GCSE Media Studies

Unit 1: Investigating the Media

Preliminary Guidance 2017 Television Game Shows

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External Assessment Topic June 2017

Television Game Shows
Television Game Shows have entertained audiences for many years and have become a
staple ingredient of television programming and schedules. Often set in TV studios in front
of a live audience (though not always) game shows have the element of competition at
their core. There are several sub genres of Television Game Shows, all of which are
appropriate for Unit 1 purposes. These include the following: activity oriented; dating;
panel games; puzzle oriented and quiz shows. Among the vast array of UK Television
Game Shows that can be selected for study are the following: Total Wipeout, Take Me
Out, A Question of Sport, Countdown, Pointless. These are not prescriptive, but are just
offered as examples of the genre. There is no requirement to study examples of Television
Game Shows from the past but it would interesting in the study of the topic to cover a wide
range of shows and not just contemporary examples.
Reality television shows, although having many similar conventions (and often a game
element to them), differ as they usually have a focus on talent or real-life/work scenarios
and therefore should not be used in the study of Television Game Shows.
As general guidance for Unit 2, no Controlled Assessment for any of the Assignment
Banks may be submitted on Television Game Shows. More specifically, the impact on
selection from the Assignment Banks is as follows:
Assignment Bank 1:
Moving Image
Centres are still free to select this topic as long as the genre of Television Game Shows is
not selected.
Packaging of DVDs
Centres are free to work with this topic as long as Television Game Shows are avoided.
Assignment Bank 2:
Moving Image Production
Centres are still free to offer television for this topic but Television Game Shows must not
be selected for the focus of the assignment.
Assignment Bank 3:
Moving Image
Centres are still free to offer television for this topic but work must not focus on Television
Game Shows.
Web-based technologies/new media
Centres are not permitted to submit work for a website for a Television Game Show.

AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.

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