AUDIENCE

Lesson aim: learners will be able to relate audience

theories to their productions

WHY?

How How did you attract your target audience?H

• Media language e.g. colour, lexis, props, costume etc

• Media representation – how did you represent people/places to appeal to your chosen audience?

• Applying generic conventions

Examples of why we like different media texts

Information

• finding out about relevant events and conditions in immediate surroundings, society and the world

• seeking advice on practical matters or opinion and decision choices

• satisfying curiosity and general interest • learning; self-education • gaining a sense of security through knowledge

Personal Identity

• finding reinforcement for personal values

• finding models of behaviour

• identifying with valued others

• gaining insight into one’s self

Integration and Social Interaction

• gaining insights into circumstances of others - social

• empathy

• identifying with others and gaining a seems of belonging

• finding a basis for conversation and social interaction

• having a substitute for real-life companionship

• helping to carry out social roles

• enabling one to connect with family, friends and society

Entertainment

• escaping, or being diverted, from problems

• relaxing

• getting intrinsic cultural or aesthetic enjoyment

• filling time

• emotional release

• sexual arousal

(McQuail 1987: 73)

Identify reasons why audiences would like your media text:

• Information

• Personal identity

• Integration and social interaction

• Entertainment

Richard Kilborn (1992: 75-84)

A major focus for research into why and how people watch TV has been the genre of soap opera. Adopting a U & G perspective, Richard Kilborn (1992: 75-84) offers the following common reasons for watching soaps:

• regular part of domestic routine and entertaining reward for work

• launchpad for social and personal interaction

• fulfilling individual needs: a way of choosing to be alone or of enduring enforced loneliness

• identification and involvement with characters (perhaps cathartic)

• escapist fantasy (American supersoaps more fantastical)

• focus of debate on topical issues

• a kind of critical game involving knowledge of the rules and conventions of the genre

• Do any of these ideas fit in with your text?