Audience

Investigation
Hyperdermic needle theory?
Basically, the Hypodermic Needle
Model suggests that the information
from a text passes into the mass
consciousness of the audience
unmediated, ie the experience,
intelligence and opinion of an
individual are not relevant to the
reception of the text. This theory
suggests that, as an audience, we are
manipulated by the creators of media
texts, and that our behaviour and
thinking might be easily changed by
media-makers. It assumes that the
audience are passive and
heterogenous.
What is an audience?
An audience is an individual or collective group of people who read or consume any media
text such as radio listeners, television viewers, newspaper and magazine readers.
Without audiences there would be no media, media organisations produce media texts to
make profit, so no audience would mean no profit.
The mass media is becoming more competitive than ever to attract more and more
audiences in different ways and stay profitable.

Mass audience- often termed broadcast audience, those who consume mainstream or
popular texts such as soaps or sitcoms. Media and communication that targets a very large
group of people (women, men , children, adults)

Niche audience- much smaller but very influential. A niche audience is small, select group
of people with a very unique interest.

Psychographics and demographics
What audience theorists are
there?
Stuart Hall's encoding/decoding model of the relationship between text and audience - the text
is encoded by the producer, and decoded by the reader, and there may be major differences
between two different readings of the same code. However, by using recognised codes and
conventions, and by drawing upon audience expectations relating to aspects such as genre and
use of stars, the producers can position the audience and thus create a certain amount of
agreement on what the code means. This is known as a preferred reading.

One theory is the uses and gratifications theory, this theory describes how the public actively
seek out specific media content for gratification purposes which fulfils needs.
The audience that are associated with this theory are known as an active audience.
For example in horror if someone is to watch a slasher film and the psycho killer is killing the
girls within the film, the active audience know that this isn't moral thing to do in reality so they
would be encouraged to imitate any of the behaviour, they would use this for entertainment
purposes only.
What theories link to the
horror genre?
Sigmund Freud was the founder of the psychodynamic
theory, which explains why some people are so attracted to
horror genre, the theory states that cognitive dissonance
occurs when something is familiar and foreign at the same
time. For example some people are attracted to paranormal
films because ghosts are similar to the human form, yet look
frightening. This would be perceived as being uncomfortably
unfamiliar.

Cultivation theory- this cultivation theory could suggest that
the film industry distorts and cultivates reality, heavy
exp0osure to films can lead to viewers to believe that what
happens in films is happening in the real world. This links to
the horror genre as dark alleys are presented as a negative
way, so audiences think that this applies in the real world
and this helped to cultivate the way society thinks.