1. Y13 A LEVEL MEDIA
Audience Theory
Definition of Audience
All media has an audience group
- Either niche or mass
- Niche is a specific audience e.g. a French art film
- Mass is a general audience e.g. a Hollywood blockbuster
My definition of The Hypodermic Needle Theory
- Passively receiving information
- E.g. Martian invasion (H.D Wells) made people believe something ridiculous and
influenced people’s behaviour.
My definition of The Two Step Flow Theory
- People in power influencing the general mass
- e.g. David Beckham and his fashion business
How the Hypodermic Needle & Two Step Flow theories can be applied:
Hypodermic needle: fashion opinions, influence peoples want to be fashionable through
advertisement across multimedia, and then sell the clothes to them. E.g. bucket hats, pill
bags and other skate clothes.
Two step flow theory: A famous and influential person in the public eye sporting said
clothing, therefore the audience members wanting to copy them. Or the person in the public
eye actually straight up promoting them.
Uses and Gratification Theory
Diversion – escape from everyday problems and routine.
Personal Relationships – using the media for emotional and other interaction e.g.
substituting soap operas for family life
Uses and gratification Example How does it appeal to the audience
Diversion: entertainment and
escapism
Riding retro mopeds making life
seem like a really happy social
world. Using 60’s culture
People want to be living in a social,
free and fun world.
Personal relationships
Personal identity
Surveillance
