This document provides guidance on answering exam questions about how media texts target their audiences. It explains that students should define the target audience and refer to elements like representations of characters, narrative structure, and cultural theories of audience attraction. The document also provides a sample plan for answering the question using the TV show Mad Men as an example text. Key points made in the response include how the show represents ambitious female characters who defy gender roles of the 1960s to inspire and educate viewers.

1. Which question would we choose for the television industry texts?

3. How do your texts target their audience?
WJEC say students should….
How do your chosen texts attract their audiences?
It is likely that candidates will need to begin by explaining (defining) the target
audience for the text/s.
Candidates may refer to some of the following points in their answer, depending on
the media industry selected:
1. form and structure
2. Representations of characters
3. Mode of address
4. Placement/scheduling
Some references should be made to theories such as the uses and gratifications
theory and to ways in which audiences are attracted to texts depending on the
cultural positioning. CRASH

4. (1)Introduction
(2)My discussion point which actually answers the question
(3) Narrative or additional evidence
(4) Brief conclusion which proves I have answered the question

5. Applying the exam formula to the, How do your chosen text target their audience?, question
and in this case Mad Men
It is likely that candidates will
need to begin by explaining
(defining) the target audience for
the text/s.
1.Representations of characters
2. Finding models of behaviour
3. Relatable plots (family life,
work) The use of a slow pace,
linear narrative and minimal
non diegetic sound help the
sense of realism.
4.Aesthetic enjoyment
Conclude your answer Discuss specific scenes 5. Information – Historical and
briefly and recap on that prove your social contexts
how your point has discussion point is valid 6. Familiar structure
answered the question
and occurs within the
narrative

6. How do your texts target their audience?
2. The representation of Females in Mad Men
Peggy, Joan and Betty

7. My discussion point which actually answers the question;
• My first studied text is Mad Men. When analysing the series five episode “The
other woman” varied, fair and complex gender roles are represented. This can
target an audiences consumption needs and gratify them consciously or
subconsciously. In this episode the female characters are represented as
ambitious, determined and driven to concur their oppressions. The characters
Peggy and Joan are represented as motivated to break out of their traditional
1960’s gender roles. They have no intention to conform to the traditional
gender role of the stay at home house wife such as the character Betty Draper.
This narrative device could inspire, provide models of behaviour and educate
female viewers on a historical society and therefore gratify and successfully
target its audience.

8. My narrative evidence
• My studied episode shows two paradoxical methods the female characters
use in order to gain power and status in the early sixties. The character
Joan much to her own inner distress, sleeps with a client from Jaguar when
pressured by the advertising company in which she works for. Joan is
persuaded to perform this act in order for the company to secure a large
financial contract and therefore gains herself the status as a partner and
total financial independence from men. In stark contrast the previously
male controlled character named Peggy has finally gained the respect of
her male colleagues and worked her way up in the agency where she started
as a simple secretary through nothing but intelligence and hard work. Peggy
leaves the company for a new, high-ranking job, as a head copywriter for a
rival business. The narrative represents Peggy defying and outgrowing her
male mentor Don Draper and demonstrates that her hard work alone, not
the use of her body and beauty like Joan, has allowed her to gain status,
intelligence and respect. Betty Draper, the stay at home wealthy housewife
is controlled by a man and is represented as being bitter, board and mainly
superficial. Betty, incidentally, is extremely beautiful. By representing Betty
in this particular fashion helps the audience realise that beauty and wealth
is not the utopia many people may think it is.

9. Brief conclusion which proves I have answered the question
• The wide range of female representation and behaviour and its
consequences, allows an audience to learn from the texts moral compass
abiding narrative. This could gratify and successfully target the texts active
demographic
• The same point can be used for the audience response question to discuss
how the Guardian newspaper complimented Mad men’s wide and varied
representation of females showing the true complexity of issues females
faced in this time period.

10. How do your texts target their audience?
The text provides the following gratifications for its targeted preferred
audience
1.Information and Escapism, transported back in time.
2. Gaining the texts intrinsic cultural or aesthetic enjoyment
(cinematography, history and cultural knowledge, polysemic text)
3. Relatable narrative plots (family life, work) The use of a slightly
slow pace, linear narrative and minimal non diegetic sound help the
sense of realism.
4.Models of behaviour (charm, business, female roles and aspirations)
Find narrative proof.