Name of Teacher: Ms. Berlin Grace Y.

Diama Module: 2
Subject: Media and Information Literacy
Date: December 7, 2021

Quarter: Second Semester: 1st

Lesson 3: The Notion of Constructed Audiences
and The Role of Television

“Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any
trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God.”
- 2 Corinthians 1:4

Most Essential Learning Competency (MELCs):

Discuss the implication of media and information to an individual and the society.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

a. explain the cross-cultural consumer characterization (4C’s).

b. understand the role of television.
c. analyze the traditional segmentation model.

Graduate Attributes:

Truth Seeker: It broadens knowledge of different cultures, promotes tolerance and

global understanding of international issues. Through current affairs, discovery,
lifestyle, cooking shows and children's programs, television encourages scientific
and cultural curiosity.

Values Integration: Responsible Consumerism (T4), Social Responsibility (T7)

Concern for Common good (T7)

Introduction:

We say that something is constructed when there is a deliberate attempt

and effort to turn an idea into a material reality. The audience for a teleserye does
not exist per se but the creators and producers build in their minds what kind of
people will the teleserye most certainly attracts. It is to say that the group of people
defined as the audience of a particular television program could not have existed
had it not been imagined and realized by a set of people.

Most media outfits operate this way, starting off with the question Who is the target
audience. The construction of a target audience is a way of making the audience
specific. By actually identifying why this product is relevant to a particular group of
people and b bringing in that imagined group of people, the media text actually
constructs the audience for whom it is intended. A whitening soap released by the
pharmaceutical company is in need of consumers who will patronize the product.
Intrinsic to the product are some value propositions that give it an edge over Other
competitors in the market. It could be the articulation of what the product can offer
to its potential consumers, a way of saying "this is the answer to your needs" or
"the solution to your problem." A marketing plan is conceived and certainly a
central part of it will be an advertisement. The potential consumers are no
transmuted to be the target audience of the advertisements.

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 Presentation:

Teaching Strategy: Brainstorming

A target audience is best defined as a specific group of people identified and

aggregated from selected population segments who are the intended users. The information
generated from them helps publishers and producers develop media messages that will attract
this group or, in the case of advertisers, help them recommend products that will be potentially
attractive and useful to this target audience. They speak to your interests, work around what will
attract you, and avoid what might drive that away. In the case of most media, what is important
is to keep a growing base of subscribers or viewers.

To keep that steady base, audiences must be constructed. Creators and producers do
not simply assume that the target audience is there. It is constructed in the mind of the media
producers. The imagined audience is translated in the actual creation of the media product.

How Audiences are Constructed

Shaun Moores (1993) asserts that the audience is not a homogeneous category and that it is
best to see it in its plurality as audiences, in fact. They are disparate group categorized by how
they receive the media (in the privacy of their homes or out in the shopping malls) and other
identity markers such as gender, race, ethnolinguistic group, class status, and other positions in
society.

To the creators and producers of media and information texts, they are largely invisible. Ralway
(1988) thinks the word "audience" has indeed evolved from face-to-face interaction in one
shared physical space to include now consumers of electronic media and information. She
asserts that audiences have now become difficult to pin down their specific characteristics as
audiences because they are widely dispersed in different settings and contexts.

Yet it is worth noting that the word "audience" holds a firm place in media and information
studies. This is because creators and producers of media and information texts can actively
construct audiences. What do we mean by this?

As media organizations hold an inception meeting on a new media project, a brainstorming

group is huddled, and the first question pops out: "Who is our audience? If the answer is "we do
not have an audience," there is absolutely no point proceeding. But if there are answers that
may seem disparate but can be pulled in together to create an identifiable set of target
audience, then there is work to be done.

Usually the attributes of the audience can be summed up by GEARS:

• G - ender
• E - thnicity
• A - ge range
• R - egion or Nationality
• S - ocio-economic group

Traditional Segmentation Model

Social Grade Social Status Occupation

A Upper middle class Highly managerial, allied with huge firms, professionals with a
steady base of income
B Middle class Middle management, administrative or professional
C-1 Lower middle class Supervisory or clerical. junior managerial, administrative or
professional
C-2 Skilled working class Skilled manual workers

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 D Working class Semi and unskilled workers
E Poorest of the poor Lowest grade workers unemployed

An advertising agency in the west, the Young and Rubicam LTD, has conceptualized what is
now commonly referred to as the 4Cs: The Cross-Cultural Consumer Characterization Model. It
sees the audience as a group of people who will be the receiving end of media products and
what they should be getting should appeal to a complex set of traits which they possess. There
are (7) seven types of people and their core motivations are what define each type.

The Mainstream - Seek security. Tend The Succeeder - Seek control. Strong goals, confidence,
to be domestic, conformist, work ethic and organization. Supports stability. Brand
conventional, sentimental. Favor value choice based on self-reward and quality. Typically, higher
for money family brands, nearly always. management and professionals.

The Struggler - Seeks escape. The Explorer - Seek discovery.

Alienated and disorganized. Few
resources beyond physical skills.
Brand choice involves impact and
sensation. Buys alcohol, junk food,
lottery tickets.
Energy, individualism and experience.
THE 4CS CROSS Values difference and adventure.
CULTURAL CONSUMER Brand choice highlights satisfaction
CHARACTERISATION and instant effect. The first to try new
brands. Younger demographic and
students.

The Aspirer- Seek status.

The Resigned- Seeks survival.
Materialistic, acquisitive, orientated
Right and authoritarian values.
to image and appearance, persona
Interested in the past and
and fashion. Attractive packaging
tradition. Brand choices stresses
more important than contents.
The Reformer - Seeks enlightenment. safety, familiarity and economy.
Typically, younger people, clerical
Freedom of restrictions and personal Typically, older people.
and sales jobs.
growth. Social awareness and independent
judgement. Anti-materialistic but aware of
good taste. Has attended higher education
and selects products for quality.

The Cross-Cultural Consumer Characterization Model as developed by Young and Rubicam LTD.

ROLE OF TELEVISION

The social aspects of television are influencing this medium has had on society since its
inception. The belief that this impact has been dramatic has been largely unchallenged in media
theory since its inception. However, there is much dispute as to what those effects are, how
serious the ramifications are and if these effects are more or less evolutionary with human
communication.

• Social Surrogacy Hypothesis of Jaye Derrick and Shira Gabriel of the University
of Buffalo, and Kurt Hugenberg of Miami University states that individuals suffering from
social isolation can employ television to create what is termed a parasocial or fake
relationship with characters from their favorite television shows and movies as a way of
deflecting feelings of loneliness and social deprivation.

• Just as an individual would spend time with a real person sharing opinions and
thoughts, imaginary relationships are formed with TV characters by becoming personally
involved in their lives as if they were a close friend. So that the individual can satisfy the
human desire to form meaningful relationships and establish themselves in society.

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 • When an individual is not able to participate in interactions with real people, they
are less likely to indicate feelings of loneliness when watching their favorite TV show.
• When an event such as a fight or argument happens in a personal relationship,
watching a favorite TV show is able to create a cushion and prevent the individual from
experiencing pain and feelings of inadequacy.

• By providing a temporary substitute for acceptance and belonging that is

experienced through social relationships, TV helps to relieve feelings of depression and
loneliness when those relationships are not available. This benefit is considered a
positive consequence of watching television, as it can counteract the psychological
damage that is caused by isolation from social relationships.

• While television is often criticized for isolating people, it can also bring them
together, as demonstrated by the popularity of Manny Pacquiao fights and exciting
Ateneo-La Salle games, and other events in which family and friends gather around the
television set.

Educational Advantages

• Television can be a very powerful and effective learning tool for children if used
wisely.

• Television can help young people discover where they fit into society, develop
closer relationships with peers and family, and teach them to understand complicated
social aspects of communication.

• Dimitri Christakis said that children who watched Sesame Street and other
educational programs as preschoolers had higher grades, were reading more books,
placed more value on achievement and were more creative- Similarly, while those
exposed to negative role models suffered, those exposed to positive models behaved
better.

• Television can be used as a tool to motivate learning and increase awareness of

public issues.

• Other specialty channels, such as Animal Planet and Discovery Channel, provide
educational content in an entertaining format.

Culture

Television provides cultural experiences, which can help broaden viewers'

perspectives and increase tolerance and appreciation for different lifestyles, shows like
"National Geographic," Living Asia, and The Amazing Race, focus on life in parts of the
world that may be unfamiliar to most Filipinos. Even shows that concentrate their efforts
in the US such as Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and House Hunters, can improve cultural
awareness by featuring authentic cuisines, housing and interior design trends and
customs and festivals in different parts of the world.

Negative Effects

• Complaints about the social influence of television have been heard from the
U.S. justice system as investigators and prosecutors decry what they refer to as "the CSI
Syndrome." They complain that, because of the popularity and considerable viewership
of CSI and its spin-offs, juries in different countries expect to be "dazzled," and will
acquit criminals of charges unless presented with impressive physical evidence, even
when motive, testimony, and lack of alibi are presented by the prosecution.

• Television could create a comfortable familiarity with and acceptance of

inappropriate language and bad behavior that are totally unacceptable.

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 • The Rand research organization found out that high exposure to sexual content
on television lead to teen pregnancies.

• Many violent acts are perpetrated by the "good guys," whom kids have been
taught to admire. Even though kids are taught by their parents that it's not right to hit
another person, television says it's OK to bite, hit, or kick if you're the good guy. This can
lead to confusion when kids try to understand the difference between right and wrong.
And the "bad guys" on TV aren't always held responsible or punished for their actions.

• Young kids are particularly frightened by scary and violent images. Simply telling
kids that those images aren't real won't console them, because they can't yet tell the
difference between fantasy and reality. Behavior problems, nightmares, and difficulty
sleeping may follow exposure to media violence.

Commercials

• From the junk food and toy ads during Saturday morning cartoons to the
appealing promos on the backs of cereal boxes, marketing messages are all around
children. And to them, everything looks ideal like something they simply have to ha It all
sounds so appealing often, so much better than it really is.

• Most children under the age of 8 don't understand that commercials are for s a
product. They can't distinguish program content from ads, especially if the favorite
character is promoting the product. Sometimes even adults may need be reminded of
the purpose of advertising.

• Older children also can be frightened by violent images, whether they app on
fictional shows, the news, or reality-based shows. It's important to provide reassuring
and honest information to help ease fears. However, consider letting your kids view
programs that they may find frightening.

Psychological Effects

• Herbert Krugman found that while viewers are watching television the right side
of the brain is twice as active as the left which causes a state of hypnosis.

• John Robinson and Steven Martin found that people who are not satisfied with
their lives spend 30% more time watching TV than satisfied people do.

• Robinson commented that the pleasurable effects of television may be likened to

an addictive activity, producing "momentary pleasure but long-term misery and regret. "

Physical Effects

• Studies in both children and adults have found an association between the
number of hours of television watched and obesity.

• A study found that watching television decreases the metabolic rate in children to
below than that found in children at rest. Author John Steinbeck describes television
watchers:

"I have observed the physical symptoms of television-looking on children as well

as on adults. The mouth grows slack, and the lips hang open; the eyes take on a
hypnotized or doped look; the nose runs rather more than usual; the backbone
turns to water and the fingers slowly and methodically pick the designs out of
brocade furniture. Such is the appearance of semi-consciousness that one
wonders how much of the 'message' of television is getting through to the brain."

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 • Children who watch more than four hours of television a day are more likely to
become overweight.

• TV watching and other sedentary activities are associated with greater risk of
heart attack.

Propaganda

• Television is used to promote commercial, social and political agendas. Use of

public service announcements (including those paid for by governing bodies or
politicians), news and current affairs, television advertisement, advertorials and talk
shows are used to influence public opinion.

• The Cultivation Hypothesis suggests that some viewers may begin to repeat
questionable or even blatantly fictitious information gleaned from the media as if it were
factual.

References: 1. Media and Information Literacy Curriculum Guide by DepEd

2. Rex Bookstore 2016. “Media and Information Literacy by Maria Jovita E. Zarate”
3. A Simplified Approach to Media and Information Literacy for Senior High School
by Elymae Bade Naldo.

Closure Statement: In this pandemic time, what impact does the role of television imply to you
as a student? As a consumer of media, what type of audience are you? How can you scrutinize
or evaluate the information that you get from the different online marketing platforms we have?
Is there any clarification about our lesson for today?

Evaluation

1. The evaluation is in the assignment of Microsoft Teams.