Sports documentaries
It is surely beyond argument that sports documentaries are the most consistently admired kind of television programme in the world. They have succeeded in (1) ________ the imagination of millions since it first (2) ________ as a genre back in the 1950s. The early format reflects the role once played by travelling newsreel producers, who promoted their films before major events. Sports documentaries have been (3) ________ as predictable entertainment, with audiences supposedly (4) ________ this viewing habit in order to escape from reality. Films are often centred on close, highly competitive teams, evoking nostalgic feelings in some viewers, since such clubs may no longer dominate in many regions. The subject matter of sport also (5) ________ great appeal for viewers since the films (6) ________ focus on personal setbacks they may have experienced themselves. There has been a significant shift in attitudes with many films now (7) ________ moral and social issues. The athletes and decisions (8) ________ are complex and ambiguous, providing much food for thought and no easy answers.