Online Media: Attitude Audiences Flashcards
Introduction to Attitude
British gay lifestyle magazine
Owned by stream publishing
Sold worldwide as a physical magazine, and is available for digital download
Primary target gender and how are they targeted
Gay men are targeted through the writing style, high image to text ratio and lots of statistics
Targeted through the lack of emotional content within the articles
Target age range and how are they targeted
26-55
Heavy use of Facebook and Twitter
These are the most popular social media platforms amongst this age group
How does Attitude target younger men
Celebrity culture is referenced heavily to engage an audience who grew up with the mass media of the 20th century
The use of celebrity led stories featuring stars who the target audience grew up with is a key targeting technique
How does Attitude target the older men in the age demographic
Inclusion of retro culture, with stories looking back at the 1990s
Political stories which are more interesting for an older audience
The older men are likely to enjoy a sense of familiarity from the webpage being set out a lot like the traditional print version
Which psychographic profile does Attitude target?
Position of the bachelor through the inclusion of articles on Gay culture, fashion, film, travel, and fitness
There is a lack of space given to family based topics, which is suggestive of the lifestyle of a gay audience who are stereotypically less likely to have children
What psychometric profile does Attitude target?
The reformer and the aspirer
Aspirer - competitions for luxury breaks for couples, emphasis placed on entertainment as a core leisure activity, references to premium fashion brands
Reformer - some narratives are political, and generate commentary on social issues that surround LGBTQ+ issues
How do online products reach and address audiences?
New media technologies play a very important role in reaching specialised audiences
Online platforms provide a platform for audiences to have control over their own representations and write their own narratives
Different voices within minorities are able to be expressed
Addressing the needs of mass and specialised audiences online
The Attitude website creates a sense of community and belonging, and provides the LGBTQ+ community with a voice and a platform to keep up with current LGBTQ+ issues
It is produced for a specialised audience and their appeal is the sense of personal connection that they establish between fans
Uses and Gratifications by Bulmer and Katz
Audiences actively seek out and use media products in order to satisfy four main needs;
-Surveillance
-Diversion
-Personal Identity
-Social relationships
Application of Bulmer and Katz Uses and Gratifications Theory
Surveillance - users can learn about the LGBTQ+ community
Diversion - escape their every day lives and immerse themselves in LGBT life
Personal Identity - shape their own identities based on the media that they consume within Attitudes website
Attitude Website in targeting and appealing to audiences (Uses and Grats)
The articles that feature are based around popular culture such as Madonnas performance at Eurovision and the backlash that James Charles faced Diversion
The community on the website acts as a space we’re members of the LGBT community can feel safe and feel a sense of belonging Social Relationships
End of Audiences Theory by Clay Shirky
Media users are actively involved in the construction and circulation of textual meanings
He states that the internet and digital technologies have had a profound effect on the relations between the media and individuals
Audiences are no longer passive consumers but are now fully involved as they can ‘speak back’ to the media
Application of Clay Shirky’s End of Audience Theory
Attitude have a YouTube page that allows them to interact with audiences through comment sections, therefore allowing them to share their opinions with media producers
This is evidence of active engagement with media products
