AUDIENCES
Key Concepts in
Media Studies
- DEMOGRAPHICS
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
MEDIA AUDIENCE
…The CONSUMERS of mass media texts.
Media audiences can be a group (cinema) or
individual (reader). Consumption can take
place in public or private and can be
domestic, leisure or work related.
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
MEDIA TEXTS
These include all things which can be “read” within the Media such as:
Film
Video
Newspapers
Magazines
Mobile Technology/ Internet
Radio
Animation
Advertising
Photography
Television
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
DEMOGRAPHICS
Who watches/ reads what?
• Demography is the study of human
population.
• Demographics include filtering or identifying
people by:
• RACE
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
• CLASS
JOB
• GENDER
RELIGION
• AGE
DISABILITY
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
DEMOGRAPHICS
The 5 Demographics we most commonly
consider in Media are:
• Class/ Income
• Age
• Gender
• Interests/ Attitudes & Beliefs
• Race
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
DEMOGRAPHICS
RACE/ ETHNICITY- Country/ Cultural Origin i.e. African,
Ethnic Minorities (within a culture), British, Asian etc…
INTERESTS- i.e. fishing, sports, films- this helps in
identifying WHO buys certain products/ watches certain
programmes. For example, men that like film often like
gadgets. Men that like cars quite often like football…
AGE- We usually split into RANGES i.e. UNDER 16, 16-19,
19-25, 30-45, 45-60, OVER 60
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
DEMOGRAPHICS
GENDERWomen are the most sought after by TV advertisements.
60% 20-30 yr olds buying properties are Women. 70%
of household purchases are done by Women.
Men still make 64% of business decisions so are still
targeted. Men are often split in to 2 intersecting
segments:
• Degree of success achieved.
• Balance between “new” man and the more traditional
“old” man.
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
DEMOGRAPHICS
FAMILY LIFE CYCLES-
SINGLES- Young single people living alone.
NEWLY MARRIED COUPLES- young with no children.
FULL NEST 1- young married couples with youngest child under 6.
FULL NEST 2- young married couples with youngest child 6 or over.
FULL NEST 3- Older married couples with dependent children.
EMPTY NEST 1- Older married couples still in workforce, no children
living with them.
EMPTY NEST 2- Older married couples retired, no children living at
home.
SOLITARY SURVIVOR IN WORK PLACE.
SOLITARY SURVIVOR, RETIRED.
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
DEMOGRAPHICS
Youth MarketThe Youth Market is usually divided into “TRIBES” modern
tribes include;
• Punks
• Trendies
• Goths
• Emo
• Rock/ Metallers
• “Chav”
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
DEMOGRAPHICS
ATTITUDES & BELIEFSBELONGERS- Traditional, conservative conformists; family-orientated,
like security, hate change and like a strong community
EMULATORS-Young people searching for an identity, desiring to fit
into adult world, but can be discouraged about prospects.
EMULATOR-ACHIEVERS- Successful, enjoy acquiring things and buy
brand names.
SOCIETALLY CONSCIOUS ACHIEVERS- Inner peace and
environment more important than financial success; want personal
fulfilment, lovers of outdoors and fitness, like to experiment.
NEEDS DIRECTED- Survivors on incomes that only allow needs and
not wants to be fulfilled; pensioners and those on unemployment
benefits, for example.
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
DEMOGRAPHICS
"Maslow developed a model
called the "Hierarchy of
Needs”, which
demonstrates that we
must fulfil our basic
needs (at the bottom)
before progressing up to
the next step and so on.
Advertisers know this…there is no
point advertising a flashy new car
with GPS, blue lights, original
design to someone who can
barely afford to live. If they need
to buy a car, they will want to know
how it can get them from A-B to help http://www.futurehi.net/images/maslow.jpg
them make a living.
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
EXERCISE
• Can you identify yourself in one of the
“youth” tribes and one of the specific
attitudes and beliefs?
• How do you think an advertiser could
persuade you to buy a product?
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
DEMOGRAPHICS
CLASS- We divide class into 5 categories:
• A: Upper Middle Class: Higher managerial,
administrative or professional
• B: Middle Class: Intermediate managerial,
administrative or professional
• C1: Lower Middle Class: Supervisory or clerical and
junior managerial, administrative or professional
• C2: Skilled Working Class: Skilled manual workers
• D: Working Class: Semi and unskilled manual workers
• E: Lower Class: Unemployed, Homeless, Non-income
http://www.businessballs.com/demographicsclassifications.htm
EXERCISE
How do PRODUCERS attract a particular
audience?
TASK
Look at the following audience types and think about the
different magazines/ newspapers/ TV programmes/ films
they may watch.
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
EXERCISE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
White, British, Middle Aged, Upper
Class Men interested in Politics and
Golf.
Young Male teenagers of ethnic
descent living in London, interested
in girls, having fun and spending
time with their mates.
Young Middle Class males,
interested in film.
Middle aged, Upper Middle or Upper
class housewives with children,
interested in family, shopping and
gossip.
Lower class, working woman with
children interested in gossip and
neighbourhood friendships.
Lower class, working men
interested in football and drinking
with mates.
MATCH (magazine)
Kidulthood (Film)
The Proms (TV)
Queen’s Speech (TV)
Evening Standard (Newspaper)
The Sun (Newspaper)
Take A Break (magazine)
Spiderman (Film)
Sense and Sensibility (Film)
Coronation Street (TV)
Neighbours (TV)
Trinny and Suzanna (TV)
Match of the Day (TV)
Loose Women (TV)
2 Fast 2 Furious (Film)
City of Lost Children (Fr) (Film)
Empire (Magazine)
Now look at this list of programmes/
magazines and newspapers- which
ones would you match with each
audience group.
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
EXERCISE
• Now try and explain why you picked the
different programmes/ newspapers and
magazines for the different audiences.
• Why is it important that Producers are
aware of audience trends and what
different people want to watch?
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
EXERCISE
• Watch 4 films that seem to be aimed at
the same audience demographic- what
similarities do these films have with each
other?
• How did you first realise who the intended
audience was?
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
ANSWERS
Middle Aged, Upper Class Men interested in Politics and Golf.
The Proms
Queen’s Speech
Evening Standard
Young Male teenagers of ethnic descent living in London, interested in girls, having fun
and spending time with their mates.
MATCH (magazine)
Kidulthood (Film)
Young Middle Class males, interested in film.
Empire (Magazine)
City of Lost Children (Fr) (Film)
2 Fast 2 Furious (Film)
Spiderman (Film)
Middle aged, Upper Middle or Upper class housewives with children, interested in family,
shopping and gossip.
Loose Women (TV)
Sense and Sensibility (Film)
Lower class, working woman with children interested in gossip and
neighbourhood friendships.
Take A Break (magazine)
Coronation Street (TV)
Neighbours (TV)
Trinny and Suzanna (TV)
Lower class, working men interested in football and drinking with mates.
The Sun (Newspaper)
Match of the Day (TV)
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
DEMOGRAPHICS
Something to think about….
What TV programmes/ Magazines/ Newspapers/
Films do you watch/read?
Identify yourself in the demographics of societydo you think you are the “INTENDED” audience
for what you watch/read?
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
Find out the demographic profile of
three different magazines
• http://megamediamarketing.net/demogra
phics.html
• http://www.bauermedia.co.uk/press/nrs
• Google name of magazine +
demographics / nrs
Appeal to audience
• Select one magazine
• Identify its target demographic as closely
as possible
• Select one article within the magazine and
identify exactly how it sets out to appeal
to its audience
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007
Homework for 5 October
On a magazine of your own choice:
• Explain the demographic profile of the magazine and the
primary audience (average reader)
• Select one article and explain in detail how it appeals to
its primary audience
• Discuss text, image and layout
• Bring the magazine in next week, along with with the
work
copyright VICTORIA WALDEN
AUGUST 2007