Audience Effects Theory

1) Write a definition of a passive audience:

An audience that passively takes in information and has the same reading when presented with information from the media 

2) Write a definition of an active audience:

An audience that can choose and interact with the media they see.

3) Write a definition of the hypodermic needle theory:

The theory that audiences are passive and will always have the preferred reading. This suggests that information from the media is 'injected into the brains' of the audience.

4) Write down a media product (e.g. TV show, newspaper or videogame) for each category of Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory and WHY it fits that particular audience use/gratification. The first one is done for you:

INFORMATION/SURVEILLANCE: Media text - The Times newspaper

> Why: It tells audiences important information about politics, the world and more.

PERSONAL IDENTITY: Advertisements - Children / Baby products

> Why: It connects to audiences who have children of their own or children they're currently taking care of.

DIVERSION/ENTERTAINMENT: Video Games in general

> Why: People play video games to enjoy visceral pleasures - the thrill of action, to relax / wind down, to distract themselves from the outside world.

RELATIONSHIPS: "I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!"

> Why: Some older people may have a parasocial relationship with the show's hosts, Ant and Dec.

5) Re-watch the clip from Blue Planet above and write a paragraph analysing how elements of the clip offer the audience pleasures or gratifications (use media terminology from Uses and Gratifications theory and the 3 Vs - notes outlined above).

Some people may watch Blue Planet for surveillance purposes. As Blue Planet is a documentary that has a focus on underwater animals, they may want to learn more about marine biology, or animals in general. They might also personally relate (personal identity) to animals in that they have an interest or a job related to them, such as a conservationist. Furthermore, David Attenborough is a widely admired broadcaster with an easily recognisable voice; many people watch Blue Planet due to their parasocial relationship with him. However, I think the main reason is due to diversion / entertainment. Blue Planet is purposefully designed to be relaxing and most audiences will watch it to wind down, sleep or distract themselves from the outside world. Slow motion and calming music is often used to create the sense of relaxation. 

Moreover, Blue Planet could be considered a visceral and a voyeuristic pleasure. It is visceral as many scenes involve animals doing dangerous things (e.g. turtles making their way to the ocean), or predators hunting prey. This provides a physical thrill in the sense that audiences are unsure of what will happen next (e.g. 'will the prey survive?').  Blue Planet is, however, predominantly a voyeuristic pleasure. As animals are usually in land away from people, in forests, underwater, underground, etc., Blue Planet provides audiences with a chance to see these animals close-up and learn information about them. David Attenborough states that these animals are "never seen before", re-iterating the idea that the audiences will see something hidden or only recently discovered.

Blue Planet also links to Psychographics, as consumers are likely to adhere more towards The Explorer or The Reformer.

Grade 8/9 extension tasks:

To take this further, select a media text of your own choice, embed it in your blog and write another detailed paragraph analysing the audience pleasures in that product.

One reason why consumers may enjoy this advertisement is due to the idea of personal relationships in Blumler and Kats uses and gratifications theory. Taylor Swift is a high-profile celebrity / artist who has millions of fans across the world. Fans of her may be eager to involve themselves in brands endorsed by her, as they have a parasocial relationship with her. This also links to the idea of personal identity, in the sense that fans would have a personal interest in Taylor Swift and therefore, be more inclined to purchase the product. This could be considered, potentially, a Vicarious pleasure. Fans of Coca-Cola may wish to be in her position and drink some, and fans of Taylor Swift may wish to be with her / in her position. This could also be considered a voyeuristic pleasure (although a bit of stretch), as consumers could (potentially) be seeing a side of her life not seen before, in that she enjoys Coca-Cola.