Toon on the TV: the televisual rebranding of Newcastle, from Our Friends in the North (1996) to 55° North (2004-05)

Martin-Jones, D. (2007) Toon on the TV: the televisual rebranding of Newcastle, from Our Friends in the North (1996) to 55° North (2004-05). In: Fawcett, H. (ed.) Made in Newcastle: Visual Culture. Northumbria University Press: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, pp. 117-134. ISBN 9781904794264

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Abstract

This chapter explores the changing representation of Newcastle on television, from Our Friends in the North (1996) to 55° North (2004–05). Their differing depictions of the city of Newcastle are seen to mirror shifting national attitudes towards Newcastle as it underwent a process of gentrification in the 1990s, a phenomenon that is discussed in detail in their collection by Paul Usherwood and Chris Wharton. This rebranding saw the city’s image change from that of a (supposed) industrial wasteland to a vibrant centre of entertainment and culture. The differing aesthetic styles and narrative themes of the two series are contrasted, as are the broadcasting agendas that shaped them and the shifting national contexts they negotiate. In this way a picture emerges of the extent to which the city's economic, cultural and institutional rejuvenation has been paralleled by its televisual makeover, as Newcastle was rebranded as a vital part of post-industrial England.

Item Type:Book Sections
Status:Published
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Martin-Jones, Professor David
Authors: Martin-Jones, D.
College/School:College of Arts & Humanities > School of Culture and Creative Arts > Theatre Film and TV Studies
Publisher:Northumbria University Press
ISBN:9781904794264

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