AUDIENCE THEORY
Write your own definitions for your notes: you can download the presentation at the bottom of the page to help, or look here. This might help too.

HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THEORY - There is a direct flow of information between the media institution and the (passive) audience.

TWO STEP FLOW - Media messages are targeted at OPINION FORMERS. The general population follow their lead.

USES AND GRATIFICATIONS - The audience receive pleasures from the text or use it for some purpose. The usual purposes are DIVERSION, SURVEILLANCE, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS and PERSONAL IDENTITY.

RECEPTION THEORY - Everybody responds differently to messages depending on such things as their SITUATED CULTURE and their individual circumstances.



AUDIENCE PROFILES

How do we talk about audiences? One way is to use a DEMOGRAPHIC hierarchy.

A	Top management, bankers, lawyers, doctors and other professionals
B	Middle management, teachers, many 'creatives' eg graphic designers etc
C1	Office supervisors, junior managers, nurses, specialist clerical staff etc
C2	Skilled workers, tradespersons (white collar)
D	Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers (blue collar)
E	Unemployed, students, pensioners, casual workers

Alternatively, we can use PSYCHOGRAPHICS, which focuses more on the audience's attitudes, beliefs and values than on their income. For example, how would a reader's political beliefs influence their choice of newspaper? How might age influence their choice of online or offline news provider? If someone likes sport, are they more likely to pick a tabloid or broadsheet?



Audience research forms a huge part of the work done in the media. The SCMP, for example, have a very clear picture of who their audience is: see here.

Another way to discuss audiences and what they want or need (that is, what USES and GRATIFICATIONS they seek out) is through the use Of MASLOW'S HIERARCHY:





SOME PRACTICE!

Think about the BASIC questions...

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