[FONT="]F R O N T L I N E[/FONT]
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·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The “truth” is shaped to the needs of the network[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Mike is revealed as totally inept from his autocue, even his attempts to fake content – fail miserably.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="](Playing The Ego Card) Brian takes full credit for spotting the helicopter when he is talking to his superiors. He shows how ruthless and unscrupulous manipulator he is of people and the truth. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The “Frontline” audience is indirectly asked whether an endorsement by a media personality could ever be trusted[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The whole truth is that Mike, Brooke, Marty, Brian and the whole Frontline crew are a bunch of media (scumbags) who manipulate and deliberately distort the truth for ratings, profit, and self aggrandisement just because they can.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Our world has constructed universal truths, which we are inclined to believe and live by unquestioningly. Our perceptions and observations of the truth are controlled by those who have the power to feed us their truths. Thus the truth is altered and manipulated to suit their purpose and context. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Frontline[/FONT][FONT="] comments on the representation of the truth through commercial television, and satirizes how current affair show’s obsession with image and ratings overrides their accurate portrayal of the truth.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Frontline[/FONT][FONT="] satirizes the tabloid journalism of current affairs shows by looking behind the scenes at the way current affairs shows promote their own interests, as opposed to stimulating the viewers to develop their own opinions. The variety of techniques used to create satire is verisimilitude, framing and shots. Satire and parody attract the audience and avoid an approach that is too blunt and didactic. Using real characters like Cheryl Kernot – such verisimilitude also add to the credibility of the show. Camera techniques such as handheld cameras around the office give a documentary-like flavour, which also adds to the sense of reality. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The introduction of the show creates verisimilitude, with its fast paced music and real footage, until news anchor Mike Moore, with his deliberately excessive hairdo and voice hint at the parody to follow.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The importance of ratings to current affairs show[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Blatant sexism does not disturb female characters Emma and Brooke at all, they willingly agree to what is proposed. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Ratings are constantly given priority over journalistic integrity, highlighting the disproportional worth placed on ratings – showing no concern for the representation of the truth by disregarding the code of ethics.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The manipulation and distortion of truth are a constant trend in the reports of Frontline, as the show aims to make stories more interesting by “pacing it up.”[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Sensationalism is a common method used to attract audiences.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Representation of the truth is the most important theme of Frontline, and it is shown not only in the context of the current affairs show, but also within the show through the characterisation. The characters not only hide the truth from the public, but also from each other. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Mike’s appearance on the World Series Debate reveals the unedited version of Mike Moore without his autocue and false looks – vain and foolish; essentially exposing his true self – not behind the set of Frontline.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Four key features identified in truth telling of the materials are “good vision”, sensationalism, deception and reporter bias.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The truth is defocused and affected through editing, music, casting and acting.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The need for “good vision” again changes the predominant truth[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The television series provides us with a satirical look at current affairs programs and exposes the fraudulent, unethical and mendacious nature of these shows.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Shows the methods media utilizes in order to increase their ratings and reveals the media’s manipulation of the truth and subsequently of the responder.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]In the 21st century society we live in, truth is a social construct; shaped by a certain few who have the power to deem what is accepted as truth. Arguably, ulterior motives, personal agendas, corporate and political interests affect the representation of the truth.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Texts are an invitation for responders to question the authority and work ethics of those who control the telling of the truth, ad think critically of how the truth can be distorted or misrepresented.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The opening sequence of each episode uses a combination of fast paced music and off screen shots to give Frontline all the appearances of a real current affairs program. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]This confronts the responders and allows them to critically analyse the use of propaganda and manipulation of the truth[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Moreover, ‘Playing the Ego Card’ uses characterisation and dialogue to exaggerate Brian’s lack of professionalism and care. The repetition present in Brian’s exclamation of “vision, vision, vision!” enforces how sensationalism and editing can alter perception.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Frontline[/FONT][FONT="] is a parody of current affair programmes which aim at exposing the motivation and techniques employed by the media when representing visions and versions of the truth[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Dramatic music in order to establish credibility and reinforce our familiarity with current affair shows.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Journalists are represented as egotistic people who rely heavily upon image to climb their career ladder[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The ruthless pursuit of ratings is seen as a key motivation for the selectivity of news stories.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]VISION IS SEEN AS A CRUCIAL ASPECT OF TV JOURNALISM DUE TO ITS POWER TO INFLUENCE PERCEPTION AND ITS ABILITY TO BE MISINTERPRETED.[/FONT][FONT="][/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]You need “good vision, good vision, good vision!”[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]“Visual impressions are often more influential then words in television” because the things we see have a designated cultural code which is shared by the viewers and the media relies on this code to try and conceal their bias.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Mike Moore is depicted as articulate and authoritative in questioning, however the off camera scenes of Mike undermine this fabricated image. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The issue of truth and its manipulation is presented throughout Frontline, a satire which parodies current affair shows driven by ratings and commercial interests at the expense of truth and integrity[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]THE IMMENSE POWER OF THE MEDIA TO MANUFACTURE AND ALTER FACT TO MAKE IT SEEM TRUE TO THE EYES OF THE PUBLIC[/FONT][FONT="][/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Highlights the weakness of human beings in their understanding and perceptions of the truth[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Hunger for higher ratings and publicity that drives these journalists to concoct stories through editing and exaggeration, which serves to alter the public’s perception and understanding of the truth as Frontline presents it – which ultimately becomes the truth. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The ability of the media to transform, manipulate, distort or misinterpret the truth through the concepts of half truths and omissions is incorporated through Frontline.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]DIFFERENT TEXTS WITHIN DIFFERENT MEDIA ALL CONSTRUCT AND REPRESENT THEIR OWN TRUTH ACCORDING TO THE COMPOSER’S PURPOSE AND AGENDA.[/FONT][FONT="][/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Stich’s 1994 television series Frontline is a humorous and satirical representation of the corruption of commercial current affairs program.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]By trivialising their objectives to ‘search for the truth’, the program reveals the true nature of journalism and its degradation into immoral practices and deliberate distortion of reality. Stich’s purpose, therefore, is to mock and expose the truth of how current affairs programs construct their own version of reality, for their own selfish reasons. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]4 general themes [/FONT][FONT="] - manipulation of the truth to suit agenda, the distortion of the truth, the importance of image and power politics and the general purpose and role of journalism[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Characterisation is utilised by the composer to portray and mock the importance of image to individual characters and to the larger industry and to identify the link between manufactured image and success.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Mike is portrayed to be intellectual, influential and confident with token qualities of the central figures of current affairs programs such as the signature eye-brow raise.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Frontline exaggerates these common features by using bright lighting to accentuate Mike’s make-up and perfect hair to alert the audience to the contrived nature of his appearance. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Undeniable bias[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The problem with defining the truth is that there is no real definition as people tend to have their own version of the ‘truth’, and as a result, situations can be very easily misrepresented.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Using TV parody, it demonstrates the media’s obsession with ratings, image and money, and emphasises what lengths the media will go to, to get them.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]In studying Frontline we see the truth as a subjective enigma reflecting the views of those who influence through construction, credibility and commercialism its representation that we may question the authority of those who purport to telling the truth.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]In Frontline, Stich et al construct a satirical view of tabloid media to reveal the composer’s view on the truth of an industry of irresponsible sensationalism.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Manufactured to create verisimilitude of credibility and lend authority to the “news” presented by Frontline and Mike’s patented editorial[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Frontline emphatically undermines this with its cinema verite style used to portray the text as a candid insight into the processes by which the truth is distorted, that we might accept the claims of Sitch et al as true.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The truth is portrayed differently ,whether it is to make it seem more exciting or to ironically, make it appear more factual. However, the validity of the truth represented in texts is often also reliant upon a responder’s perception of the integrity of the composer, not the truth represented.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="](We Aint Got Dames) Shows their intention of gaining higher ratings whilst displaying a more female orientated show. This quest for victory in the ratings war leads to immoral practices. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Frontline shows mindless stories with little or no substance, rather than serious substantial ones, reducing treatment of political issues and devoting more time to domestic and trivial concerns. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Frontline exploits the audience’s trust in the show and its presenters in order to portray a seemingly more interesting and thrilling storyline, and in doing so manipulates the truth. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="](We Aint Got Dames) Demonstrates the power of the editor in shaping the truth in choosing what gets shown and what gets silenced.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Mike’s promo is a false depiction of him and he is projected as someone “all women of Australia can fall in love with.” This contrast between the image and reality is sustained through the episode. The juxtaposition of Mike’s on-camera comment about Elliot Rhodes as a “national treasure” to his off-air comment that “he’s shithouse” further plays with this idea of reality versus image. The media generates and protects these false images.[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]The use of high key lighting and a fast paced visual montage with a loud musical theme, similar to that of the current affairs shows – creating an image of impression of authority and honesty. This is starkly contrasted to the grainy, edgier “behind the scenes” footage which is filmed with a hand held camera to convey the idea of immediacy and candour which enhances the effects of cinema verite and the credibility of the series. Mike’s knowledgeable “Mmmm….” Increases their credibility in the minds of the responders due, in part to, their eye contact with the audience. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Mike wants to cover a story about “illegal textile factories in Australia employing migrant women” but is told that it’s “too heavy”. The story is “massacred” and turns out looking like “an ad for Sportsgirl” again emphasising Brian’s sexist views and degradation of women. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="](Playing the Ego Card) – the importance of visuals can be seen through Brian’s words – “good vision, good vision, good vision!”[/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]They discuss the important idea of how truth is manipulated or distorted, for ratings, power or due to differing perspectives. [/FONT]
·[FONT="] [/FONT][FONT="]Representations of the truth refers to the way the media and other powerful mediums present the truth to the public. [/FONT]
