2. Uses and Gratification
This is a theory that suggests that audiences are not simply passive
consumers but actively take part in the media they consume. Serving a
purpose for them. Blulmer and Katz devised the following list.
Diversion - escape from everyday problems and routine.
Personal Relationships - using the media for emotional and other
interaction, eg) substituting soap operas for family life.
Personal Identity - finding yourself reflected in texts, learning
behaviour and values from texts.
Surveillance - Information which could be useful for living eg) weather
reports, financial news, holiday bargains.
3. Young and Rubicam
Mainstreamers
Aspirers
Succeeders
Individualists/ quirkies
Reformers
They go with the flow and
don’t want to stand out.
They want more money
and status, buy flashy
products and the ‘latest’
products send out this
message
They spend their money
on status goods reflecting
their success.
They want to show the
world they are different.
They look for the organic,
the recyclable, the
environmentally friendly
6. Stuart Hall: Encoding/Decoding
Encoding: The message/idea created by the creator
of the text.
Decoding: The message interpreted/received by the
consumer/audience.
Hall argued that the message is not fixed/determined
by the sender, the meaning is never transparent and
the audiences is not a passive recipient of meaning.
7. Stuart Hall:
Audience Reception Theory
Preferred Reading: The dominant view and what the
creator wants you to see.
Oppositional Reading: The complete opposite
reading to what the creator had intended.
Negotiated Reading: An understanding of the
dominant reading but can also see it from other
perspectives.
Aberrant Reading: Completely reject the product
and have no view at all.
8. Ien Ang
Ien Ang linked the dominant ideology of mass culture
with social debate.
She believed that even if audiences found a show
‘trivial’ (based mainly on Dallas). They could create
some kind of cultural discussion based around the
idea. (Links to the water cooler moment)
She encouraged readers to become negotiated
readers.
10. Age and Gender
• The music video to the song “Live while we’re young” focuses mainly around young people living and enjoying their
life. This seems to be the main concept of this music video as the same idea and message is trying to be delivered
throughout the whole song. This brings clear expectations in terms of audience’s age and gender profiles. When we
look at the video, we can see that it portrays One Direction members and other young people having fun. This
includes many different shots in the video which show young people being crazy and happy, spending their time
doing things like playing football, swimming, jumping on a trampoline, singing, dancing and enjoying the party. The
main message that it given to the audience is that they should be themselves and do what they need to do to be
happy and enjoy the life while they are young, because it might be not possible to do some things when you are
young.
• In general, the age of the audience for this video is 15+. The target audience includes teenagers and young adults
as well. When considering the gender of target audience, it includes both: males and females, however there is a
specific focus on female gender. The reason for this is that all of the One Direction members are boys and therefore
the girls might find it attractive to listen to the music which portray “ideal” boys. Furthermore, this links to the
“ideal I theory”, as the male audience might watch this music clip to get inspiration of how to look and act in order
to attract the girls as well.
• Also, due to the fact that One Direction is a very famous and known band, it means that the target audience
reached is very wide and mixed, however mainly including people who go with the flow and don’t want to stand
out. In general, this includes mainstream people. In addition, the video can be used as a development of personal
identity, where the audience would be able to find themselves reflected in the texts, learning behaviour and values
from texts. This is reflected in the uses and gratification theory which strongly suggests that the audiences are not
passive consumers. Diversion might be also considered as the audience escapes from everyday problems and
routines.
11. Race and Occupation
In this music video, we can notice that all of the artists (One Direction
members) are white, however there are some shots which present different
race people for example black. Considering the fact that One Direction is a
mainstream band who reaches to a wide range of audiences, indicates that a
lot of different races of people can be potential consumers.
In terms of the occupation, it can be based around the General Registrar
Scale as the artists are very famous and have mainstream approach towards
the music. Referring to the song “Live while we’re young”, the audience
would be located between “E” and “C1” category. The possible occupation
jobs include: casual labourers, pensioners, unemployed (pensioners without
private pensions, those on benefits, students, window cleaners), semi skilled
and unskilled manual workers (factory worker, bin collectors, bar attendant),
skilled manual workers (electricians, carpenter, plumber, bus driver, baker,
hairdressers. In my opinion there would be a lot of students based on the
age of the target audience. Furthermore, I think that there might be some B
or A category audience listening to this song (teacher, police officer or
doctor) due to the popularity of the song and the band itself. Therefore, all
of these people might have a chance to listen to this song for example in a
car in the radio as the song could be repeated several times during a day, so
the chances of the song reaching a wide audience is very big.
13. Age and Gender
The music video to the song “The other side” is about taking a relationship onto another level. The song was inspired by and dedicated to
Jason’s girlfriend Jordin Sparks. Throughout the video we can see Jason with a woman in different locations such as bedroom, car or club.
The music also portrays them spending time together, drinking or having a pillow fight with each other. There are a lot of love scenes
presented. In terms of the age of target audience it would be from 15 to 25 years old – teenagers and adults. Also both of the genders
are targeted in this particular video. This is because a ‘perfect relationship’ is portrayed, what could aspire a lot of people to compare
themselves or get inspired by the scenes shown in the video. Also the audience can relate their personal life to the video. However, when
looking overall at Jason Derulo, we can say that more female audience can be attracted due to his muscularity and ‘man’ characteristics’.
On the other hand, we know that Jason Derulo is a successful singer and songwriter. In addition he is also a good dancer and
choreographer, therefore there might be a lot of male audience getting inspired to get the idea of the ‘ideal I’ features.
Also, due to the fact that Jason Derulo is a very famous and known artist, it means that the target audience reached is very wide and
mixed, however mainly including people who go with the flow and don’t want to stand out – mainstream people. In addition, the video
can be used as a development of personal identity, where the audience would be able to find themselves reflected in the texts, learning
behaviour and values from texts. This is reflected in the uses and gratification theory which strongly suggests that the audiences are not
passive consumers. Diversion might be also considered as the audience escapes from everyday problems and routines.
14. Race and occupation
In this music video, we can notice that the main artist –Jason Derulo is black. However, we can see that the woman presented in the
music video is white. That shows that different races of audience are targeted. Furthermore, there can be some theories applied. The
woman in the video follows the western ideology of beauty. This is due to her skin colour and also the ‘fit’ body (model alike look). She is
portrayed in a sexual manner, being sexually objectified woman. That can be linked to the theory: “Men look, woman appear” by John
Berger. This kind of representation of a woman can be appealing to the young male audience and adult male audience. Moreover, it can
also imply that this representation of woman can be inspirational for young girls who are willing to follow the stereotypical image of a
attractive woman. All of this shows that there is wide range of audience reached by this music video.
When considering the occupation, it will include the categories between “E” and “C1”. Some possible occupation jobs include:
pensioners without private pensions, those on benefits, students, window cleaners, factory worker, bin collectors, bar attendants. Also,
electricians, carpenter, plumber, bus driver, baker, hairdressers.
There is also some chances that the “B” and “A” category audience (teachers, police officers, lawyers and doctors), will be reached by this
song due to its popularity world wide, including radio, TV and also internet, considering different websites and social media sites. All of
these people would be able to hear the song for example on the way to work in the car (radio).
15. Demographic and Psychographic Profile
Referring back to the previous slide, the audience would be placed between the “E” and “C1” category. This includes
youth males and females upwards regarding middle aged adults as well. The song might appear appropriate for
young people, however if we closely look at the video, we can notice that Jason Derulo wears a gold chain and also
modern fashion clothing, which links more to the “C1” and upper categories audience in the General Register Scale.
Regarding the psychographic profile of the audience, it will mainly include mainstreamers who usually go with the
flow and don’t want to stand out. Furthermore, there would be some audience who would be considered as aspires,
where they would follow the messages and images portrayed throughout the video. They will try to rise higher from
the crowd of mainstreamers by wanting more money and status, buy flashy products and the ‘latest’ products.
16. Geo-demographic and Mosaic
Jason Derulo is a famous musician born in Miami,
Florida, US what shows that he grew up in an
urban area and atmosphere. An urban area is a
location characterized by higher human
population density. Furthermore, most of his tours
include urban areas considering bigger cities and
towns. Therefore, the target audience would be
located in urban areas, however, due to the
popularity of the artist and the song itself, it can
reach wider audience outside the cities and towns,
for example through the TV, radio or internet.
