By Faatima Ahmed

Background
What is it about? Something to Be Desired is a comedy web sitcom about life after college. It’s
been created and produced in Pittsburgh, has been online since the summer of 2003. It’s about
college students settling with their partners and trying to get the job that they want. Something to be
desired is the webs longest running sitcom online since 2003 and it falls in the comedy category.

It first started on 2003 as an online series and is still running.

Something to be Desired is on their 6th series. (Clip of “Something to be desired”)

Institution
 Who makes it?

 Justin Kownack is the producer of “Something to be Desired”. For each episode they develop
over seven hours of original content, all of which can be seen here 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, and entirely free. They work with STBD films with a local cast and crew.  They shoot their
web series on mini-DV (the Panasonic DVX-100A model, to be exact), edit in Final Cut Pro, and
distribute on multiple platforms, including Blip TV and iTunes. They’ve mode over a 100
episodes.
 The online sitcom is aimed at a niche audience; of an older and mature audience.
 Online sitcoms have become popular since the emergence of web 2.0. “There is less of more”.
More people are involved in the media as idea’s are being developed. Online sitcoms have
attracted niche audiences and have created diverse audience. The audience says they are
enjoyable to watch.
Audience: Who is it aimed at?
 In terms of race “Something to be Desired” is aimed at mainly a white audience as all the cast are
white. Therefore young white teenagers can relate the most. However, all races can watch as
any teenager who has a college life style can relate to it.

 In terms of class, as the sitcom is aimed a young audience who has been through college,
desperate to get jobs and find love. It’s aimed at students with hobbies and interests of trying to
settle in life after college. More specifically, it is particularly American based.

 Both men and women can relate to the web sitcom as the cast is equal divided with both
genders. There’s a lot of crude humour involved as well.

 Bre Pettis at WeAreTheMedia.com writes: “…isn’t for kids due to language and sexual content,
but it’s got great production values…” (February 2006)
Production
 How is it web 2.0?

 “Something to be Desired” is very web 2.0 as it’s an online serious which can be viewed online
on their website. It can also be viewed on You Tube, and their fan sites such as My Space and
Twitter which enables them to communicate with the audience and get them involved.

 The whole series can be viewed in their website and they take some of their idea’s from the
audience to continuingly keep them involved. By involving the audience, it may indicate why
there’re still running as a web sitcom: as they’ve got lots of viewers who are interested in the
show.

 The web sitcom is aimed at a niche audience and it’s available to watch any time online
anywhere. They are also on popular communicating websites such as Twitter and My Space.

 It’s web 2.0 in the sense that there’s a lot of interactivity and information sharing. It’s available for
anyone to watch as long as they interested in it. The online sitcom got produced because of the
availability of media 2.0. More devices, idea’s and creativity is now available for entertaining
niche audience and making a profit.
Distribution/Exhibition
 The audience can experience the programme by watching it online on various websites on
YouTube and the production website. They can also download episodes which enables them to
watch the show at any time and any where.

 The audience has control over the show as they can get involved by suggesting storylines and
say what they enjoy the most. They also encourage the audience to join the official fan site for
Something to be Desired.

So is the audience an influence??

 They are an influence as the more the audience watches the online sitcom, the more the
production carry on making further episodes to carry on with the series.
360 degree Solution
 Other ways audience can experience text…..

Pittsburgh Links:
Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh’s largest free weekly
Pittsburgh CitySearch - A plethora of info on food, shopping, events, etc.
Pittsburgh Events - Listing of upcoming events in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Film Office - Official site for film and TV professionals
Web Video Links:
Channel101 - Hysterical, cutting-edge monthly short film contest in LA
Channel102 - Same as above, only in NYC
IndieTalk - Forum for web video enthusiasts
Internet Video Magazine - News, reviews and “how-to”s for web video culture
MicrocinemaScene - News, reviews and a forum for under-the-radar videos
REWind Video - Forum for web video enthusiasts
Vodcasts - Directory of vodcasts (or web video) 
We Are The Media - The news source for video-bloggers and media-makers 
Webisodes.com -  Free webisodes, trailers, short films, etc. 
Webisodes.org - Wiki site dedicated to webisode culture
YouTube - A sprawling collection of user-submitted vide

“Something to be Desired” is also interested asking people to

Advertise with them…….
 3.0 Future
So what is the future of this text??

“Something to be desired” is currently on their 6 th series and the probability is that they will carry
on with more episodes. The show niche with a minority being the viewers. However, in content
the web sitcom, it has always had a well known crew with the actors are consistent. The
production may come up with a fresh new sitcom which may relate to “Something to be Desired”.
There is a strong possibility that the audience will be more involved.
Theory “Reception theory provides a means of understanding media texts by
understanding how these texts are read by audiences.”

 How is each theory supported or

rejected by the text
 “Something to be desired” supports
the reception theory as it involves
the audiences interpretation and
how they understand the text. The
reception theory explores the
environment of the context which all
web sitcoms do. The challenge
audience representations and
develop on existing ideas. Different
interpretations are given by the
audience. The online sitcom
challenge stereo-types and
represent stereotypes therefore it’s
clear that the audience can interpret
the way they want as different
audiences have different cultural
views.
Uses In Gratification:

Uses in Gratification involves

users taking an active part in the
communication process. This
theory proposes that that the
media seeks out the source for
the users. The theory also states
that watching TV helps to shape
audience needs and
expectations. “Something to be
desired” aims to create an
audience to watch their show and
fulfills the audiences expectations
by creating a sitcom that they’ll
watch. There is no longer the
same hierarchy's in the media
business as there is the power for
anyone to share via the internet.
 The Long Tail Theory- Chris
Andersons Theory

 The Long Tail Theory supports

“Something to be desired” as it’s the
idea of selling smaller texts to smaller
niche audiences rather then one big
product to a mainstream audience.
This links to “Something to be desired”
as it’s an online sitcom aiming at a
niche audience. So the internet allows
the audience to watch from a wide
range of choices. There are now more
consumers watching independent
films rather than watching mainstream
films.
 Web 2.0 Theory: David
Gauntlett

 This media theory definitely

supports “Something to be
desired”. 2.0 allows the
audience to create their own
representation using media
text. It’s an online web
sitcom that can be viewed
anytime on their fan sight
and other websites such as
You Tube, Twitter ect.
“Something to be desired
takes on new interpretations
and have developed on ideas
because of web 2.0 allowing
them to share their ideas for
smaller audiences.
Issues
 What issues are there about copy right/ creativity/ entertainment/ownership/
privacy/ commerce about the programme.

 “Something to be desired” have various websites where you can view their
show. They appreciate when the audience is involved which they can do by
joining their fan site. They altogether are very enthusiastic and creative
about their show.

 In terns of privacy and copy right, as a online sitcom, they produce the final
footage which can be viewed only.