SHAPING THE REAL - DEMOCRATIZATION AND COMMODIFICATION IN UK FACTUAL BROADCASTING

As European television becomes ever more competitive, fears are often expressed about the future of documentary programming as it has tradit ionally been conceived. Will those investigative, consciousness-raisin g documentaries produced by public service providers gradually be repl aced by more accessible, entertainment-oriented programmes deemed more likely to attract a larger audience! Is the development of high quali ty lightweight recording equipment leading to more democratic forms of viewer involvement or is it being seized upon by broadcasters as a wa y of cutting production costs! Is factual programming being progressiv ely commodified? This article explores recent developments in British factual programming. Takings its starting point the series Video Diari es in which aspects of the access programming tradition can be clearly discerned, the article considers how producers have gone on to develo p new formats which combine 'Diaries' characteristics with other quali ties more in tune with the perceived programming needs of the late 199 0s. The clear trend in recent years has been to develop hybridized, ma gazine-type formats focusing on softer topics with high ratings appeal .