Audience assessment question

The exam question on audiences will require you to apply your knowledge to the texts we have studied.

• Luther
• Life on Mars
• Common

In what ways do different audiences respond differently to the same media text?  

Firstly, look at what they question is asking you.

1)  Identify ways audiences can respond - take a preferred reading, negotiated or oppositional could be one example of responses.

2)  Then identify different audiences- gender differences, age, ethnic group, religion sexuality etc.

3)  Then, using the ways audiences can respond choose an audience group and show how and why they might respond differently. Eg. Older people that remember the 70's.

4)  Then select an appropriate text and example. Eg. Life on Mars - 
     Older people represented as sexist, racist and with backward police approaches where fitting a suspect up is fine as long as they deserve it.

5)  Discuss responses your audience group may take e.g. They might take a preferred reading of a text as they fit the lifestyle and age group represented so can relate to the text (music, clothes, cars) but could equally reject the stereotypes and be very offended that 70's people are portrayed in such a negative way, as they themselves feel that the show is set in a time of change with institutions such as the police force introducing moves to introduce openness and the integration of more prominent roles for women. 

6)      Repeat with another audience group- a gender, age group etc and show their difference responses to the same text.

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Nike Advert (Wayne Rooney)

National Identity/ Patriotism: Audiences are positioned to take a preferred response to the visual codes in this advert by perceiving football as being ‘as important as religion and British culture’ (deconstruct the image to illustrate this- e.g. crucifix-like icon of Rooney). 

Religious Beliefs: People who consider themselves to be religious may be positioned to take an oppositional response to the text as they may feel insulted that Rooney has been compared, through use of symbolism, to Jesus Christ.  You can argue that Nike as a company may encourage this response from a segment of the audience as the controversy will bring more attention to the advert, thus helping them receive more publicity and PR and promoting their product further (especially as Adidas was the key sports brand sponsor of the World Cup 2010).

Celebrity endorsement- football fans may be attracted to this advert as he is endorsing the Nike product, explain how they will consume some of the ideologies and how they may agree with them.

Patriotic audiences may be attracted to this product- explain what is being presented to the audience and how this may agree with their personal social values- this reinforces their beliefs

The text positions audiences to take different responses to the advert and controversy - explain who would have these responses and what they would be.

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Suggested essay structure:

Introduction:
· Outline that the primary aim of a media text's is to attract audiences so that they keep getting funding for their product or meet target audiences needs and get high viewing figures.

· Explain that audience are attracted to media products for many different reasons and give some examples of what they may be...... (e.g. Narrative, Characters, Personal Identity, Information, Loyalty, Social Identity etc)

· Explain which texts your answer will approach

Main Body:
Give 2 textual examples.

· Remember you need to choose texts to discuss that attract a RANGE of different audiences so it needs to be a text that will be popular with different audiences

You will need to explain:

The genre of the text

Reason for attracting different audiences

Examples from the actual text that may attract different audiences for different reasons- explain
these reasons in detail

Viewing habits- if a programme is on at prime time 6pm-9pm then it is more likely a more diverse
audience will be attracted to the programme than after the watershed.

With reference to film, a classification may affect who views it (e.g. if the film is an 18 it discounts
anyone below this age barrier)

Compare and contrast different reasons for consuming these texts and what may be communicated to the audience through them

Summary:
· Sum up points you have made briefly about your chosen texts
· Give brief reasons for diverse and different audiences
· Sum up what may attract different audiences to the same text