Audience

Audience is potentially the most important element of all media texts; especially music videos. If a rock artist were to do a very stereotypical pop music video, their fans would be very confused and often dislike it. Every element of the video must be conducted in a way thats specific to the target audience and these often make up the conventions of that genre Media texts have no meaning until it is read or analysed by the audience that it is aimed it

Audience groups

Mass Audience: products created for a larger group of people, not very specified e.g. TV adverts Niche Audience: a small, specified audience e.g. A certain genre of music video Primary Audience: the main/intended target audience of the media text Secondary Audience: not the main/intended audience but someone that may consume it. E.g. Newspapers Demographic: social grade scale used in the UK to judge audience type Psychographics: other scales to work out the audience type based on social aspects, lifestyles, beliefs etc.

Hypodermic Needle Theory

The hypodermic needle theory is one of the most famous theories surrounding the media and its audiences. It suggest that the media has a direct and strong influence of audiences with the power to change an audience members thoughts and opinions. It is said that audiences are injected with information to change their way of thinking. This links to music videos as the director is able to inject the audience with what they want the audience to perceive it as. If they want the audience to feel a certain way about a certain character, they would use mise-enscene, lighting and camera angles to do so.

Uses and Gratifications Theory

This theory highlights the reasons why audiences consume the media: Information: finding out relevant events and news about society/the world, seeking advice on practical matters, satisfying curiosity and general interest, learning, gaining a sense of security through knowledge Personal Identity: finding reinforcement for personal values, finding models of behaviour, identifying with valued other, gaining insight into ones self. Social Interaction: gaining insight into circumstances of others; social empathy, identifying with others and gaining a sense of belonging, finding a basis for conversation and social interaction, having a substitute for real-life companionship, helping to carry out social roles, enabling one to connect with family, friends and society. Entertainment: escaping or being diverted from problems, relaxing, getting intrinsic cultural or aesthetic enjoyment, filling time, emotional release