1. rereIntroduction to Key Concept:Introduction to Key Concept:
AUDIENCEAUDIENCE
To begin with we will distinguish between the most important factors you should always address
(‘GAPS’) and some others you could also consider. Add in terms as we go through the lesson.
We will consider some audience factors today – feel free to suggest and write down more!
‘GAPS’ – THE VITAL
AUDIENCE ELEMENTS
OTHER AUDIENCE
ELEMENTS
Demographicscollective name for categorising
sections of society/audience for analysis
Mainstream/mass v Niche the basic
binary (opposite) of audience/media types
G - M
- F
A - Y
- O
S when broad categories of people are
described as sharing the same characteristics, eg all teens are
lazy, threatening, rude, have very low attention spans
versus C producers might opt to counter
or challenge stereotypes, perhaps recognising this will help
appeal to an audience
F Q a text, typically higher budget
(therefore requiring a mass audience to make money), aimed at
all of MFOY, the 4 audience quadrants. High budget ($100m+)
tentpole films need to appeal to all four quadrants. In music, Ed
Sheeran is a commercial ‘artist’ with his highly successful
attempts to target a truly mass audience
G ( ) the types of media texts we like is a
factor in whether we can follow the preferred reading,
especially when there are intertextual references. It also
creates expectations if we are aware of genre conventions.
Goodwin includes genre signifers in his list of video
conventions
ABC1C2DE social class – ABC1 (upper class to upper
middle class = high disposable income) for sophisticated texts,
C2DE (lower middle to working class/student/unemployed) for
less sophisticated. You can use any range, eg C1C2D
I when the signifiers of one text require
knowledge of others to follow the preferred reading
H (combining 2+ genres, eg zom-rom-
com; electropop; funk metal)
P - aka Core media
producers always have a main audience in mind; especially
where media are funded by advertising (but also for marketing
purposes), it is vital to be able to identify a specific audience
range. A Katy Perry video would have a young (tween 8-12 and
teen 13-16) female C1C2DE primary target audience
Dennis McQuail argued there are fundamental factors in why we
choose media texts: the USES + GRATIFICATIONS THEORY.
Using Wild Child you can apply all 4 of the U+G categories
Identification (u+g 1) …
S producers will often use details like
intertextualities (eg character names), settings, minor
characters or countertypes to help widen appeal. Marketing
(and advertiser targeting) will not be based on these, but there
is some appeal, eg Katy Perry videos are quite sexualised
widening appeal to a teen and adult male secondary
(u+g 2): …
(u+g 3) …
Key Concepts: Audience (+ some M-R-I) StGMedia 1
2. audience.
(u+g 4) …
S (Richard Dyer wrote a book on this!) S A
A R KC Institution: BBFC now rate videos
N demographics such as this impact on our individual responses to texts. Stuart Hall argued that we should
consider not just the preferred reading (how the creators wish us to respond/interpret), but also possible negotiated/contested or
even oppositional readings, where the audience doesn’t recognise some of the intended meaning, signifiers, intertextualities
(etc), or simply rejects the preferred reading – eg a non-Trump fan watching a Trump speech; if you don’t recognise all of the
characters from US media and politics in The Simpsons, you cannot fully follow the preferred reading. Your teacher’s reading of
many texts you like is likely to be very different to yours given the differences in age, nationality and education.
short examples of how to analyseshort examples of how to analyse AUDIENCEAUDIENCE
Below I’ve made some points on two examples of CD covers. It should be quickly obvious that the
KC of Audience is closely tied to Representation!!! I go on to briefly compare the two.
You should look at these examples then tackle one of the provided examples from the blog post
yourself, after which you will compare with a classmate, and we will feedback and discuss findings –
practicing as we do key terms, including semiotic terms (signifier/ied, denote/ation,
connote/ation, anchor/age, polysemy/ic etc) and shot types/angles
Key Concepts: Audience (+ some M-R-I) StGMedia 2
4. YOUR TASK:
1. INDIVIDUALLY ANALYSE 1 COVER
2. COMPARE FINDINGS AND TEXTS IN A PAIR
3. FEEDBACK TO THE CLASS
(1) Discuss who you think your chosen CD cover is designed to appeal to. Refer to gender, age and
the primary/secondary target audienceS (GAPS) in your answer, plus any other elements of
audience you choose. Clearly identify (denote) which part/s of the cover make you think this way:
use either the table or write annotations (notes) around the print-off pointing to
the relevant detail/s. Include a brief statement describing the most likely primary and secondary
target audiences (for example: male hip-hop fans aged 13-18).
FORMING PAIRS: The examples are numbered so that 1 and 2 will be compared by a pair,
also 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8!
(2) Once you've done this, discuss and compare your findings with someone else - feel free to make
changes or additional points after you discuss and compare your views.
• Do you both agree that the audience is the same for your texts?
Key Concepts: Audience (+ some M-R-I) StGMedia 4
5. • Are there any differences? Think carefully about age for example: what age range do you
think each text has primary appeal to (for example, 8-14, 45+)
(3) Each pair will present their findings to the class, noting how similar or different they thought the
audience might be for their CD covers. All of you can share your views as we do this.
CD COVER I INDIVIDUALLY ANALYSED:
TOPIC EXAMPLES & ANALYSIS
GENDER
AGE
PRIMARY?
SECONDARY?
OTHERS
If you haven’t already
applied the U+G theory
or Stuart Hall’s
readings, do so here!
Key Concepts: Audience (+ some M-R-I) StGMedia 5
6. COMPARISON
+ notes on other
examples
MEDIA TERMS
I’VE USED IN MY
WRITTEN WORK
Key Concepts: Audience (+ some M-R-I) StGMedia 6
7. COMPARISON
+ notes on other
examples
MEDIA TERMS
I’VE USED IN MY
WRITTEN WORK
Key Concepts: Audience (+ some M-R-I) StGMedia 6
