Page 32 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media

PROCESS

The effective media communicator is able to take full advantage of the
unique properties of the medium, using the “language” of that medium
to reach the intended audience.
Today it is a common practice for a genric program presented in one
primary medium to work in tandem with other media to take advantage
of the characteristics of each medium. For instance, the reality series Big
Brother spawned House Calls, a Web talk show, in which the participants
discussed individual episodes in exhaustive detail. In addition, there was
a daily radio program in which fans were encouraged to phone in and
participate in the chat on a NON-toll-free number. Extended programming
may also include live performances. After the first season of American
Idol, Fox brought back the thirty participants from the singing contest
for a two-hour special concert show in Las Vegas.
A mix of different media has become part of the formula of political
talk shows. Phone calls from listeners, emails, and blogs promote audi-
ence participation and convey a democratic message that the opinions
of the audience—and in a broader sense, the people—matter. However,
the latent message of many political talk shows is far from democratic.
The hosts of these radio talk shows insult their callers and use media
technology to cut off their guests.
The distinctive characteristics of a medium can have an impact on the
structure of a genre. For instance, the serial structure of the soap opera
has been influenced by the episodic nature of magazines, radio, televi-
sion. Individual episodes serve as installments in a much longer, more
complex story that, combined, make up the worldview of the program.
This episodic structure contributes to the verisimilitude (i.e., appearance
of reality) of the narrative. For instance, the characters celebrate holidays
like Christmas and New Years on their shows, along with the audience.
Moreover, in a long-running soap opera, such as As the World Turns,
which has been on the air for over forty years, the appearance of the
characters changes; fans actually witness the actors (and their characters)
age. Executive producer of General Hospital Jill Farren Phelps observes,
“We have audience members who remember characters who were here 20
years ago. . . . These are their stories, and they go into their living rooms.
They feel a kindred association with the characters on the show.” 22
The choice of medium can also influence the content of genric pro-
gramming. For instance, in April 2003, New Line Cinema released a
movie called The Real Cancun in more than 2,000 theaters, the first
attempt by a Hollywood studio to transfer the TV reality genre to the

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