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)

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 imageGender »Age groupFamily »ClassNation »EthnicityEducation »PoliticsReligion »Location (geographical & local) »Subjectives used to help define the social position of the audience member: »Self imageGender »Age groupFamily »ClassNation »EthnicityEducation »PoliticsReligion »Location (geographical & local)

Mode of Address »The way in which a text will address or speak to its audience.

DEMOGRAPHICS Grade ClassDescription 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 »Radio / TV:  Viewing figures. Sample of population, viewing/listening habits monitored for 7 days.  Broadcast Audience Research Board  Radio Joint Audience Research »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 »Radio / TV:  Viewing figures. Sample of population, viewing/listening habits monitored for 7 days.  Broadcast Audience Research Board  Radio Joint Audience Research

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. » F33120/morleynw.htmlhttp:// F33120/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. » F33120/morleynw.htmlhttp:// F33120/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 »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?

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.