Zakiyyah, Neha, Maryam, Shahista and Samiha

ABC Channel was launched on the 29th of April 1977, it had previously been known as CBN Satellite Service. ABC Family is owned by Disney (a conglomerate) and is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).ABC Family is a family orientated channel providing contemporary TV shows that specifically target teenage girls and young women.As Disney is a vertically integrated conglomerate there is chance for cross promotion across a wide variety of media - film, TV, radio, cinema, shops and even theme parks! ABC Family is also represented online through social media - Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

Based on novels written by Sara ShepardIt has had 5 seasons (ongoing) and 119 episodes.Season 1 and 2 were aired on MTV in the UK, however since its disappearance from UK TV it is available on Netflix. In the USA it is shown on ABC family

Target Audience

The target audience for Pretty Little Liars would be teenagers. This is because the characters in Pretty Little Liars are in college. Mainly for young girls because most of the characters are female and they play huge roles such as gossiping or experience drama with friends.

Themes of Narrative

Lies Secrets Blackmailing GossipMystery Drama Death

Representation Women

The representation of women in PLL challenges the stereotypes of women as the women are

Brave– they do not need men to look out for them and ‘protect’ them

Independent – they can take matters into their own hands, and often do so without consulting adults or the police because they are being stalked

Secrets – the girls all have secrets, and that is what unites alongside the lies they tell, and the stories they corroborate on in order to get away with things

These representations aren’t stereotypical, as in most teenage dramas the female protagonists usually rely on a man to protect them from a common enemy or to solve their problems for them.

However, the stereotypes of women in general are reinforced as the women in PLL are attractive, and each of the four protagonists represents a different stereotype of women

Representation of Women

Aria

The quiet girl, she’s the ‘good girl’ of the group, a well-read student, excelling in literature. She’s also in a relationship with her teacher which shows that she is taking a serious risk. She also has issues with her parents’ divorce and finds it difficult to adjust.

Representation of WomenEmily

Emily is a Native American, and her character is lesbian. She also swims for her school team and challenges the stereotype of lesbians as she is pretty and feminine and not a ‘dyke’. Emily is the only character who has a job as a waitress. She is a polysemic character.

Representation of Women

HannaInitially represented as blonde, and a little bit ditzy. However, she’s also the only ‘normal’ girl as she’s quite down to earth and is often the voice of reason. Hanna is initially a shoplifter but steals for an adrenaline rush, not because she can’t afford the items. She also becomes the blonde ‘Queen Bee’ after the death of her best friend Alison.

Representation of Women

Spencer

She is the typical ‘geek’ and is a perfectionist. She has aspirations to go to an Ivy League college. She comes from a wealthy background with both her parents being lawyers. However, she turns to drugs and eventually ends up in an asylum after having a mental breakdown.

Representation Men

Men and their appearances are represented as they're all attractive, with strong jaw lines which emphasise their masculinity . All men are shown as talented and skilled and each does their own part in trying to help the girls take down A. 

Representation of MenEzra

Ezra is Intelligent and academic and pursues his dream of becoming a teacher. However, once he meets Aria he prioritises her over his job and eventually leads to his sacking because he is in a relationship with a student. Some teenagers may be able to relate to this because they have crushes on their teachers.

Representation of Men

Caleb He’s talented with computers, technology and hacking. He was given up for adoption by his parents, so has spent majority of his life in foster homes. Initially he earned money illegally through hacking but realised the error of his ways. He is in a relationship with Hanna and tries to help her defeat A.

Representation of Men Toby

He is physically talented; he's a craftsman, carpenter and a builder. But Toby defies stereotypes as he doesn't look like the stereotypical builder, he's quite fit and represents the laissez-faire policy of America and individuality.

Divorce Hanna's father: Despite being a minor character he is still important because he’s divorced and some people may find this relatable and connect emotionally with abandonment and how he left Hanna and her mum.

Aria's father can be included here too as he was having an affair with another woman which led to a divorce from his wife. Some audience members may be able to relate to this too, having experienced similar problems. 

Stuart Hall – Audience

Positioning• The Dominant Reading of PLL are young women and

teenage girls who most likely encounter similar situations to the girls in Pretty Little Liars. This makes the show relatable for the Dominant Reading

• The Negotiated Reading would be people who may not completely agree with certain elements / issues in the show for example: A much older age range of people

• The Oppositional Reading would be those who completely disagree with the show’s meanings and messages and this could be parents, teachers or anyone who feels protective over young people.