Narrative Adaptation and Memory: The BBC's Pandemic War Mythos Autobiographies

Thesis Abstract

The study investigates how narrative adaptation and memory shape public perception of the BBC’s Pandemic War Mythos Autobiographies within a mediated cultural archive, addressing the problem of how post-pandemic memory constructs are formed, circulated, and contested through broadcast-authored memoirs and their paratextual structures. It aims to elucidate the relationship between autobiographical narrative strategies and collective memory formation, with specific objectives to (1) identify thematic configurations across the autobiographies and associated media discourse, (2) examine the role of memory cues, intertextuality, and rhetorical positioning in shaping audience interpretation, (3) assess the influence of media institutions on memory legitimation and mythmaking, (4) test the applicability of the Extended Phenomenology of Memory framework and Narrative Theory of Adaptation to these texts, and (5) develop a model linking narrative adaptation techniques to memory outcomes in broadcast memoirs. A mixed-methods design is employed, combining qualitative content analysis with quantitative measurement to capture both depth and generalizability. The population comprises eleven BBC-produced pandemic-era autobiographical programs and monographs released between 2020 and 2024, supplemented by a purposive sample of 200 audience responses collected from BBC online forums and social media platforms. Data collection instruments include a structured coding framework for thematic analysis, a semi-structured interview protocol with ten media producers and editors involved in the mythos project, and a survey instrument containing Likert-scale items to gauge reader/viewer memory salience, credibility, and affective engagement. Validity and reliability procedures include intercoder reliability testing (Cohen’s Kappa) for qualitative coding, pilot testing of the survey with a sample of 40 participants, and triangulation across textual data, producer interviews, and audience feedback. Analytical techniques include thematic analysis for narrative strategies and memory cues (Braun and Clarke framework), discourse analysis to trace intertextual references and myth-making tropes, and regression analysis to explore predictors of memory salience and credibility (independent variables narrative stance, event chronology, intertextual density; dependent variable memory salience). A structural equation model (SEM) will be estimated to test the proposed pathways linking adaptation techniques to memory outcomes, with model fit assessed via RMSEA, CFI, and TLI. The theoretical lens integrates the Extended Phenomenology of Memory (Henry and Ricœur-inspired memory scripts) and Narrative Theory of Adaptation (Genettean distance and modal shifts) to interpret how form, voice, and temporal organization contribute to mythic constructions. Key expected findings include (a) identification of recurring motifs—survival resilience, communal solidarity, and sovereign accountability—that function as mnemonic anchors; (b) evidence that intertextual play (televisuality, archival footage, third-person testimonials) enhances perceived authenticity but also magnifies memory biases, particularly vividness and urgency effects; (c) demonstration that a commemorative narrative stance with selective recollection fosters stronger endorsement of mythic narratives than a diagnostic or critical stance; and (d) a robust model linking narrative adaptation strategies to memory outcomes, moderated by audience literacy and prior pandemic exposure. The study anticipates that certain memory cues will predict higher credibility ratings and stronger affective engagement, while heavy reliance on mythologizing tropes may reduce perceived accuracy among critical viewers. Contribution to knowledge includes advancing a nuanced, empirically grounded account of how broadcast memoirs contribute to collective memory formation and mythmaking in the post-pandemic era, extending the literature on media memory, adaptation theory, and institutional storytelling, and offering a replicable methodological framework for analyzing memory-work in contemporary media artifacts. The conclusion will discuss implications for public broadcasting practices, audience education, and the curation of memory-rich formats in crisis narratives. Recommendations emphasize transparent framing of memory selection processes, critical engagement with archival sources, and the development of companion digital resources to encourage reflective audience reception and mitigate uncritical mythologizing.