25341346 Audience Booklet A2 Mr Smith

8/12/2019 25341346 Audience Booklet A2 Mr Smith

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Mr Smith G325 Question 1b

AudienceG325

Question 1b G325

Name: Alex Parr


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AudienceOCR G325 Question 1b

In covering this topic you need to be aware of a broad shift from a perception of a massaudienceto one which recognises that, whatever the size of audience, it is made up of

individuals. Along with this altered view is a shift in emphasis from what the media do tothe audience to an acceptance that audiences bring many different approaches to the mediawith which they engage.

In its earliest form audience theory believed that an audience was a mass, Blumer set out 4

stages

First, its membership may come from all walks of life, and from all distinguishable socialstrata; it may include people of different class position, of different vocation, of differentcultural attainment, and of different wealth. .....Secondly, the mass is an anonymous group, or more exactly is composed of anonymousindividuals [Blumer means anonymous in the sense that unlike the citizens of earlier

communities, the people who are members of the mass audience for the media do not knoweach other].Third, there exists little interaction or change of experience between members of the mass.They are usually physically separated from one another, and, being anonymous, do not havethe opportunity to mill as do members of the crowd.Fourth, the mass is very loosely organised and is not able to act with the unity of a crowd.

Task 1

1. Do you think the audiences for most media texts do come from all walks of life or dodifferent kinds of people watch very different kinds of programme? Are there any examplesof media texts that you can think of that do seem to have audiences of all kinds of people?I would say that most media texts are created to target a specific audience, thus differentpeople are interested and consume different types of media. There are cases where peopleoutside of the target market consume a media text; this can mean that these people couldpotentially mis-interpret the text, which would not be intended by the media producers. So,therefore maybe unintentionally some media texts are viewed by audiences from all walksof life, however it would be extremely hard to deliberately target everyone from all walks oflife intentionally.

2. How much of your media experience occurs when you are on your own and how muchwhen you are with others?

Certain types on my own and certain types with others, for example going to gigs and thecinema, however I usually listen to music and watch Netflix on my own.

3. Think back to your genre work, how is your media experienced?My media is experienced on YouTube.

4. Are there any ways in which you share your experiences of the media with other people

who werent around when you experienced the text?List as many ways as you share

experiences (e.g. msn etc)

Twitter, Whatsapp, iMessage, Email, Facebook, Phones, Computers, Word of mouth.


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The effects/hypodermic model

The original model for audience was the effects/hypodermicmodel, which stressedthe effects of the mass media on their audiences. This model owes much to the

supposed power of the mass media - in particular film - to inject their audiences withideas and meanings. Such was the thinking behind much of the Nazi propagandathat was evident in Triumph of the Will and similar films. It is worth noting thattotalitarian states and dictatorships are similar in their desire to have completecontrol over the media, usually in the belief that strict regulation of the media will helpin controlling entire populations. The effects model has several variants and despitethe fact that it is an out-dated model it continues to exert influence in presentdebates about censorship and control in the media.

Task 2

Can you think of any examples where the media have been seen to influencepublic behaviour or have been blamed for an individuals behaviour?WW1/WW2 propaganda posters We need you!, RAF/RM TV adverts. Examples likethe Kony propaganda.

Is this influence always negative?The War - Well no, not always. As it united a nation and ultimately led to Britainwinning the war. However it did in some forms manipulate society at the time.RAF/RMempowers people to want to get involved. KonyComplete manipulation

of the media.

What effect do you hope that your text has on an audience?That it is aesthetically pleasing and compliments the song. Also that it portrays theimage and style of the genre.

What would be the incorrect effect and why might this happen with your text?

That it is perceived as something that it is not, I.E: a rock song or a mainstream popsong. This may happen, as the potential un-targeted audience that could stillconsume my media (watch the music video) may not have sufficient knowledge ofthe genre and musical conventions in general to understand and acknowledge themedia.


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The Frankfurt School

The Frankfurt School developed concerns about the power that modern mass media had topropagandise on behalf of fascism. This has evolved over time to become similar to theeffects model albeit a less theoretical variant. This has developed in response to the violent

content of certain TV programmes, so far from controlling people the media is bringing aboutsocieties moral downfall. Some of the moral watchdogs, or the 'moral majority' as they styledthemselves, took issue with TV output that was deemed to be explicitly sexual, too violent orin other ways offensive. Their concerns were for those vulnerable members of the populationwho could be corrupted as a result of such material. Perhaps the best known of thesegroups in the UK was the National Viewers and Listeners Association (Mary Whitehouse),which argued that TV was a direct cause of deviant behaviour, especially among the young.The problems with the effects model, in whatever form, have to do with its roots inbehaviourist psychology. The behaviourist explanation of human behaviour (Skinner andPavlov) looks increasingly hard to justify as we have come to develop a fuller understandingof the complexities of human behaviour, which is not predictable nor is it controllable. Thereare also the difficulties of linking cause and effect in terms of how we engage with media

texts. The large numbers of studies that have been done do not prove the case conclusivelyeither way. These range from the Waltersand Bandura experiments to studies that countincidents of violence on TV. Other criticisms of this model centre on the stress that it placeson the audience as passive, whereas newer models suggest that the audience is muchmore activethan was initially supposed. This model, it seems, is something of an out-datedview of audiences but it is constantly revived by politicians and social commentators whenmoral panicsare generated around issues such as 'video nastysand their influence onchildren (e.g. the Bulger case) or computer games allegedly damaging literacy skills orcontributing to violent behaviour (e.g. the Grand Theft Auto or Man Hunt computer games).Such concerns often try to scapegoat parts of media output as if these were the solerelevant factor in anti-social behaviour. This approach ignores the other factors that work asa mix to influence behaviour i.e. home, school, peers and social interaction.

Task 3

You have two weeks to prepare a presentation on The Frankfurt School/Hypodermic

Model in relation to a media text of your choice.

You must select a text that has featured in the media as a source for wrong and

provide us with examples.

You must find examples from print and moving image, which relate to this and how it

has influenced public behaviour.

You must find arguments for an against this model from the press.

You must include your own opinion


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Uses and gratifications

A more recent model of audience is that of uses and gratifications, which suggest that thereis a highly active audience making use of the media for a range of purposes, designed tosatisfy needs such as entertainment, information and identification. In this model the

individual has the power and they select the media texts that best suit their needs and theirattempts to satisfy those needs. The psychological basis for this model is the hierarchy ofneedsidentified by Maslow. Among the chief exponents of this model are McQuail andKatz.

The main areas that are identified in this model are:

a) The need for informationabout our geographical and social world news and drab) The need for identity, by using characters and personalities to define our sense of selfand social behaviour film celebc) The need for social interactionthrough experiencing the relationships and interaction ofothers soap sitcom

d) The need for diversionby using the media for purposes of play and entertainment. Gameshow and q

Task 4

Place the following genres into their correct category.

The News, East Enders, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, Friends, Horizon, Cribs, Qi, The

Bill, Holyoaks, Life On Mars, Im A Celebrity..., House, Escape To The Country, X Factor,

Coronation Street,

Information Identity Social Interaction DiversionThe NewsHorizon

Life On MarsIm a celebrityEscape TheCountry

East EndersFriendsThe BillHolyoaksCoronationStreetHouse

QiWho wants tobe a MillionaireX FactorMTV Cribs

Which of the above programmes might be guilty of employing the Hypodermic

Model and which therefore might also reflect Blumers views on audience?

The News in particular may be guilty of employing the Hypodermic Model,

only regulated media will be broadcasted to the masses, for instance if a

live interview or report becomes perceptually to de-stressing for mass

viewing then it is not uncommon for BBC/SKY news to cut off the broadcast

mid-way through. This ultimately manipulates what society see and can belinked with the way that we act and interpret current affairs.


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The active audienceMore recent developments still suggest that there is a decoding process going on among theactive audience who are not simply using the media for gratification purposes. Morley's viewof dominant,negotiatedand oppositionalreadings of texts is a semiologicalapproachbecause it recognises the importance of the analysis of signs, particularly visual signs, that

shape so much of modern media output. In this model, at its simplest level, the audienceaccept or agree with the encoded meanings, they accept and refine parts of the text'smeanings or they are aware of the dominant meaning of the text but reject it for cultural,political or ideological reasons.

Preferred/dominant readingThe preferred reading is the reading media producers hope will take from the text. Forexample, an advertisement for a McDonalds Big Mac is intended to encourage feelings ofhunger and a desire to buy a McDonald s. Assuming the majority of the audience share thisreaction then this is also the dominant reading.

Oppositional reading

Audience members from outside the target audience may reject the preferred reading,receiving their own alternative message. The health-conscious, anti-globalisationcampaigners and vegetarians will most likely respond to the McDonalds advert withfrustration and annoyance.

Negotiated readingThe third way is one in which audiences acknowledge the preferred reading, but modify it tosuit their own values and opinions. A negotiated response to the McDonalds advert might beI love Big Macs but one a month is enough as they arent good for me.

Task 5

Look at this image below and identify the preferred/dominant reading, oppositional readingand negotiated reading. It may be easier to assume what you, your siblings and your parentsmight think of it.

Preferred:

Blender!

magazine want the

audience to view

the pussycat dolls

as cool, attractive

and thus

commercially

viable.

Oppositional

The pussycat

dolls are a

terrible girl

group, too

skinny, mostlikely airbrushed

and

photoshopped.

Negotiated

They do look cool and

attractive, however they are

a terribly group and have

most likely been air brushed

and photoshopped.


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Mode of address

Still in line with the active audience idea is the concept of mode of address. This refers to theway that a text speaks to us in a style that encourages us toidentify with the text because itis 'our' kind of text. For example Friends isintended for a young audience because of the

way it uses music and theopening credits to develop a sense of fun, energy and enthusiasmthat theperceived audience can identify with. This does not mean that other groupsareexcluded, merely that the dominant mode of addressis targeted at theyoung. Mode ofaddress can even be applied to entire outputs, as in the caseof Channel Four which workshard to form a style of address aimed at anaudience which is informed, articulate and insome ways a specialised one.Newspapers, too, often construct their presentation to reflectwhat theyimagine is the identity of their typical readers.

Task 6

Select two magazines, one from column A and one from column B and compare the mode ofaddress they have. Print off a front cover for each and annotate them, stick them beneath

this table and annotate them highlight all theirsigns.

A B

Nuts Cosmopolitan

FHM Heat

Stuff Hello

Esquire Good Housekeeping

Time Elle

NME Grazia

Text A

NME:

NMEs dominant mode of address is 16-30

year olds, it uses white, red, black and

white colour schemes predominantly and

publishes articles, pictures and interviews

of current or past cool artists, and aims

there magazine at their perceived audience

of musically conscious and active young-ish

people/adults. Although this is the

preferred/dominant reading audience/

mode of address, readers from outside of

NMEs target market will also

consume/buy the magazine for various

reasons.

Text B

Good Housekeeping:

The dominant mode of address is probably

your traditional stay at home/retired/

working housewife. The magazine includes

articles, pictures and interviews involving

housekeeping techniques, from cleaning,

to cooking to gardening. Albeit not as

much as NME, but still so, some readers

outside of the target market will stillconsume/buy the magazine for various

reasons too.


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Task 7

Now take stills/front covers from your own text. Identify the modes of address that they have

and how this might appeal to an audience Try and select as many as possible. You should

include preferred, dominant reading etc. Think back to genre work and see what genericsigns you have used.


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Task 7 cont.


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Ethnographic model

The latest research into audience has resulted in an ethnographic model, whichmeans that the researcher enters into the culture of the group and uses questionsand interviews to try to understand media engagement from the perspective of the

group. What seems to be emerging from this work is

a) the focus on the domestic context of reception of media textsb) the element of cultural competence, and finallyc) technologies.

The firstof these stresses the fact that engagement with the media is oftenstructured by the domestic environment because of the domestication ofentertainment and leisure. It appears that the home is nota free space and thereare issues about finance for purchase of media goods, control of the remote, thegendered nature of watching TV and the 'flow' of TV that fits alongside or within a setof domestic relationships. So TV viewing may not be the concentrated, analyticalbusiness that some theorists suggest.

The secondarea is best understood in terms of texts that can be identified asbelonging to a genre that has gender appeal. For example, soaps are usually seento have a strong female bias in viewing audience. There is a selection ofcompetencies that are brought to such texts so knowing about cliff-hangers; the roleof the matriarch or the fluid nature of character relationships simply adds to thepleasures associated with the text. Think about the texts that you enjoy and eventhough you know how a text will be shaped or how it will end these are not barriers to

your enjoyment of that text. Competencies even include the very expectations thatyou have for the text. The male preference for news and more factual forms can beseen as a feature of cultural competence because men occupy more public spacethan domestic space and therefore feel the need to be aware of the public worldsreflected in such texts.

The thirdarea identified relates to the way we engage with the hardware in order toenjoy the output of the media. There seems to be a strong gender divide here withcomputers and complex technology fitting into the category of 'boys toys'. If presenttrends in technology continue then there is a real danger that just as our society isdividing along lines of information-richand information-poorthen there will be a

further demarcation along gender lines. This explains why schools and TVprogrammes need to present positive gender representations and good practice thatsupports females and technological expertise. You will note that many of the lifestyleprogrammes that are on TV use females in less traditional roles as a way ofredressing the balance (think Suzie Perry on the Gadget Show).

Overall the shift in the models for audience has gone from mass audience toindividual viewer with stress on the active audience rather than the passive model.The level of activity in the implied audience is related to the uses, pleasures, culturalcompetence, situation and available technology for the particular audience.


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Task 8.

Using the ethnographic model (try and separate it into the three areas highlighted) evaluate

your own text. Have you inadvertently prevented certain audiences from accessing your

text? Write your response in the space provided below.


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Test on AudienceSimple fact retention.

1 Another name for the effects model? 2

The Hypodermic model

2 What were the concerns of the Frankfurt School in a) Europe and later in b)America? 10

??????

3 What are moral watchdogs? 4

People who took issue with TV output that was deemed to be explicitly sexual, tooviolent or in other ways offensive. Their concerns were for those vulnerable membersof the population who could be corrupted as a result of such material.

4 What does NVLA stand for? 4

National Viewers and Listeners Association (Mary Whitehouse)

5 What kind of psychology is the effects model based on? 10

The belief that strict regulation of the media will help in controlling entirepopulations?

6 What is the basic problem with the effects model as a way of explaining anti- social

or deviant behaviour? 12

There is no hard evidence or study results to suggest that there is acorrelation between the mass media exposure (playing video games) and anti-social behaviour. In fact a study by Hagell & Newbum (1994) showed in fact theopposite effect, they examined the exposure and use of such media andtechnology to young juvenile offenders and normal school children. Theresults showed that the young juvenile offenders in fact had a much smallerexposure/use to/of the media& technology, thus contradicting and opposingthe effects model even more.

7 Who still makes use of the effects model? 4

Journalists and debaters, when trying to reinforce their argument and whendiscussing a relevant current affair or case of a negative effect of the media ona person.

8 What recent cases have cited this model? 12

When a killing by a young child was committed in the style of murdercommitted in the video game Man Huntafter playing the game, subsequently

the video game was banned in the UK.


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9 What kind of general perceptions are attributed to the effects model? 6That there is a correlation between mass media exposure, playing/ watchingviolent, sexually explicit, morally unaccepted technologies and anti-socialbehaviour. Also that is may be farfetched and unproven.

10 What kind of psychology is the uses and gratifications model based on? 8

Hierarchy of needs identified by Maslow. Among the chief exponents of this model areMcQuail and Katz.

11 What four areas are identified in this model? 16

Information Identity Social Interaction Diversion

12 What does Morley have to say about the way we read texts? 12

David Morley studied audiences of an early evening news programme andargued in his paper The Nat ionwid e workthat audiences actively decodemeanings from a media text. The Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies,working under Stuart Hall, expanded on Morleys hypothesis and suggestedthat meanings were encoded by the producer into the media text and theaudiences decodes the meaning from the text. This theory acknowledges thatthere is a preferred meaning in the textthe meaning made by the producer.This meaning is encoded by the codes and conventions of the particularmedium to hide the texts own ideological construction. The audience thenread, listen or watch the media text and interpret the message. The audiencesinterpretation is dependent on a number of frameworks outside the text. Theseinclude socio/economic frameworks such as class, gender, age education andethnicity. They include the individuals past experiences and also includeprevious knowledge and experience of the medium.

13 Explain 'mode of address' with examples. 15

Still in line with the active audience idea is the concept of mode of address.This refers to the way that a text speaks to us in a style that encourages us toidentify with the text because it is 'our' kind of text. For example Friends isintended for a young audience because of the way it uses music and the

opening credits to develop a sense of fun, energy and enthusiasm that theperceived audience can identify with. This does not mean that other groupsare excluded, merely that the dominant mode of address is targeted at theyoung. Mode of address can even be applied to entire outputs, as in the caseof Channel Four which works hard to form a style of address aimed at anaudience which is informed, articulate and in some ways a specialised one.Newspapers, too, often construct their presentation to reflect what theyimagine is the identity of their typical readers.

14 What is meant by the ethnographic study of audience? 6


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This means that the researcher enters into the culture of the group and usesquestions and interviews to try to understand media engagement from theperspective of the group. What seems to be emerging from this work is

a) The focus on th e domest ic co ntext of recept ion of m edia texts

b) The element of c ultural com petence, and finallyc) Techno log ies.

15 What do we mean by the 'domestic context of reception of media texts'? 8

According to the Ethnographic study, engagement with the media is oftenstructured by the domestic environment.

16 How can we describe some texts as female and others as male? Refer to soapsand news. 8

Texts such as T.V Soaps and glossy magazines are described as female, dueto the contents and substance within the text, where as more factualorientated texts such as the news are described as more male.

17 Is technological expertise a relevant factor in our consideration of the way weunderstand audiences in relation to certain texts? 8

Yes, now a days, if an individual is technologically competent, they are literallyclicks away from pretty much any media texts that they desire. This enablesthem to have a much greater and diverse knowledge of media texts, thusenabling them to understand and decipher certain texts in a more intellectualmanor.

18 What is the main shift in emphasis from the effects model to more modern viewsof audience? 5

That one code is not a tight fit for a whole population, the generic codes of atheory must be more specific in order to be more accurate and relate to morepeople.

Total marks 150

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25341346 Audience Booklet A2 Mr Smith