Research into the importance of factual shows :

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/why-documentaries-matter-more-ever-guest-column-976290

'There is "urgent need for the stories of people’s real-world experiences," writes Simon Kilmurry, the executive director of the International Documentary Association, as this year's Oscar contenders tell stories that explore timely issues amid political churn and "alternative facts." ' 

This extract from the article I read emphasises the importance of documentaries in today's media industries, Simon Kilmurry suggests that the main priority of channels such as Channel 5, and ITV is to produce entertainment based programmes. By reading this article I have understood that documentaries produce a sense of realism, and convey the brutal reality of some people's lives; and by uncovering these aspects of people's lives documentaries are creating awareness of issues such as the issue of homelessness I have chosen to focus on.

'To hear from the filmmakers, to meet their characters, illuminates our world in a way that only documentary filmmaking can. Watching these films is a keen reminder of what it means to struggle for freedom, for peace, for justice.'

This article emphasises that spreading facts and knowledge of the crisis that occurred in Syria allowed bystanders and viewers from all over the world to feel pathos for Syrians, and attempt to support the victims. This also indicates to me that documentaries often focus on victims or vulnerable people in order to make the viewers to feel powerful, and therefore able to support the victims; e.g sending donations to charities.

https://www.economist.com/prospero/2013/08/27/the-shocking-truth

'Recent British Film Institute data show that the number of documentaries released in British cinemas has grown steadily every year over the last decade, from a measly four in 2001 to 86 last year. Documentaries now also account for about 16% of the Cannes film market according to its director, Jerome Paillard, compared with 8% five years ago. Netflix, an online streaming service that also makes television series, recently announced that it will soon be producing documentaries for the next wave of its original content drive. '

Although this article focuses on a documentary styled film instead of a tv documentary, the article emphasises that documentaries are now on the rise, and are becoming more of an interest to the mainstream millennial audience. The article conveys that Netflix are focusing more heavily on documentaries, which will engage a younger audience of teenagers and therefore broadens the target audience for documentaries. The fact that documentaries of a more gritty, and realistic style are becoming more popular to a mainstream millennial audience, emphasises the importance to keep documentaries as factual and engaging to younger audiences. Therefore, I am attempting to create a sense of pathos and emotional attachment in my documentary to target younger viewers, and focus on different aspects on stereotypes surrounding the homeless.