<p>In the 19th century, photography was often employed in attempts to objectively capture evidence of paranormal phenomena. With the advent of television, this tradition came to be coupled with the apparent mystery of distant communication through electromagnetic waves. The television set has often been depicted as intrinsically occult or even haunted.</p><p>It is therefore natural that television has proven to be an ideal medium to present beliefs, tales, and investigations about paranormal phenomena. Most such presentations have been openly ficticious, but in television the distinction between fact and fiction is often blurred, and the emergence of shows where the crew claims to pursue a serious investigation was inevitable. One of the most successful such shows is the British Most Haunted, airing since 2001. In this thesis, the presentation of occult phenomena in three episodes of Most Haunted is analyzed and discussed in light of this framework of traditions.</p><p>One main result is that the distinction between fact and fiction is indeed often blurred in Most Haunted. Reconstructions and purported evidence are similar to each other as well as to the historical ghost pictures, and sometimes the crew's reactions or lack of reactions is the only means to tell them apart. Elements aiming at creating a "ghost feeling" are abundant throughout both investigative and other parts of the show, and include monochrome (and sometimes inverted) imagery, blue or green light tones, modified motion speed, and perspectives that let the spectator "be the ghost". Black and white imagery is also a part of the usage of analogue or pseudo-analogue technology to convey connotations of authenticity. Filming the crew's reactions is the most common means of broadcasting a sense of hauntedness, as is often the case in traditional horror motion pictures.</p>

In the 19th century, photography was often employed in attempts to objectively capture evidence of paranormal phenomena. With the advent of television, this tradition came to be coupled with the apparent mystery of distant communication through electromagnetic waves. The television set has often been depicted as intrinsically occult or even haunted. It is therefore natural that television has proven to be an ideal medium to present beliefs, tales, and investigations about paranormal phenomena. Most such presentations have been openly ficticious, but in television the distinction between fact and fiction is often blurred, and the emergence of shows where the crew claims to pursue a serious investigation was inevitable. One of the most successful such shows is the British Most Haunted, airing since 2001. In this thesis, the presentation of occult phenomena in three episodes of Most Haunted is analyzed and discussed in light of this framework of traditions. One main result is that the distinction between fact and fiction is indeed often blurred in Most Haunted. Reconstructions and purported evidence are similar to each other as well as to the historical ghost pictures, and sometimes the crew's reactions or lack of reactions is the only means to tell them apart. Elements aiming at creating a "ghost feeling" are abundant throughout both investigative and other parts of the show, and include monochrome (and sometimes inverted) imagery, blue or green light tones, modified motion speed, and perspectives that let the spectator "be the ghost". Black and white imagery is also a part of the usage of analogue or pseudo-analogue technology to convey connotations of authenticity. Filming the crew's reactions is the most common means of broadcasting a sense of hauntedness, as is often the case in traditional horror motion pictures.