Fighting the war against crime: television, police and audience

Schlesinger, P. and Tumber, H. (1993) Fighting the war against crime: television, police and audience. British Journal of Criminology, 33(1), pp. 19-32. (doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.bjc.a048288)

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Abstract

This article analyses the origins of the popular BBC TV crime programme, Crimewatch UK, and the initial constraints that have shaped its subsequent evolution. Crimewatch's selection criteria put it firmly in the camp of popular journalism and relate closely to the need to hold a large audience. The programme has broken new ground in British television's co-operation with the police: the production team is given an unusual measure of access to the details of cases under investigation. Furthermore, in drawing upon the vogue for audience participation Crimewatch UK has sought to bring about a new relationship between the police and the viewing public by its attempt to mobilize public responses. This shift has now been emulated by other programmes in the new genre such as Crimestoppers and Crime Monthly.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Schlesinger, Professor Philip
Authors: Schlesinger, P., and Tumber, H.
College/School:College of Arts & Humanities > School of Culture and Creative Arts > Theatre Film and TV Studies
Journal Name:British Journal of Criminology
Publisher:Oxford University Press
ISSN:0007-0955
ISSN (Online):1464-3529

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