AUDIENCE

Lesson aim: learners will be able to relate audience theories to

their productions

WHY?

What affects do you think these films had on a passive audience?

Give some examples of why we watch television

• Information • finding out about relevant events and conditions in immediate surroundings, society and the world • seeking advice on practical matters or opinion and decision choices • satisfying curiosity and general interest • learning; self-education • gaining a sense of security through knowledge • Personal Identity • finding reinforcement for personal values• finding models of behaviour• identifying with valued other (in the media) • gaining insight into one's self• Integration and Social Interaction gaining insight into circumstances of others; social empathy• identifying with others and gaining a sense of belonging• finding a basis for conversation and social interaction• having a substitute for real-life companionship• helping to carry out social roles• enabling one to connect with family, friends and society

•Entertainment • escaping, or being diverted, from problems

• relaxing

• getting intrinsic cultural or aesthetic enjoyment

• filling time

• emotional release

• sexual arousal

(McQuail 1987: 73)

Richard Kilborn (1992: 75-84)• A major focus for research into why and how people watch TV has been the genre of soap opera.

Adopting a U & G perspective, Richard Kilborn (1992: 75-84) offers the following common reasons for watching soaps:

• regular part of domestic routine and entertaining reward for work

• launchpad for social and personal interaction

• fulfilling individual needs: a way of choosing to be alone or of enduring enforced loneliness

• identification and involvement with characters (perhaps cathartic)

• escapist fantasy (American supersoaps more fantastical)

• focus of debate on topical issues

• a kind of critical game involving knowledge of the rules and conventions of the genre

McQuail, Blumler and Brown (1972)

• Gratifications of TV Quiz Shows: Selected Responses Self-Rating Appeal – I can compare myself with the experts

– I like to imagine that I am on the programme and doing well

– I feel pleased that the side I favour has actually won

– I am reminded of when I was in school

– I laugh at the contestants’ mistakesBasis for Social Interaction

– I look forward to talking about it with others

– I like competing with other people watching with me

– I like working together with the family on the answers

– The children get a lot out of it

– It brings the family together sharing the same interest

• It is a topic of conversation afterwardsExcitement Appeal

• I like the excitement of a close finish

• I like to forget my worries for a while

• I like trying to guess the winner

• Having got the answer right I feel really good

• I get involved in the competitionEducational Appeal

• I find I know more than I thought

• I find I have improved myself

• I feel respect for the people on the programme

• I think over some of the questions afterwards

• It’s educational

Useful websites

• • http://hallcrossmedia.wordpress.com/2011/0

1/26/audience/