Audience Theory

The learning objective within this sector was to understand the concept of a media audiences and to apply this knowledge to media texts specifically our final product; virus sub-genre teaser trailer. Within the consideration of target audience my class and I reviewed -

 

- Institutions and Ideology

- Representations

- Narrative Structure

- Genre

 

Audience

 

An audience can be defined as a group of individuals that consume and interact with a media text. Essentially, without an audience, there would be no media. By identifying our target audience during pre-production, my group and I have a greater understanding into how we will construct our narrative as well as who our product will appeal to.

 

Audience Theories

 

Hypodermic Needle Theory - This theory was put into place to demonstrate the effects mass media has on audiences by injecting passive audiences with ideologies. One particular example of this is the Iraq war. During the Iraq war, the only reporting of the conflict on Iraqi television was from the Iraq State News Agency; surprisingly, their version of events somewhat conflicted with what news agencies outside of Iraq reported. Saddam Hussein's (previous Middle Eastern Dictator) objective was to inform the people of Iraq with the information he wanted them to acknowledge and believe. Ultimately, he injected his ideologies in order for majority of individuals (if not all) to agree with his points of view.

 

Therefore, the audience are seen as a passive audience who will immediately accept whatever version of events is provided through how the media is presented.

 

Two-Step Flow Theory - Within this theory, an active audience will discuss media texts with one another (for example, last nights episode of 'Eastenders'). If the media text is discussed with someone we respect (an opinion leader) then, we as individuals, may be passive enough to accept their views. Ultimately, our opinions could change as a result. Television critics and film critics are examples of influencing choses.

 

Uses and Gratifications Theory - During the 1960s, as the first generation to grow up with television became grown ups, it became increasingly apparent to media theorists that audiences made choices about what they did when consuming texts. Far from being a passive mass, audiences were made up of individuals who actively consumed texts for different reasons and in different ways. In 1948 Lasswell suggested that media texts had the following functions for individuals and society: surveillance, correlation, entertainment and cultural transmission.

Researchers Blulmer and Katz expanded this theory and published their own in 1974, stating that individuals might choose and use a text for the following purposes (i.e. uses and gratifications):

Diversion - escape from everyday problems and routine.

Personal Relationships - using the media for emotional and other interaction. For example, substituting soap operas for family life.

Personal Identity - finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behaviour and values from texts. For example, 'Educating Essex'. This documentary revolves the day-to-day life of pupils and teaching staff within a Essex secondary school. Those who attens school or work within the education system, may see themselves reflected in the text through opinions expressed and issues highlighted.

Surveillance - Information which could be useful for living such as weather reports, financial news and holiday bargains. Since then, the list of Uses and Gratifications has been extended, particularly as new media forms have come along (e.g. video games, the internet etc.)

Cultivation Theory - Repeated exposure of a particular text will make the audience desensitised as they know what to expect. In the past, theorists have exhibited previously banned films to audiences in the modern day to see if they would have an effect.

Reception Theory - Extending the idea of an active audience research in the 1980's and 1990's was carried out to acknowledge how individuals received and interpreted a text and how their own factors and circumstances (gender, class, ethnicity, age etc.) affected the reader/spectator.

Majority of the work carried out was based on Stuart Hall's encoding/decoding model of the relationship between text and audience. The text is encoded by the producer and decoded by the reader.