Audience Theory

Lesson objective
How can I apply audience theory do
my production?

Year 13
Media Studies

Audience

Refresh
What audience theory do you
remember?

The
theories

Why did
you make
your film?

Uses and Gratifications

The theory that audiences use media texts in
order to fulfil pleasures and basic needs such as:

Escapism
Education
Personal identification
Personal relationship

The OZ

Inside Job

Two-Step Flow
The theory suggesting that there are opinions
leaders within society who can influence opinions
and attitudes of the public.

Sex and the City 2

Hypodermic needle
The theory that proposes media messages can be
injected into the audience and influence people
to act a particular way.

Desensitisation
The theory that implies that overexposure to
certain messages and values can influence the
audience to accept them. For example, an airbrusher image of a celebrity on the front cover of
a magazine can influence women into believing
that that is the definition of beauty and this is how
women everywhere should look.

Maslows Hierarchy of
needs

The theory that there are five layers of basic

needs that all humans possess:

Physiological (food, shelter, sleep)

Safety
Social needs (love and belonging)
Esteem
Self actualisation

Explain how your

production appeals to its
fans

Explain how your

production appeal to its
fans
Who is the target audience?
Demographics
Psychographics

What genre would they like?

How can you tell?
How does the genre and target audiences differ
from other film/music genres?
How was your production constructed to appeal to
music/film audiences?

How does the theory

apply to your
production?
Does your
Hypodermic syringe model
production adhere
or subvert the
theory?

Give examples from

your production

Uses and gratification

Desensitisation
Maslow Hierarchy of needs
Reception theory
Two step flow