Audience theory

Introduction

As seen in a previous factsheet, audience are crucial to the producers of media texts. Without an audience a TV programme, newspaper, magazine or film cannot be successful. Media producers think carefully about identifying their target audience and providing a text which will interest and engage them. However, the mass media is such a major part of people's lives that one of the major debates in media studies is the effect that the media may have on its audience. This issue focuses on the negative effects that may be created by media texts; for example, considering of there might be a link between violent behaviour and representations of violent behaviour and representations of violence in the media.

The aims of this Factsheet are to:
-Identify some theories of the way the media may affect an audience
-Support a critical engagement with the theories



1. Whilst some people do act violently, many do not and in today's culture it is almost impossible to avoid violent representations. This seems to support the view that the media does not directly cause people to act a certain way.



Manhunt

2. Advertisers spend millions of pounds promoting their products. The Marks and Spencer's food adverts have increased the grocery sales for the high street shop and encouraged customers to indulge themselves with the luxury items they  sell.



Not just food, but M&S food'

3. Viewing a documentary can provide access to information that may change the way you feel about an issue. It may even make you want to act differently, eat more healthily, join a political group or simply tell you friends