GCSE Media Studies,

1. Audiences

2. How we use or read a text depends on who we
are. We all see things differently. We all love
certain types of film and music and hate other
forms for example.
Media Institutions use this knowledge when they
create their products for us. They can challenge
what we think or make more of what we love.

3. Audiences are different and in media
studies we Media are particularly interested in
the target audience. This is the audience that
media producers aim their product at.
Media Institutions often put their audiences into
categories depending upon their social, ethnic or
economic backgrounds. This is called
Demographics. They use this to work out how
to best target their shows and products.
Of course this is not an exact science but look at
the following advert and think about how different
demographic groups may respond to it.

4. Connotation
Fill in the
blanks:
An old lady
may think....
A latin
american
teenager may
think.....
A middle-aged
labourer may
think......

5. Media producers have a profile of the group and
individuals whom they see as their intended
audience.
A film about teenagers will have a target audience
of teenagers. The Harry Potter films will have
children and the family as the target audience.
For any media text we ask who is the target
audience for this text. Then we have to ask what
sort of audience is the target audience? Is it a
mass audience?

6. Mass Audience:
Niche Audience:
Provide
Definitions

7. Every media is aimed at an audience!
Think about mobile phone companies how
do you think the following companies may
have different audience, and how the
company may target them in the following
adverts?
•Click Link: China Mobile
Click Link: Smartone Advert

8. China Mobile Smart Tone
Age bracket
Gender
Social Class
Interests
What evidence
supports this?

9. Different Ways to Read a Text
The makers of the product being advertised and
the company who designed the advert itself will
be aware of the polysemic range of meanings
in it. This means that the product may be read
in different ways by different people. We all see
what we want to see.
This can be both a strength and a weakness.
Give reasons why.
Strength Weakness
Student Notes

10. Preferred or dominant
reading (the one that the
advertiser most wants you
to see)
The dominant reading of McDonalds
commercials is that they provide a
healthy balanced diet, and we should eat
their food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Oppositional (The
message or reading the
advertiser doesn’t want you
to see)
The oppositional reading maybe the
health concerns that eating fastfood can
have an individual. McDonalds don’t
want you to see how many calories, salt
and sugar their products contain.
Negotiated reading (where
you see both readings and
agree on middle ground)
A negotiated reading maybe that we may
treat ourselves to McDonalds now and
again, but we understand that it is not
advisable to eat everyday.

11. Now watch the following advert and see if you can
“read” it in different ways providing a response in the
table.
Click Here: PCCW HKT
Preferred or dominant
reading (the one that
the advertiser most
wants you to see)
Oppositional (The
message or reading the
advertiser doesn’t want
you to see)
Negotiated reading
(where you see both
readings and agree on
middle ground)

12. Just why do we watch Big Bang Theory?
Media Theorists Blumler and Katz presented their model of audience uses and
gratifications declaring that there were five main reasons why audiences
consumed media text.. Could you give examples of tv programmes or films that
you match each idea?
To be informed and educated
To identify with characters and
situations
To be entertained
To be able share the
experience with others
To escape from the real world
Student Notes

13. Activity
1.Choose a television programme you like. Break down what exactly you like
about the programme.
2.What particular features do you identify with?
3.What things particularly attract you about this programme?
4.Now try and work out who the producers think is the target audience - is it you?
(If it’s on after 9pm, then it’s probably not you!)
5.How big is this audience? (Check episodes on wiki for ratings)
Student Notes

14. Audience Controversies
• Some people are very concerned about the
effects of the media on society and on young
people in particular.
• They worry that we watch the sex and violence
and may copy what we see. It is as if we have
been injected by a big hypodermic syringe by
its ill effects.

15. Click Link: The Media Manipulations

16. The effects of Media on teens
Devise a presentation on whether you think the
‘Media has a negative effective on teenagers'. This
should be supported with evidence (images,
videos, text, case studies).