What affects the way in which an audience responds?
- Gender: A female viewer might respond differently to the programme Ice Road Truckers than a male viewer.
- Age: A young child will respond very differently to In the Night Garden than their grandparents.
- Ethnicity: ethnicityHaving the common features of a group or nation. groups from different cultural backgrounds may have beliefs and values that influence how they respond to a media text.
- Cultural factors: The cultureDescribes the way of life, behaviours and beliefs of a particular group of people., upbringing and experiences of an audience will influence how they respond to a media text. Someone who has never spent time in hospital might form an opinion of what it is like from watching something like Casualty or Holby City. Another person who hasn't worked for the armed forces, may form a view of that world from playing video games like Call of Duty or Battlefield.
- Situation: Where you are and who you are with will have an effect on how you respond to a media text. If you were watching a TV comedy show like The Inbetweeners with friends you might find it funnier than watching it with your grandparents, which could be embarrassing and awkward.
Although all these factors can influence an audience it is also important not to revert to stereotypeA conventional and standard view of someone or a type of people. when thinking about audiences.
Measuring an audience
Audience responses can be measured by researching:
- Viewing and listening figures for TV and Radio programmes
- Box office takings for films
- Newspaper and magazine sales
- Website hits
- Followers and shares on platforms like Twitter or Facebook
- Ratings and subscriptions to YouTube channels
Every week the Broadcasting Audience Research BoardAn organisation which compiles audience numbers and television ratings. release statistics that show the top ten most popular programmes on each TV channel.