An example of ideological analysis in the context of international television channels; discovery channel

The goal of this research is to determine, beneath the title `international television channels?, the broadcast ideology of the television channels that are thematic, specialized in certain matters and address to a certain target mass. Getting out of the grand narratives in the course of time, the concept `ideology? has taken part in daily life practices today. Taking into consideration on this point of view it?s seen that daily life is mainly organized from the standpoint of the consumption order. Today mass media, especially television, has an important part in the processing of the concept; `ideology? which is synonymous with reaching the broadest mass. In our era while the content is determined by form, the ideology has taken part in this field.Thus, for determining the broadcast ideology of Discovery Channel, the comparative formal expression techniques have been determined as the method. A sampling has been formed considering the programmes which had the maximum rating on April, 2008 among the separate seven types of programmes taking place on the channel. Then these programmes have been studied in respect of formal expression techniques.In the end of the research it?s revealed that while formal expression techniques have a reality regarding the world, they?re the conveyor of visual ideology. In this sense the programmes taking place on the Discovery Channel can be commented that they are the productions that exist only in form but deprive of content. In ideological sense these programmes don?t have social, economic or politic references. Furthermore the productions of that channel indicate fictional characteristics, conversely they are asserted as nonfiction. It can be declared that the Discovery Channel programmes are in relation with real life as for only topic, however that topics? display styles are arranged as in a fictional work. Besides, While Discovery Channel, an international television company, includes hobby programmes aimed at processing of the consumption order, the broadcasted programmes convey capitalist values such as individualism, male dominance and success myth.