Unit 4: Media Audiences and Products

For this unit you must:GC1 – Know how a media industry identifies audiences for its productsGC2 – Understand how media products are constructed for specific audiencesGC3 – Understand how audiences can respond to media products

Unit 4 GC 1: Know how a Media Industry Identifies Audiences for its Products

Task 1Use the table to answer the two questions below

There are several ways we might classify audiences such as in gender, age, ethnicities, sexual orientations etc.

The Standard Occupations Classification is listed below

A - In media , why might we group or classify audiences in this manner?By classifying groups in this matter, products such as TV shows and magazines can be aimed toward a more specific audience and be more effective and suitable to that audience, and as a result be more successful.

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B - How is audience research used in relation to new media products? (e.g. rating, BARB, focus groups, questionnaires)

In relation to new products, audience research is used as a way to edit and develop a product in order to make it more attractive and effective to the target audience. By using focus groups and questionnaires, the creator of the product can find out what the audience would want or not want in a product. If I was creating a TV show, I would use BARB to research the ratings of existing shows of my chosen genre. I would see which show of my chosen genre received the highest ratings by the audience, and what time of day it was on, so that I could decide the best time for my show to be on in order to receive the most viewers possible. I would also look at the format and style of the shows with the highest views. All these things would help my show to be more successful, as the research would inform me on what times, format and style of show would be most attractive to the audience and with the feedback from questionnaires I could create my show with my audience’s views and opinions in mind.

Task 2

A - Using the classifications table and the BARB website, what can you tell us about your chosen industry and your product from Unit 21? (who would like your target audience be?)

I would say from the classifications table my target audience would be middle or upper middle class. My product was an article for Q Magazine, and so the audience of my article is Q Magazine’s audience. The magazine that writes about present and past music has a target audience of men and women aged from older teens and upwards, and their audience has a median age of 29 from 473,000 readers. 25% of the readers are female and 75% are male.

B – What constraints, codes of practice, and or regulations do your chosen industry/must your product follow?

The magazine industry cannot print anything that could be considered racist. Depending on the target audience of the magazine, the magazine may not be allowed to contain explicit content such as swearing or nudity. The front covers of all magazines however must not contain explicit content, as when they are on display in shops, people of younger or even older ages that may be offended by the imagery or content could potentially see it.

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Unit 4 GC 2: Understand how media products are constructed for specific audiences

Task 1

Create an avatar of an ‘average audience member’ that your Unit 21 product is aimed at. Consider age, gender, clothing style, musical tastes, etc.

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Task 2

Look at your final product and list the ways you have aimed your product at your target audience. Consider content, genre, language used, narrative, visual images, graphics, fonts, colours etc.

In my article I chose to review Lady Gaga’s ARTPOP. This is a contemporary and new album from a popular pop artist. This relates to the audience and genre of Q Magazine who focus on either big popular artists or new upcoming artists and bands. I wrote the article myself, and tried to write it in the style of the album reviews from Q Magazine that I had already read. They write in a mature style that is aimed at their audience of older teenagers from about 16 onwards.

Unit 4 GC 3: Understand how audiences can respond to media products

Task 1Using your product, conduct a survey (of at least 8 people) that aims to gauge audience opinion of your product.

Task 2Using your product, conduct a focus group (of at least 4 people) that aims to gauge audience opinion of your product.

Task 3Write a report presenting your results of your survey and focus group. Consider the following:

How have different ages, genders etc responded to your product? Were you surprised with the results? Do your results show that your product has reached your desired target

audience?

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