want to watch more movies on that channel to see what exactly they have to offer.
Within this
ident, it shows that it is set during night but to about sunrise since you can
see the dark night sky roofed with stars and the children having snowball
fights and then a child running towards what looks like to be a yeti, and sits beside him and watch the
sun rise. The ident fulfils the purpose since the ident is set in the night
time so it would be possible that this would be utilized for late night movies
like Christmas movies that would be shown there.
This is
an important factor since it provides the viewers an indication into what could
be aired after watching the ident. With several TV channels comprising of many
idents for various genre links, scheduling becomes important because how the
idents are produced to some way link to the upcoming program or movie genre,
the grey area of this is majority of the viewers don’t realise that the idents
are made to link to the genre of the upcoming programs so they just simply
think it is a different ident to keep them entertained. Scheduling the right
ident for the right show is essential for a TV company as for the viewers who
do understand TV idents linking to the upcoming program would become confused
to a small extent if the following scenario was to occur.
It is
where a show is regularly shown thus, its ident would be played at the same
time as the show daily. This signifies the ident, for instance, whenever ‘How I
Met Your Mother’ is played this ident would be played right before the TV
sitcom is aired. Since it is scheduled to be played every time the show comes
on or any other show that is played on E4.
This ident
satisfies the purpose since when a TV show would be played on TV, it would be
played before the TV show is aired just to remind the audience what they are
watching and especially the channel they are watching.
The ident above you can clearly spot the emphasizes on the show “Impractical Jokers”
which is a popular show on ‘Comedy Central’, this explains why they would push
the show in order to gain more people to watch the channel, by doing this the
viewers will be aware of the channel and remember where they can watch the
show.
Packaging is
where an ident for a channel of any kind will have their representing their
channel with styles and themes that the TV channel have claimed in order to
represent various genres based on the TV programs they air. The reason for
these types of idents is to show the growth of the channel and how the style alters.
This is known as packaging since how the ident is complete and has been
provided a purpose for watching as it will most likely link to the upcoming TV
program or movie.
The 1981 ident
shows a globe rotating on its axis while the countries are shown in the
background. The current ident still shares some of the elements used in this
ident by utilizing the bikers ride in a circle which is a reference to this
ident. They are recreating the globe from the 1981 ident. It fulfils the
purpose since they are referencing the old BBC ident within their new idents by
the bike riders riding in a circle, which is referencing to the globe in the
ident.
Re-packaging is
where the advert is retrieved back by the channel to add a specific style of
one or more TV shows, in most cases the ident will focus upon one coming-soon
program, for instance, a documentary or if it is based on a seasonal period the
ident of the TV channel will be a basic compilation of some of the best parts
of the upcoming shows and movies to try and lure in viewers’ attention and make
them watch more of that one channel. Another example
is BBC One’s Christmas idents where they show an ident with footage that link
with the seasonal period then run a compilation of footage right after from up
and coming TV shows and movies. They only put clips that with either make the
audience laugh or something that links the program to the festive period or to
entertain the audience with shots from action based movies. This will naturally
stick into the viewers mind and will most likely tune into the channel
frequently since they have viewed a re-packaged ident in which has gained their
attention so they will return to the channel to see what is being shown.
Marketing is when a channel aims on a specific
theme in order to bring the audience back to the point of information-led and
entertainment-led purposes. Due to the fact that an ident alone has small
marketing powers but adding something to an ident, for instance, an advert for
a coming soon program provides it marketing abilities to persuade the viewers
that their channel is worth watching. This is usually applied amid Christmas or
Halloween time, this would naturally appeal to a large audience who tune in for
TV specials.
The ident below is a story of an abandoned
brussels sprout that soon finds a home. Several BBC characters like the doctor
and other characters that play roles on the shows that air on that specific
channel.This ident not only carries a
story but also fits perfectly with the Christmas theme.
Channel 4 sting, promoting one of its many comedy
shows. This 20 second clip shows a highway maintenance putting up a sign that
says, ‘WELCOME TO THE WEST COUNTRY Please don’t laugh at our accent’. This
shows Channel 4’s diverse programs and that they are proud to air things that
are a bit subversive which is really up their street and goes well with their
marketing as well as their target audience they tend to lure in. They announce
the times at the end of the clip, the non-diegetic sound of the cars on the road
produce the sense of realism and equilibrium. This ident provides the audience
the content Channel 4 provides; diversity and authenticity.
Another example in relation to Channel 4, they
brought the broadcasting rights to the Paralympics in order to inform the audience Paralympics is airing soon.
The ident flashes elements of Channel 4 on the screen in the form of their logo
with the use of text that says, “The Paralympics, only on Channel 4”. Doing
this informs the audience that the event could only be seen on this channel,
both live and re-runs. This would naturally increase the channel’s rating as
they are the only channel to have the broadcasting rights to the Paralympics,
but if other channels also have purchased segments of the broadcasting rights
to the Paralympics Channel 4’s rating for each of the channels who are
broadcasting the Paralympics.
It is exactly like branding of products such a clothing etc. Where the logo
such as the chosen style or audio identifies the audience of the TV channel
they are watching.
A
company’s overall ethos and aims can be reflected on its idents. When channels
confirm on their idents they would also have to comprehend what and how the
idents will pitch itself to the intended audience. Obtaining a brand permits
the channel’s target audience to be able to associate with the programmes.
Sky
Sports News and Channel 4 are both popular channels. Sky Sports have utilized this
specific ident to either inform the audience that a programme is about to start
or to show what the up-coming programmes are. They are an entertainment
channel, and the background shows the 2 football teams shaken each other hands
before the game. The image moreover contains Manchester City’s well known
center back player- Vincent Kompany who at the time was a premier league winner
and classed as one of the best defenders. Channel 4 is typically known for broadcasting the
most famous and popular show ‘The Simpsons’, before the show stats they put an
iconic abstract channel 4 logo that is yellow in colour and has eyes and is
edited to make it look like The Simpsons characters. Doing this is very
effective since it lets the audience know what would be playing next and they
can identify their target audience who watch specific shows.
Almost every TV channel
that is accessible to date has their own particular branding technique with the
utilization of an Ident, for instance the music Channel of Scuzz which plays
essentially Rock and Metal music have idents that are about constantly recognised
by the sound in which is typically a 5 second set off guitar riffs with
drumming playing in the background, however, these little sound examples which
are played with the visuals are frequently substantial metal riffs with
drumming which makes it considerably more novel to Scuzz. Other rock music
channels, for example, Kerrang tend to play significantly softer samples of rock
music inside their idents as metal music is not one of their most grounded
regions but rather a broad rock, punk and indie genre are.
They are like digital identification demonstrations displays for viewers to
identify what the channel is through the use of TV channels logo, name or a
specific theme/colour like E4 and their love for white and purple. It is vital
for any media companies to stand out from the crowd, thus creating a corporate
identity is the way an institution pitch themselves to their intended audience.
It is vital that Corporate communications department keep up and enhance their
identity, agencies will be called up to generate a unique corporate identity in
order to fit the channel’s ethos.
An ident needs a corporate title, logo, colours and a specific assembly. If
these elements are incorporated in an ident, it helps the viewers to remember
the name as well as the logo.
Stuart Hall is a cultural theorist and Professor of
Sociology at the Open University. He studied the role of audience positioning
in the interpretation of mass media texts by diverse social groups. He came up
with a model suggesting three ways in which we may read a media text:
Stuart Hall Theory:
NEGOTIATED: Some good qualities, but could have done better, the reader partly believes the code and broadly
accepts the preferred reading, but sometimes modifies it in a way which
reflects their own position, experiences and interests.
OPPOSITIONAL: No corporate identity, the readers social position places them in an oppositional relation to the
dominant code. They reject the reading;
PREFERRED READING: (Audience Preference) Perfect corporate identity. When the reader fully accepts the
preferred reading (audience will read the text the way the author intended them
to) so that the code seems natural and transparent.
When looking at major channels,
for instance, Channel 4, ITV and BBC ONE throughout the years they have gone
through different styles of ident and evolved their brand identity. Taking BBC
One as an example, they have aired a new identity set around the symbol of a
circle; perhaps connoting eternal unity? Peter Fincham (British television
producer and executive) had stated "It’s set in the everyday but shows
people doing extraordinary things. It's got variety and range - everything from
daredevil motorbikes to synchronised hippos. It's warm and it’s dynamic.”
Morning Saturday 7th of October 2006, BBC released its new
channel identity. The circle was published and set as their heart of the
campaign, this has been recurrent in their channel, though it is updated every
few years the circle concept is still around and plays a major role in their
channel.
The
Simpsons idents is utilized by Channel 4 and has been the biggest show shown on
the channel for a long time (3 years), it can be classed under the negotiated
or preferred reading. It contains a substantial amount of fan base meaning that
majority of the channel 4 viewers would probably Simpsons fans. It is aimed
mostly towards younger audiences and the fact that it has been running for
quite a while it could eventually grow out of them, however, this never
affected their views rate and some say that The Simpsons have been embedded as
Channel 4’s corporate identity.
For instance, BBC 2 Idents always shows the number 2 no matter the type of form, 2D or 3D as the channel utilizes the two dimensions to recognise their channel.
With a TV channel, for example, BBC Three, their man ID is inside their logo of the word three which is spelt rather than a figure number 3, likewise with BBC three about the greater part of their Idents are CGI delivered which makes them one of a kind for most other TV channels as different channels change between genuine footage Idents and CGI Idents.
With regards to the styles decided for Idents, most TV channels keep to one, however, develop it enormously. For instance, BBC One Idents all have distinctive subjects connected to them yet all emphasis on the style of a circular shape. These Idents which BBC discharged on the seventh of October 2006 were updates as before they had Idents which depended on Rhythm and movement and begun back in Easter of 2002. In the wake of leading research into the BBC one Idents that are as of now being utilized on their channel, the circular shape in which about every one of them use is down to the letter "O" inside "One" for Identity purposes, BBC One accounted this Idea as a circle is an actually happening shape which is anything but difficult to recognise, additionally, with the additional styles which all make them the unknowing connection between each other, BBC One figured out how to have their Idents effortlessly Identified by their audience as BBC One.
Entertainment-led idents are much the same as Information-led idents with
the exception of what they are driving towards the audience is greater on the
entertainment platforms like movies and TV series, not as serious programmes.
Entertainment drove idents will utilize similar components in which information-led
idents to utilize, for example, the best parts and quick clips spellbinds their
attention at the earliest opportunity. They will likewise apply a similar rate
of frequency to permit additional time and apply a higher possibility of audience
to come across the entertainment-led idents.
Both were intended for one particular reason,
which is to get evaluations helps as they attempt to make the two ranges as fascinating and engaging without twisting their motivations
on TV for instance if a TV channels rating are dropping due to obscure reasons,
they may choose to purchase the broadcasting rights for an exceptionally
prevalent film, for example, The Matrix or Lord of the Rings in which they
would apply to an amusement – drove ident and apply the already expressed elements
to pick up a lift in ratings.
ITV- It is a commercial channel
and it heavily lies in the entertainment platform, one of their TV idents is a
pug being washed in the kitchen sink without the continuity announcement only a soothing tune playing. The
whole ident is just focused on the dog looking at the camera and is being
washed by someone. The purpose of this ident is to be used as a commercial business,
since it entertains the audience by showing them something a little different
with a funny colourful ident matching with ITV’s brand image.
