This document discusses audiences for media texts and different audience theories. It defines an audience as people who consume media, and identifies three types of audiences: mass, niche, and individual. The document then outlines several theories about how audiences receive and interpret media messages, including hypodermic needle theory, cultivation theory, two-step flow theory, and reception theory.

2. AUDIENCE
AN AUDIENCE IS PEOPLE WHO READ ANY MEDIA TEXT. IT PLAYS A BIG PART WITHIN THE MEDIA BECAUSE ALL
MEDIA TEXTS ARE PRODUCED WITH AN AUDIENCE IN MIND.

3. TYPES OF AUDIENCE
ANY INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE AND CONSUME ANY FORM OF MEDIA TEXT ARE PART
OF A SELECTED AUDIENCE THERE ARE THREE OF THESE WITH ARE:
1. MASS AUDIENCE - GROUP CONSUMING MEDIA E.G. COMMERCIAL TV PROGRAMMES.
2. NICHE AUDIENCE - PEOPLE WITH UNIQUE INTEREST.
3. INDIVIDUAL AUDIENCE – PARTICULAR PEOPLES INTERESTS.

4. AUDIENCE THEORIES
THERE ARE MANY AUDIENCE THEORIES BEHIND THE CONSUMING OF MEDIA THESE ARE:
HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THEORY
CULTIVATION THEORY
TWO STEP FLOW THEORY
RECEPTION THEORY

5. HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THEORY
THE HYPODERMIC NEEDLE MODEL (ALSO
KNOWN AS THE HYPODERMIC-SYRINGE
MODEL, TRANSMISSION-BELT MODEL, OR
MAGIC BULLET THEORY) IS A MODEL OF
COMMUNICATIONS SUGGESTING THAT AN
INTENDED MESSAGE IS DIRECTLY RECEIVED
AND WHOLLY ACCEPTED BY THE RECEIVER.

6. CULTIVATION THEORY
CULTIVATION THEORY EXAMINES THE LONG-TERM
EFFECTS OF TELEVISION. "THE PRIMARY
PROPOSITION OF CULTIVATION THEORY STATES
THAT THE MORE TIME PEOPLE SPEND 'LIVING' IN THE
TELEVISION WORLD, THE MORE LIKELY THEY ARE TO
BELIEVE SOCIAL REALITY PORTRAYED ON
TELEVISION.“

7. TWO STEP FLOW THEORY
THE TWO-STEP FLOW OF COMMUNICATION MODEL
HYPOTHESIZES THAT IDEAS FLOW FROM MASS MEDIA TO
OPINION LEADERS, AND FROM THEM TO A WIDER
POPULATION. IT WAS FIRST INTRODUCED BY
SOCIOLOGIST PAUL LAZARSFELD ET AL. IN 1944 AND
ELABORATED BY ELIHU KATZ AND LAZARSFELD IN 1955
AND SUBSEQUENT PUBLICATIONS

8. RECEPTION THEORY
RECEPTION THEORY IS A VERSION OF READER
RESPONSE LITERARY THEORY THAT EMPHASIZES
EACH PARTICULAR READER'S RECEPTION OR
INTERPRETATION IN MAKING MEANING FROM A
LITERARY TEXT. RECEPTION THEORY IS
GENERALLY REFERRED TO AS AUDIENCE
RECEPTION IN THE ANALYSIS OF
COMMUNICATIONS MODELS.

9. USES AND GRATIFICATIONS
USES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORY IS AN
APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING WHY AND HOW
PEOPLE ACTIVELY SEEK OUT SPECIFIC MEDIA TO
SATISFY SPECIFIC NEEDS. UGT IS AN AUDIENCE-
CENTERED APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING MASS
COMMUNICATION.