1. WITNESS invites you to use, remix and share this curriculum.
Audience Assessment
WITNESS invites you to use, remix and share this curriculum. 
All materials are under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 License. 
You can also find more video advocacy training materials at 

2. why a defined audience is important different types of audiences
Session Objective
Introduce:
why a defined audience is important
different types of audiences
how to best assess an audience for your video.
8/27/2018
WITNESS.org 2

3. Video Advocacy is…
Audience-driven. Your video should be created and tailored for an intended, accessible audience.
8/27/2018
WITNESS.org 3

4. An Audience Is…
An individual, group, or institution targeted to take action to create the change you are seeking.
Audiences can be divided into:
Primary - direct ability to create change
Secondary - can exert pressure on the primary audience
8/27/2018
WITNESS.org 4 4

5. Defining Audience
It’s not how many people, but who - and what they can do for your issue
Who needs to hear your message?
Who has the power/authority to make or block change?
Who has influence over these people?
How does your focus become part of their agenda?
How would an audience implement a proposed solution? (legislation, lawsuit, community behavior shift)
8/27/2018
WITNESS.org 5 5

6. Sample audience types
Courts, tribunals, judicial and parajudicial bodies, including cultural/community bodies
Legislative and executive bodies
Human rights bodies, Commissions, Special Rapporteurs, Working Groups, etc.
Key decision makers with influence on human rights issues (International Financial Institutions, corporations, aid agencies, etc)
Law enforcement
Your community, and solidarity groups
Broader public
8/27/2018
WITNESS.org 6 6

7. Influence on Your Issue
8/27/2018
WITNESS.org 7

8. What is Your Audience’s:
Decision-making capacity & authority?
Attitude: are they supporters, fence- sitters and opponents?
Level of awareness?
Level of commitment?
Remember: Evaluate your access to the audience.
8/27/2018
WITNESS.org 8

9. Analyzing by Decision-Making Capacity
Decision makers (Primary audiences): They have the power of authority to block or make change.
Pressure makers (Secondary audiences): They have the power to influence or pressure decision- makers and raise public opinion on an issue.
8/27/2018
WITNESS.org 9

10. Tips for Analyzing Decision-Making Capacity
Who holds a stake or interest in the issue, and whether or how is it resolved?
Who are the constituents of your decision-makers?
Who do your decision-makers listen to and take advice from (Insiders / allies)?
8/27/2018
WITNESS.org 10

11. Assessing Attitudes
Supporters: Audiences that identify with your cause
Neutral or undecided: A person, group or organization that is not on either side or hasn’t yet taken a position
Opponents: Audiences mildly or strongly against your cause
8/27/2018
WITNESS.org 11

12. Assessing Level of Awareness
8/27/2018
WITNESS.org 12

13. Level of Commitment How much support can your audience provide you?
How far are your supporters willing to go?
How far will your opponents go to oppose you?
8/27/2018
WITNESS.org 13

14. Audience Categories Type of Audience Local National Regional Int’l
Judicial bodies: Courts, tribunals, parajudicial bodies
Legislative bodies: law and policy-makers
Human rights bodies: Commissions, Special Rapporteurs, Working Groups
Other key decision-makers: Others with influence on human rights issues (financial institutions, corporations, aid agencies)
NGOs, diaspora and solidarity groups: peers, allies, collaborators
Affected Communities: populations affected by the issue
General public: Caution with this category-can you get more specific?
Press and media: including TV, radio, internet-based.

15. WITNESS: Strategies for using video as a tool in human rights advocacy
Summary
Audience is a person, group or institution that can create change on the issue
Think of audience not in terms of how many people see your video, but which people.
Assess your audience by decision-making capacity, attitude, awareness & commitment 15

16. WITNESS invites you to use, remix and share this curriculum.
Audience Assessment
WITNESS invites you to use, remix and share this curriculum. 
All materials are under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 License. 
You can also find more video advocacy training materials at