The document discusses how the author addressed their niche and sophisticated audience for a music magazine. They analyzed both active and passive audience theories. For active theories, they discussed how opinion leaders in the target audience of young reformers and music journalists could influence others (Two Step Flow Theory). They also discussed how the magazine provides entertainment, information, a way for readers to relate to artists, and topics to discuss with others (Uses and Gratifications Theory). It also allows readers to fulfill their needs like morality and creativity (Hierarchy of Needs Theory). For passive theories, it discusses how the magazine can repeat its ideology over time to influence readers, though the active audience may question ideas (Culmination Theory).

1. Q5: HOW DID YOU ATTRACT/
ADDRESS YOUR AUDIENCE?

2. Overview
• As a sophisticated audience, my audience will be active and
therefore will make an active choice about how they respond to my
media.
• As a niche audience, I will not be able to apply many mass media
audience theories to my production.
• Active audience theories which could be applied to the audience of
my magazine include Two Step Flow, Uses and Gratifications and
Hierarchy of Needs.
• To show that I have also considered passive audience theories I
shall also be looking at the Culmination theory.

3. Active: Two Step Flow Theory
• The Two Step Flow theory suggests that there are opinion leaders (who
are active audience members) and convey them to others (who are
passive audience members).
• This theory can be applied to using celebrities to promote films, political
leaders and celebrities in adverts.
• As my audience are Young and Rubicam Reformers, they are often on the
leading edge of society and therefore people will be likely to come to
them to ask them about music, or they will present their views to other
people.
• Also many of the audience of the indie/rock genre are confident and
embody the ideologies of doing what they want to do by themselves and
not what society expects of them, along with being socially aware will
naturally be passed on to others.
• This is also true of the music journalists of this genre who count as part of
the audience, as in their critical reviews of certain artists, their opinions
will be projected onto the audience.

4. Active: Uses and Gratifications
The Uses and Gratifications theory was developed by Blumler and
Katz and suggests that the media satisfies 4 needs for us:
• Entertainment – diversion, relaxation.
• Information – gives us knowledge.
• Personal Identity – gives us characters to relate to.
• Social Interaction – gives us something to discuss with family and
friends.

5. Active: Uses and Gratifications
I can apply all 4 elements of this theory to my production…
• Entertainment – The magazine is packed with article, reviews, guides, games etc. to
entertain the reader. It is easy to pick up after a long day to offer relaxation. It is not
too challenging a read however still sophisticated enough for my target audience.
• Information – As my audience is sophisticated, I have ensured that the content is not
too basic and includes news, gig guides and articles with new bands which all give
information to the reader.
• Personal Identity – The articles feature artists generally around the same age as the
primary audience making it easy for them to relate to, and with similar ideologies and
thoughts on certain subjects which brings them together with the audience.
• Social Interaction – Due to the magazine not being directed at a mass audience and
therefore not needing to retain a squeaky clean image, my magazine will be more
likely to include funny or shocking articles which would not necessarily be seen in a
more mainstream magazine, giving the audience something to talk about with
friends or family. Also the reviews can be talked about with friends or family as they
might want to go and see the bands.

6. Active: Hierarchy of Needs
• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs gives a pyramid which gives our most
basic needs from the bottom and suggest that we work our way up,
satisfying our needs through work, family, friends, hobbies etc.

7. Active: Hierarchy of Needs
• As a sophisticated audience, they will most likely be satisfied by all of the stages
of the pyramid except the top which suggests a more intellectual view of morality
which my magazine can give.
The sub sections of this top category of Self-Actualisation include…
• Morality – My magazine will make a point of being socially aware and making
readers aware of social issues ie. racism/homophobia/sexism etc.
• Creativity – Creativity is at the core of this genre as the artists are allowed
complete autonomy in most situations and therefore can work their creative
minds to produce music for themselves. Therefore this creativity is embedded
into the audience.
• Spontaneity – Similar to creativity, the autonomy allows the artists spontaneity
as their music might not fit in with mass media ideologies because they can do
what they want with it. This spontaneity is admired and passed on to the
audience.
• Problem solving – My magazine features a games page.
• Lack of prejudice – Similar to morality, I will ensure that my magazine produces
strong ideals of equality.
• Acceptance of facts – This perhaps the least relevant to my production as my
audience are likely to challenge established ideologies rather than accept them.

8. Passive: Culmination
• The culmination theory suggests that the audience are ‘injected’ with
ideologies, but for this ideology to be accepted by the audience, it must be
repeated over time.
• This theory applies to situations such as TV shows like the Apprentice
suggesting that money equals success, or newspapers repeating political
views until they are ingrained into the audience’s heads until they believe it
themselves.
• I can apply this theory to my production, because my magazine will be
repeating the ideology that you don’t need to do what society expects of you,
because society is flawed and you should focus on what makes you happy.
• This ideology interrupts the flow of hegemony and therefore could cause
disruption in natural order if a mass audience decided that they all didn’t care
anymore, however because I am targeting a niche, sophisticated audience,
then can be somewhat active in this theory in taking the ideologies repeated
in my magazine with a pinch of salt, and not quit their job or anything to
prove a point.
• This emphasises the activeness of my audience in that they can subvert a
passive audience theory.