Audience theories

 

 

Audience Theories





The word audience is one of, if not the most frequently used words in all of Media, the audience is something we tend to analyse from a far and talk in abstract about. Usually when talking about it we never consider ourselves to be a part of the audience even though we are, when analysing the concept of an audience we find that it inovles many different things, depending on what you are looking at.

An audience is basically a target group or particular types of people of which a producer wants to reach or sell to. They are also members of a society who at some point will use the media, or a group of people who consumes a certain area in media, films, TV Programmes, albums etc. etc. Audience can also be known as an individual thing rather than group based as certain individuals use it to satisfy their own needs.

Media would not be the same without an audience as there would be no point in the media piece being made. The audience are able to influence the media as they give vital feedback which improves the programme, film etc.

Audiences can be split in to various different groups such as gender, age, ethnicity.


Definition: Audience is something that we are all a part of in some way or another, even if we don't mean to be. It can be sectioned in to different groups depending on the type of media or personal backgrounds(gender, age, ethnicity etc.)


Values, Attitudes and Lifestyles

Actualisers: High Income, High self-esteem and usually concerned about their image.
Fulfilleds: High Income, well educated but sensible with the money they earn.
Achievers: High resource consumers and always want to excel.
Experience: High resource consumers that need a mode of self expression, they also want to experience being different.
Believers: Have low resources and are less likely to accept innovation.
Strivers: Similar to Believers in the sense that both are a low resource consumer but Strivers still want to achieve.
Makers: Limited resources but also want self expression.
Strugglers: Lowest income and too few resources.