Representation of the Police on television programmes | 12E p3 Tue 25/6

Why is the representation of the police on television programmes such as 'Road Wars' and 'Police, Camera, Action!' over sensationalised?

Important quotes:

‘‘Since the rise of the media as a central societal institution, we as an audience have seen a significant change in the representation of the police; from being “a stable image of the caring but firm British bobby at the centre of community life’’

‘‘Programmes such as ‘Road Wars’ and ‘Police, Camera, Action’ implement codes and conventions that are more often associated with the spectacle and cinematic styles of Hollywood such as non-diegetic high tempo action music’’

‘‘Crime is the great unifier in making everyone a victim and all viewers equal in their potential victimness.’’

‘‘which coincidentally encapsulates the mass media; the “working class are persuaded that the capitalist system is legitimate’’

‘‘By sensationalising the work of the police and giving a tougher representation, prospective criminals or 'strugglers'’’

References to theories:

This sense of escapism is further supported by the use of direct-mode of address from the narrators and police officers, and the use of the handheld camera which creates the illusion that you are a police officer rather than just an audience member which according to Blulmer and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications theory

However, how does Althusser’s theory of ideology relate to how the police have been sensationalised in television programmes such as 'Road Wars' and 'police, Camera, Action? “The media has a major effect on the way people think

However, Althusser’s theory of ideology fails to explain how all audience members are affected because by implementing Halls “Audience Reception Theory”

Using Todorov’s narrative theory[25], chase sequences within these programmes start within an equilibrium which is maintained by the patrol of the police. There is then a disturbance often associated with a criminal who throws the narrative into disequilibrium by committing a crime but the criminal is then dealt with swiftly by the police which restores the equilibrium and maintains the balance within society

Key Concepts:

Media language: Secondly, broadcasters use diegetic sounds such as police language as evidence of the writers' familiarity with the law profession's codes. Trade jargon is deployed significantly. Beyond describing police operations, it is taken on in an effort to share the excitement of the hunt for wrongdoers. In these new documentaries the broadcasters deploy working policemen's jargon to conjure up excitement and police formality. For example in an episode of ‘Police, Camera, Action’, the policemen wait in the "ARV" to go to "Level Two" and "Code Green" before the "ops" begin.So therefore from an ideological perspective, the overuse of police jargon creates a sensationalist representation of an organised and professional group of crime-stoppers which reduces crime and from a Marxist point of view, protects the belongings of the ruling class.Therefore these programmes act as a form of “propaganda”[14] absorbed by the mass consciousness through the “Hypodermic Needle model”

Institution: Since the rise of the media as a central societal institution, we as an audience have seen a significant change in the representation of the police; from being “a stable image of the caring but firm British bobby at the centre of community life”

Genre: As a genre, reality television has revolutionised mainstream broadcasting by changing the media landscape and opening the door for semi scripted programmes such as “Made in Chelsea” and “The Only Way is Essex”. Programmes such as ‘Road Wars’ and ‘Police, Camera, Action’ implement codes and conventions that are more often associated with the spectacle and cinematic styles of Hollywood such as non-diegetic high tempo action music.

Representation:

Audience:

Ideology:

Narrative: For example, the narrative of the text has been utilised to ensure that the police are represented as keeping society in balance. Using Todorov’s narrative theory[25], chase sequences within these programmes start within an equilibrium which is maintained by the patrol of the police. There is then a disturbance often associated with a criminal who throws the narrative into disequilibrium by committing a crime but the criminal is then dealt with swiftly by the police which restores the equilibrium and maintains the balance within society.