Question 3 (if Audience)

Question 1

How long is an answer for question 3?

Answer 1

Question 3 requires a long answer in essay form.

Question 2

How much should you aim to write for question 3?

Answer 2

At least 3 pages.

Question 3

How long should you spend on this question?

Answer 3

Not more than 45 minutes. Split your time into:

• 10 minutes planning
• 30 minutes writing (10 minutes per page)
• 5 minutes reread and amend.

Question 4

What structure should you follow if it is audience?

Answer 4

Introduction: must define what an audience is and how audiences can be thought of as passive, active and interactive. Where all theorists now agree that audiences are not completely passive in their reaction to a text.

The apply audience theories to your case studies: You should mention: construction of the text, layout and design, language and mode of address, content, technical and audio codes, use of images, use of stars/celebrities/presenters etc, use of narrative, genre as well as demonstrating knowledge of audience theories.

Then conclude your essay: recap how do your theories and examples prove the question.

Question 5

Consider how the text is worded: whose point of view you should write the essay from, the audience or the producer.

Answer 5

If the producer: How do media texts attract or position audiences?

• Write from the point of view of the media text (producers)
• You should explore the ways texts are constructed to target and manipulate audiences?
• Producers of media texts (and advertisers) encode media texts with specific material and messages to appeal to certain audiences, hopefully to guarantee that they make the maximum money from the text.
• This process can be explained using Audience theories and your examples should then back up the theory.

If the audience: How do audiences respond differently to the same (or different) media texts?

• Write from the point of view of the audience.
• You could explore passive/active/interactive audiences, responses based on wanting to satisfy needs and responses based on different subject positions
• Include theoretical and real responses.
• Audience theory can be applied to understanding how an audience responds.

Question 6

Name the three audience theories.

Answer 6

1. Uses and Gratifications Theory
2. Two Step Flow Theory
3. Reception Theory.

Question 7

For top marks you should?

Answer 7

Refer to at least 3 examples that you have prepared and revised.
Try to make sure that each example has at least one audience theory applied to it.

Question 8

If you should write from the point of view of the audience, how will the question be structured?

Answer 8

How do audiences respond differently to the same (or different) media texts?

Question 9

If you should write from the point of view of the producer, how will the question be structured?

Answer 9

How do media texts attract or position audiences?

Question 10

What should you include if you are writing from the point of view of the producer?

Answer 10

• You should explore the ways texts are constructed to target and manipulate audiences?
• Producers of media texts (and advertisers) encode media texts with specific material and messages to appeal to certain audiences, hopefully to guarantee that they make the maximum money from the text.
• This process can be explained using Audience theories and your examples should then back up the theory.

Question 11

What should you include if you are writing from the point of view of the audience?

Answer 11

• You could explore passive/active/interactive audiences, responses based on wanting to satisfy needs and responses based on different subject positions
• Include theoretical and real responses.
• Audience theory can be applied to understanding how an audience responds

Question 12

What should you include in the introduction?

Answer 12

Must define what an audience is and how audiences can be thought of as passive, active and interactive. Where all theorists now agree that audiences are not completely passive in their reaction to a text.

Question 13

What should you include when applying the audience theories to your case studies?

Answer 13

You should mention: construction of the text, layout and design, language and mode of address, content, technical and audio codes, use of images, use of stars/celebrities/presenters etc, use of narrative, genre as well as demonstrating knowledge of audience theories.

Question 14

What should include in your conclusion?

Answer 14

Recap how do your theories and examples prove the question.