British Television Drama and US Imports: the Transnational Viewing Experience
Friday, 7th September 2007
A one-day symposium organised by the Centre for Television Drama Studies at the University of Reading, under the auspices of the AHRC-funded project British TV Drama and Acquired US Programmes 1970-2000.
Confirmed Speakers:
Dr. Marie Gillespie, Open University
Prof. Jeanette Steemers, University of Westminster
American television drama has been a staple in the schedules of British television since the 1950s. It is popular with viewers who have experienced dramas like Kojak, Dallas, The X-Files and Six Feet Under in a very particular British context which fundamentally determines how these programmes are received. The academic debate, after a flurry of work produced in the 1980s and 1990s, has in recent time given little scope to an exploration of issues revolving around these transformation and interpretation processes. Keeping in mind that programmes are screened and watched within a particular (national and local) context, this symposium seeks to address what role overseas programmes fulfil for broadcasters and how the national context affects the viewing experience.
In particular (though not exclusively), we welcome papers that address the following questions:
* How have broadcasters incorporated American programming into their
schedules? Where have programmes been placed and what function did they have
in the (daily, weekly, seasonal) schedule?
* How does the assimilation of American programmes into the British
context change these dramas?
* How does American programming relate to national drama? Do
broadcasters suggest relationships between programmes exist? And do they
value one over the other?
* How is indigenous drama affected by the presence of American drama
on television? Do British dramas change because of the success of American
dramas?
* What relationship do American dramas have to the national, regional
and/or local context?
* How have critics dealt with the presence of American drama? What
value judgements have been made and about which dramas?
* Which extra-textual contexts were available and how did they
influence potential meanings of American programmes?
* How have viewers watched both British and American dramas? Are there
suggestions that viewers like indigenous or American product better?
* How do viewers relate to American dramas in the British context?
* Conversely, how have British dramas been incorporated into the
American schedules? What effects did they have on broadcasters and producers
alike? And how were British dramas received by both critics and viewers?
The day is expected to run from 10am – 5pm. Papers should be no more than 20 minutes in length (including any audio-visual extracts). Please send abstracts of 250 words by Monday 30th April 2007 to Elke Weissmann via email (e.weissmann [AT] reading.ac.uk) or post: Elke Weissmann, University of Reading, Department of Film, Theatre & Television, Bulmershe Court, Woodlands Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 1HY.
