Analysis of BBC’s ‘The One Show’

This semester I will be producing a show similar to ‘The One Show’ and felt that if I was ever to make anything similar, I should study and analyse the format and content of the show.

Format:

• Classed as ‘topical magazine programme’
• Half an hour
• On sofas, always two presenters – funny, personable, engaging
• There is a guest/guests with them throughout the show
• Variety of content, flexible
• Escapism for people, relaxation

Content:

• Topical conversation points made into packages. Example = burglary (based on statistics released), package on vox pops and how the public can react in funny ways, time of year for travelling so raise awareness/case study on rogue travel agents.
• Experimental packages/in studio segments. Example = table manners in public and how we react to them (moral judgement calls in set up restaurant), in studio DIY piece (Gordan Ramsay making giant onion rings)
• They don’t show packages all at once. They show the beginning part, and the conclusion/reactions later on in the show. This interlinks all segments and keeps the viewer tuned in throughout the show.
• Interviews. People with new books, shows, people who have done something.
• Packages on people – a pilot in the 50s, a woman who walks miles and had a strange diet.

So what can I take from this to make WinchXtra, my imitation show, similar but doable? Here are some of my suggestions:

• Rather than have a guest throughout the show, we could arrange to have guests in studio for just an interview. We don’t need to fill out the show by going back to them.
• WinchXtra will be of a similar length as WINOL – 10-15 minutes long. To fill this in we could produce three segments, all 3 minutes each (to allow links and opening and closing of show).
• The show will be set on a sofa, preferably with two presenters but due to shortage of staff, and with me being director of the show, there may only be one presenter.
• There will be a variety of packages and in studio bits, depending on what is happening in Winchester/Hampshire. Vox pops for humour/topical questions, interesting people, news features, interviews, etc.