I look down on him, because he watches Big Brother…

Pin It

The old sketch about class, with John Cleese, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett was all about the things that divided upper, middle and working class people in the 1960s. Things like how they spoke, where they want to school, the car they drive, and the holidays they take. But these days, those indicators are no longer valid. Anyone can go on holiday anywhere, or eat in the best restaurants, or drive a Roller. It’s just so hard to tell where people are in the social hierarchy.

Image via Wikipedia

Some argue that the old class system has broken down, and that we no longer speak of “upper middle class”, or “working class”. But I believe we do still classify into social strata, and not just in a Peter York-type way. The recent riots in London and elsewhere sparked thousands of conversations about “those type of people”, who lived on benefits, wore hoodies, and thought nothing of removing a widescreen TV from a smashed shop window, without even leaving a tip.

So if the class system does still exist, how can we tell who is who? I think it all boils down to what we watch on the box. I’ve been to many events where people define themselves, and classify others, by the programmes they see on a regular basis. Interestingly, in order to form a judgment about other shows, they have to “catch a few minutes of it while I was switching channels”. It’s like admitting that you like to read The Sun, but just for the racing reports.

So if my theory holds water, what are the “indicator programs” that define the media ecological niche of each class? Let’s start with the working class (or to put it as some would, the non-working class). Reality shows are probably popular, and the revival of Big Brother has no doubt caused a few cans of Export-strength lager to be hoisted in tribute. Then there are the “scripted reality” shows, like The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE), Made in Chelsea, Geordie Shore, and (you can’t make this stuff up) Desperate Scousewives – coming soon. But I think there’s an even better indicator, and it’s not a show, it’s a channel, or rather several channels. Home shopping – QVC, Ideal World and Price-drop TV to name but a few. They know their market, and pitch “affordable luxury” to those who can barely afford necessities.

But what of Middle England? The vicar on his bike, the crack of willow on leather on the village green, and honey still for tea. It’s “quality dramas” like Downton Abbey and Spooks, sitcoms like The Family and Outnumbered, and of course, anything with David Attenborough. Not forgetting “quiz shows” like Mock the Week, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Have I Got News for You. All solidly middle of the road, despite a nod to anti-establishment humour. It’s all quite safe.

And so to the upper classes. Of course, they have little time to watch TV, what with meals at The Ivy, gallery openings and first nights at The Lyric. So it’s just a quick glimpse at the news channels (Bloomberg for preference – so much information on one screen), and the occasional film with subtitltes on BBC4.

But what of you and I? We don’t fit any of the categories. Perhaps we’re a class apart, like a small group of aliens trying to blend in on a distant planet. We spend a lot of time online, and rarely have time for live TV. We have a SkyPlus or a Tivo, but never get round to watching what we’ve recorded. Instead. we have box sets of The West Wing, The Sopranos, Friends and The Wire. Or do we? What’s your TV experience? Is all of the above a flight of fancy, or do your viewing habits define your social class? I’m off to watch a rerun of Minder while you think about that.

Pin It