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.