Theory- Audience

Will Stewart

Audience Profile

• Primary Audience– Adults aged 18-35, due to the

complex cognitive concepts presented in the movie, along with the complicated plot.

• Secondary Audience– Children aged 12-17, due to lots of

children being smarter than they look.

Audience Profile

• Primary Audience– Children/Adults aged 14-35,

because that is the primary age group for anime fans.

• Secondary Audience– Adults aged above 35, due to

anime fans moving on with their lives after this age.

Audience Profile

• Primary Audience– Children aged 6-12, because of the

heavy emphasis on fairy tales and idealistic themes.

• Secondary Audience– People aged 13-30, because, while

heavily childish, it is incredibly good, with exemplary animation, story lines and performances from the voice actors.

Hypodermic Needle

• Definition– Where an audience immediately believes what is told to them by the media.

• Example– 1938, when an American newspaper published a cartoon about an alien

invasion, and the American public scrambled to save themselves from aliens.

Uses and Gratifications Information• The information sector of the Uses and Gratifications Theory is rooted in the

curiosity of the audience and their desire for information. The primary aspect of this sector is the desire to learn new things, whether is be for personal reasons or for professional pursuits. Media that uses information as its’ main component are usually documentaries or other such fact-based works that rely heavily on exposition and the investigation of information. News channels are the prime example of this kind of media, the collation and investigation of information being their raison d’etre.

Uses and Gratifications Personal Identity

• The goal of media works with this goal as its’ focus is to get others to relate to it, either by using metaphors to get its’ point across or directly stating the intent to the audience. Many audiences identify themselves with those that inspire them, such as actors, musicians and other such artists that influence them. Works with this in mind often utilise those people that others identify with, either by casting them or acquiring their endorsement.

Uses and Gratifications Integration and Social Interaction

• People often use works of media as tools for forming connections with others, relating with each other using a common field of interest. When an exceptionally popular work comes out, such as The Hunger Games, people often end up partaking in it against their will, so that they are not left behind by the crowd. Media plays a large part in social interactions, people often making conclusions about another’s personality or interests based off of what their favourite movie is. Situations like these can make or break a relationship, being most common in an educational environment.

Uses and Gratifications Entertainment

• One of the foremost interests of humans in the modern era is to be entertained, and nearly all forms of mainstream media are geared towards this desire. Movies, TV shows, music, books, art and other such creative works dominate the entertainment industry, satisfying the audience’s need for stress relief, relaxation, and more often than not, escapism. Popular celebrities are intrinsically tied with the mainstream, acting as icons for entertainment and, subsequently, idols which the common audience bows to in their need for satisfaction.

Consumer Generated Content

• Example– FanFiction, where users create non-profitable content based upon an original

concept.

• What are the advantages to media producers?– It bolsters popularity and maintains the relevance of the work long after it has

ended production.

• Why would the audience generate content?– In order to demonstrate their appreciation for their fandom and so that they

can feel included.