Maryasiye Kircin A Level Media Studies Soap Opera Genre Target Audience

1. Soap Opera Genre –
Target Audience
Name: Maryasiye Kircin
Candidate Number: 1158
Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic School
Center Number: 64135
OCR Media Studies – A2 Level
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio

2. Hartley’s 7 Subjectivities: According to Hartley’s 7
Subjectivities, the main target audience would be from the
ages of 16 and over. Females would also be a main target
audience as stereotypically they tend to get more emotionally
attached with the psychological events that occur in day-to-
day life in soap operas, but this does not mean the male
gender cannot be a target audience. Males can be attracted to
soap operas due to the idea of ‘real life’ being portrayed in a
soap opera, along with aspects of masculinity or manly traits
that one/lots of characters may have. In relation to ethnicity,
the target audience mainly focus on the white British
ethnicity, however, it can be argued in soap operas that ethnic
groups are also presented. In soap operas like Coronation
Street and Eastenders, there would always be people from
different ethnicities to portray the real life and culture of
England today.
Socio-Economic Needs: In relation to socio-economic needs,
the stereotypical grading for soap operas would be in the
social grading of B-E. Reasons for this would be due to the
issues and events that occur in the real world, which can
relate to the individual of that social grade. The working class
soap opera viewers would be in social class D and most likely
would struggle the most and are classified as “unskilled
workers”, they would tend to enjoy the “realism” that a
character in a program would have to conquer like them.
Children and students tend to watch soap operas with their
families, hence why some people are in the E social grade.
Stereotypical Target Audience
Image of a stereotypical target audience:

3. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: The two types of people that would view a soap opera would be
“caregivers” or “survivors”. “Caregivers” tend to relate with the storylines and sympathise and
almost “care” for the character. Some story-lines do allow “caregivers” to relate to their own
daily lives, hence why a viewer can watch the soap and get attached to the character/characters
family that are suffering from a specific situation, hence why they would be care-givers. Another
aspect of the audience would be classed as “survivors” because the audience could have a
possibility with being involved in the soap and as storylines in soaps are continuous, whereby
some “survivors” tend to like the idea of security and the idea of knowing if one character is safe
tends to be part of their daily routine and comfort.
Psychographics: According to psychographics, people who watch soap operas are most likely to
be “reformers” because they are the people who have the awareness of the general community
and normal everyday life. For example, in Eastenders, Coronation Street or Emmerdale, the
whole community know each other, and nearly everything about them. As the audience are
classified as normal people being in either work or school, soap operas may have an affect on
them and could possibly pressure audiences to make similar life-styles and choices that are
present in some soap operas.
Stereotypical Target Audience

4. Katz’ Uses & Gratifications theory: In relation to Katz’ theory, a range of audiences may watch soaps for
“pure entertainment”, they may want “family time” or time alone to watch other peoples lives that they can
relate to. Watching soap operas also is an area of escapism to the audience where they can focus on other
peoples problems and relate with their problems, rather than dealing with their own at that specific time.
Also, they may “personally identify” with the issues raised in a specific soap, the representation of
characters may attract or detract some audiences as they would be watching their daily personality and
characteristics, relating with the point of “surveillance”; giving a close observation of the significant
characters in soap operas.
Further research: Soap operas tend to be scheduled between the prime time hours of 7pm - 11pm. Most
popular soap operas tend to be from 7 to 9pm. Soap operas that are on from 9pm onwards is where the
“watershed” is present. Soap operas that are present after 9pm tend to have swear words or more violence
involved and 9pm is usually the time where children go to bed. Also, in relation to Rebecca Feasey’s
‘Masculinity and Popular Television’ (2007) she believes soap operas focus on the female gender; she states
“the home, the family, domestic tribulations and the strong women […] it has been said to appeal to a
female viewer”.
Stereotypical Target Audience

5. Stereotypical Target Audience;
Screenshots of soap opera trailers continued.