REALITY TV TREATMENT
ELEMENT DESCRIBE
8 teenagers who failed to
Concept win a place at one of the top
universities in England
compete for their second
chance to win an all
expenses paid education at
Oxford University.
All live in the same student
flat
Forced to live on a student
budget/student food
Rewards each week
Competitive tasks each
week
Split into two teams, named
after colleges in Oxford
University – Christ Church
and Magdalen. Teams
divided further in terms of
gender, at least at the
beginning
All filming will be
documentary crew style
EXPLAIN
Immediate element of
competition as people
are competing for a
prize. – draws in
audience. Similar in
concept to The
Apprentice.
Creates tension
between flatmates. Will
also add to human
element of the show as
contestants will never
have lived away from
home before – an
additional challenge.
Adds to drama of
situation as housemates
struggle. This may also
bring up conflict
between contestants,
especially in terms of
social class. as more
wealthy struggle to stick
to budget.
Rewards are educational
tools, often provided by
the sponsors, which
would aid the
contestants when
attempting to get into
uni.
Adds to conflict between
teams. Nature of tasks
add to educational and
informational elements
of the show.
Ties in with the themes
of the show. Having
teams will add to the
competitive nature and
allow for additional
conflict between
contestants. Could also
include trades between
teams to add to the
 (Apprentice, Blood, Sweat
and Luxuries) rather than
Big Brother style CCTV,
USP Takes elements of a number
of successful formats – The
Apprentice, Blood, Sweat
and Luxuries.
Provides positive role model
of people trying to educate
themselves.
Ties in with current major
issues of university’s high
costs and difficulty of
getting a place, especially
at top universities.
Second Chances
Title
Ethos Entertain
Inform
excitement.
This will make the show
less voyeuristic as the
candidate’s will be fully
aware of cameras at all
times.
These shows clearly
have appeal as they
have been successful
with sections of my
target audience.
Combining them
together gives the
audience a new spin on
an idea which they
clearly already like.
In keeping with the brief
by encouraging ‘positive
role models’.
These are issues which
are important to my
family target audience –
teenagers who are
considering going to
university, parents who
are trying to send the
children to uni.
Relates to the idea of
students being given
another opportunity at
university success.
Relates specifically to
both the ‘try again’
second chance RTV
format, as contestants
are being given the
opportunity to succeed
in something in which
they had previously
failed.
Conflict between
contestants living in the
flat could entertain
audience. Tasks could
provide interest and
element of competition
will engage the
audience.
Will highlight to the
audience the difficulties
faced by young people
trying to get into
university. Will also offer
insight (especially for
young people thinking
 Educate
Series Episode 1 – Meet the
contestants and settling into
Structure the house
Episodes 2-5 – New task
every week. One person
voted out by audience each
episode
Episode 6 – Live final with
all four remaining
contestants competing
against each other for the
prize.
Tasks Episodes 2-5 teams
compete in academic and
problem solving tasks. For
example, science
experiments, maths
equations.
of applying to uni) what
university life is really
like. Relates to U+G
surveillance.
Tasks will have strong
educational value, as
the audience can
challenge themselves
by considering possible
solutions. Also, will give
audience the
opportunity to learn how
to apply to university,
which could have detail
added through voice-
over and presenter.
Introduces all
contestants and their
archetypes. Will
immediately hint at any
conflict. Could start with
more contestants (for
examples sixteen) and
ask them to sit an
entrance exam in first
episode. Contestants
also put into teams.
Serious focus on tasks.
Less consideration of
disagreements between
contestants in the flat.
This is in keeping with
ethos to educate and
provide positive role
models. Audience voting
also relates to
interactive element
from the brief.
Creates ‘event’ style
television i.e. Big
Brother, BGT finals.
Audience then votes,
with a live results show
the same evening.
Tasks very much relate
to informational and
educational ethos by
focusing on academic
pursuits. Also, as the
candidate’s have the
ability to solve these
problems, it will provide
positive role models to
young people.
This is similar to
 All tasks test contestants
ability to think outside the
box and are set in ‘the real
world’ rather than a
university.
One scholarship to Oxford
Prize University. This will cover all
university fees, living
expenses.
Also small weekly prizes as
mentioned in concept.
Two options:
Presenter 1. Andrew Marr – BBC
political and history
presenter. Is engaging,
respected for knowledge
and also quite humorous.
Also well known for his
interviewing skills.
2. Jon Tickle. Known for his
geeky personality. Is
Brainiac – testing
science in the real
World. For example they
could be asked be ask
to devise a physics
experiment which uses
a famous London
landmark. Or use
biology to improve a
football team. Or
historical and
geographical knowledge
to solve a treasure hunt.
This will add to the
entertainment element
of the show and
increase appeal to a
younger audience.
This could create
aspirations in the
audience to continue in
education. Relates also
to U+G information
about university life.
Could even lead to a
spin-off series or follow
up show about the
winner’s university life.
These would be things
such as state of the art
laptops, shopping
sprees with Amazon etc.
This creates a stronger
relationship with
sponsor whilst also
promoting the
educational value of
these companies.
Already well known for
factual programming
such as his History of…
shows. Attended top
university (Cambridge)
and so is familiar with
subject6 of the show.
Also, as former BBC
politics editor, has a
high profile and is used
to live TV. Style of
presenting is very
expressive, humorous,
likes telling stories
which could appeal to
all audiences. However
his age may alienate
younger viewers.
Already known from
 younger than Marr which
will hit whole audience. Also
has reality TV links from his
time on Big Brother.
Experts Each team will be mentored
by professors from the
University. These mentors
will give feedback
throughout each episode to
help the audience decide
who to vote for.
Audience Family audience:
Parents
Teenagers (16-19)
Younger viewers
Scheduling Two episodes a week:
Wednesday night, one hour,
Brainiac as being a
science geek and is
associated with crazy
real world science
experiments, which
relate to tasks on
Second Chances. Has a
very loyal fan base from
his time on Big Brother
which would heighten
interest in the show. As
former contestant on
Big Brother already has
a history in RTV. Jokey
but geeky style of
presenting would fit the
show perfectly and help
establish tone with
audience.
Mentors will add to the
educational tone of the
show. Whilst not being
famous they’re opinions
will be crucial in helping
shape the opinions of
the audience. Similar
role to Nick and
Margaret/Karen in The
Apprentice.
Will through U+G
surveillance consider
the process of university
applications and be
more effectively able to
relate to the situations
they children are or will
be going through, Will
also develop a more
insightful perspective on
issues being covered in
the news.
U+G Personal Identity
as students going to
university will relate to
many of the issues and
difficulties being
encountered on the
show. Also, could gain
information about how
to better apply for uni
themselves.
U+G Entertainment –
Will enjoy the funny,
informal experiments.
Family audience –
everyone home from
 8pm (similar slot to The
Apprentice) – Show
summing up the events of
the past week.
Sunday night, half an hour,
8pm. Live weekly results
show. People leaving the
house and interviewed by
presenter.
Sponsorship Companies such as:
Amazon.co.uk
Dell Computers
Contestants Very bright 18/19 year olds
who didn’t get into top
Universities
Come from a variety of
social backgrounds:
Mixed ethnicities
Mixed genders
Rich/Poor
Archetypes
work/school. Mid-week
slot means very few
people would be out.
Also gives younger
viewers the opportunity
to finish homework
before show but isn’t
before their bedtime.
Could be an after-dinner
activity.
Typically a time when
most people are at
home, could follow on
from a family Sunday
dinner.
Both companies
involved with providing
small weekly rewards.
Have a strong
educational value to
their products. Dell
especially have deals
with lots of schools to
provide computer
equipment. In
sponsorship segments
will use a humorous,
informal mode of
address to appeal to all
elements of target
audience. Both sponsors
are market leaders
which will add to the
credibility of the show.
Targets audience –
parents have children
this age, teens can
relate to them, younger
children could aspire to
be them. Also
encourages positive role
models. Also, having
young people, living
away from home for the
first time could
encourage
relationships/conflict
adding to media interest
and entertainment.
Wide variety of
backgrounds means
there are contestants
which everyone can
relate to – U+G Personal
Identity. It is especially
important to include
people who come from

Audience Voting
Participation
Web chats after evictions
Extra content on Red Button
Can suggest ideas for tasks
and get involved by
witnessing experiments live
– similar to James May’s Toy
Stories.
A whole week of events is
Institutional edited into a single one hour
show
Control
Results show is live and so
more difficult to position
audience
Various locations around
Setting London for tasks
disadvantaged
backgrounds to provide
positive role models.
Audience feel
empowered/involved as
they directly influence
the outcome/course of
the show
Audience are able to
directly interact with
contestants, adding to
interest in them. It could
also allow them to
challenge the
institution’s intended
representation by
asking the contestants
questions about how
they were portrayed.
Adds to the audience’s
sense of involvement as
they can choose what
additional sections to
watch.
Audience have a direct
impact on the show’s
content and can get
involved in some
elements of the show
live. Cheering and
booing contestants
during tasks could add
to the entertainment
and again add to the
audience’s influence.
Audience’s role in the
show is very important
as they have a number
of key roles in how the
show develops
Each moment we see is
carefully selected –
institution does have
control even though
there is a voting
process. They decide
what we see and
therefore control how
we respond to
contestants.
Locations which will be
familiar to audience,
adding to the

Student flat
Serious tone set, with
Theme Tune classical style music. Similar
to The Apprentice. Possibly
with a modern twist, for
example Tiesto - Adagio for
Strings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=8lOB0my97SA
Voice over provided by
Voice Over presenter. Adds extra
information and helps to
further position audience.
entertainment value
and appeal for
audience.
Adds to student
experience. May also
create conflict,
especially as
contestants are likely to
be going through the
experience of living
alone and doing things
for themselves for the
first time.
Helps establishes
educational themes
through classical music,
but with a modern spin –
appealing to all
elements of the target
audience.
Andrew Marr would add
an educated,
authoritative tone to the
show allowing the
institution to more
effectively influence
how the audience votes.