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Unit 1:Industries,
Texts & Audiences
Unit 1.3: How Media Texts are constructed in relation to their
audiences
Things you need to know…
» How the industry thinks about its audiences.
» How products are tailored to audiences.
» How the industry represents its audience, other social groups or social issues of interest to its audience.
» How the industry thinks about its audiences.
» How products are tailored to audiences.
» How the industry represents its audience, other social groups or social issues of interest to its audience.
Why are audiences important?
» Without them - why would media texts be created?
» Size & reaction measure success.
» People who buy provide income for production companies.
» Advertising.
» Without them - why would media texts be created?
» Size & reaction measure success.
» People who buy provide income for production companies.
» Advertising.
Disney
» ‘High School Musical’ Movie – DVD-stage show – ice show
CD - Stationary – Karaoke Sticker Album – lunch boxes Dance Mat – Dolls – clothing Sing a long showings - competitions
» ‘High School Musical’ Movie – DVD-stage show – ice show
CD - Stationary – Karaoke Sticker Album – lunch boxes Dance Mat – Dolls – clothing Sing a long showings - competitions
BBC
» Programmes / brands often have off shoots educational magazine series / comics
audio books – books DVDs Toys – ie Tellytubbies / tweenies –
» Programmes / brands often have off shoots educational magazine series / comics
audio books – books DVDs Toys – ie Tellytubbies / tweenies –
How the industry
thinks about its
audiences.
Target audiences
»Media producers and institutions view audiences as an ‘imaginary entity’, a mass rather than individuals. They will however have a ‘typical’ audience member in mind. (len Ang: 1991)
»Media producers and institutions view audiences as an ‘imaginary entity’, a mass rather than individuals. They will however have a ‘typical’ audience member in mind. (len Ang: 1991)
Doreen» Typical listener» Age, likes, dislikes, habits, household, husband.
» Educated & intelligent» Half listens» Does not necessarily understand long words or discussions.
» Make sure understands and is engaged with.
» Talk to personally, as if known.
» Typical listener» Age, likes, dislikes, habits, household, husband.
» Educated & intelligent» Half listens» Does not necessarily understand long words or discussions.
» Make sure understands and is engaged with.
» Talk to personally, as if known.
Imaginary Entity
» Subjectives used to help define the social position of the audience member:
» Self image Gender » Age group Family» Class Nation» Ethnicity Education
» Politics Religion» Location (geographical & local)
» Subjectives used to help define the social position of the audience member:
» Self image Gender » Age group Family» Class Nation» Ethnicity Education
» Politics Religion» Location (geographical & local)
Mode of Address
» The way in which a text will address or speak to its audience.
» The way in which a text will address or speak to its audience.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Grade Class Description
A Upper Middle
Higher managerial, administrative or professional. [Doctors / lawyers]
B Middle Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional. [teachers]
C1 Lower Middle
Supervisory or clerical, junior managerial, administrative or professional. [office / Nurses]
C2 Skilled Working
Skilled manual workers. [White collar]
D Working Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers. [blue collar]
E Lowest level of substance
Casual workers, unemployed, state pensioners, students.
Television Scheduling
»Breakfast »Daytime »Teatime»Primetime»Grave yard
»Breakfast »Daytime »Teatime»Primetime»Grave yard
Channel 4 Schedule
Audience Theories
» Hypodermic needle effect.» Two step flow» Uses & Gratifications» Reception Theory» Effects debate
» Hypodermic needle effect.» Two step flow» Uses & Gratifications» Reception Theory» Effects debate
Hypodermic Needle Effect
» Suggests media is capable of ‘mass manipulation’
» Audience believe what they see» Gullible audience:
War of the world s (1938 radio broadcast)
April fools – BBC Panorama spaghetti tree!!!
» Suggests media is capable of ‘mass manipulation’
» Audience believe what they see» Gullible audience:
War of the world s (1938 radio broadcast)
April fools – BBC Panorama spaghetti tree!!!
Two Step Flow Model
» Paul Lazarsfeld & Elihu Katz
» Mass media information is channeled to the "masses" through opinion leadership. The people with most access to media, and having a more literate understanding of media content, explain and diffuse the content to others.
» They pass on their opinions and interpretations.
» Paul Lazarsfeld & Elihu Katz
» Mass media information is channeled to the "masses" through opinion leadership. The people with most access to media, and having a more literate understanding of media content, explain and diffuse the content to others.
» They pass on their opinions and interpretations.
Uses & Gratifications
» Jay G. Blumler and Elihu Katz » Audience has a set of needs that are met by the media.
» Diversion» Surveilance» Personal identity» Personal relationship
» Jay G. Blumler and Elihu Katz » Audience has a set of needs that are met by the media.
» Diversion» Surveilance» Personal identity» Personal relationship
Reception Analysis» Text is not passively accepted - audience interpret meaning based on individual cultural background or life experience.
» Programme is encoded by the producer and decoded by the audience.
» Opositional / negotiated readings
» Stuart Hall – CCCS (Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies, Birmingham)
» Text is not passively accepted - audience interpret meaning based on individual cultural background or life experience.
» Programme is encoded by the producer and decoded by the audience.
» Opositional / negotiated readings
» Stuart Hall – CCCS (Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies, Birmingham)
Effects Debate
» ‘Moral Panic’ [Stan Cohen 1972] Mods & Rockers 1960s “mass response to a group, person or an attitude that becomes defined as a threat to society”
» Threat identified – panic created through press & other media.
» ‘Moral Panic’ [Stan Cohen 1972] Mods & Rockers 1960s “mass response to a group, person or an attitude that becomes defined as a threat to society”
» Threat identified – panic created through press & other media.
Video Nasties
» Jamie Bulger Murder Case 1993 Childs Play 3
» BBFC consider influence as well as content.
» Bowling For Columbine» Internet – You tube videos
» Jamie Bulger Murder Case 1993 Childs Play 3
» BBFC consider influence as well as content.
» Bowling For Columbine» Internet – You tube videos
Counting Audiences» Film:
Figures based on box office receipts. [tickets sold, then DVDs bought/ rented
[Subtract production costs to find profit = success]
» Print: Circulation [copies read] Audit Bureau of Circulation www.abc.org.uk
» Radio / TV: Viewing figures. Sample of population, viewing/listening habits monitored for 7 days.
Broadcast Audience Research Board www.barb.co.uk
Radio Joint Audience Research www.rajar.co.uk
» Film: Figures based on box office receipts. [tickets sold, then DVDs bought/ rented
[Subtract production costs to find profit = success]
» Print: Circulation [copies read] Audit Bureau of Circulation www.abc.org.uk
» Radio / TV: Viewing figures. Sample of population, viewing/listening habits monitored for 7 days.
Broadcast Audience Research Board www.barb.co.uk
Radio Joint Audience Research www.rajar.co.uk
Key Audience Studies
» The Nationwide Audience
» Ien Ang’s Dallas Study
» The Nationwide Audience
» Ien Ang’s Dallas Study
The Nationwide Audience
» David Morley, 1980» BBC Nationwide programme» Broadly based on Gramscian model of hegemonic power.
» Draws on semiotics – argued that audiences worked at decoding media texts.
» http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Modules/TF33120/morleynw.html
» David Morley, 1980» BBC Nationwide programme» Broadly based on Gramscian model of hegemonic power.
» Draws on semiotics – argued that audiences worked at decoding media texts.
» http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Modules/TF33120/morleynw.html
» Dominant / Hegemonic: Reader recognises and agrees with preferred reading.
» Oppositional: Reader recognises but rejects preferred reading (for cultural/political/ideological reasons)
» Negotiated: Reader accepts, rejects or refines elements of the programme due to previously held views
Ien Ang’s Dallas Study» 1985» Reactions to and reasons for watching ‘Dallas’
» 3 response types:» Ideology of mass culture:
Watched because it was high profile piece of US popular culture
» Ironic/detached position: watch because wanted to see what other people were watching, even though knew it was ‘bad’
» Ideology of popularism: got pleasure from watching even though knew it was ‘trash’
» 1985» Reactions to and reasons for watching ‘Dallas’
» 3 response types:» Ideology of mass culture:
Watched because it was high profile piece of US popular culture
» Ironic/detached position: watch because wanted to see what other people were watching, even though knew it was ‘bad’
» Ideology of popularism: got pleasure from watching even though knew it was ‘trash’
Representation
» Do the media suggest to large audiences that x or y character is typical of that group, and therefore that the whole group should be viewed in certain ways?
» Do the media suggest to large audiences that x or y character is typical of that group, and therefore that the whole group should be viewed in certain ways?
Stereotypes
» Negative / Positive» Coronation Street / Eastenders
Cultures - corner shop owners Sean – Camp Battersby family.
» Hugh Grant: Notting Hill, 4 Weddings & a Funeral, Love Actually.
» Negative / Positive» Coronation Street / Eastenders
Cultures - corner shop owners Sean – Camp Battersby family.
» Hugh Grant: Notting Hill, 4 Weddings & a Funeral, Love Actually.
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