Audience Analysis

Newspaper - The Sun

The target audience for The Sun is mostly people from the C2-E bracket. This is because on this front cover, the serious story  a pilot who killed 149 people in an air crash is dominated by an article about the split of the famous boy band One Direction. This would suggests that the viewers are interested less in cultural news, and more in contemporary news. It also suggests that the target audience is mostly younger consumers between 18-25 as they are interested more in pop culture. 

The uses and gratifications that appeal to the target audience are information as the audience would be interested in the band and would want to know what has happened. Also, for social integration, as the topic has been all over social media sites and so people would read this article in order to fit in with their friendship groups who already know about the event. 

The preferred reading here is fans of One Direction, who are between the ages of 18-25 and in the C2-E socio-economic scale. The negotiated reading would be taken by One direction fans between the ages of 12-17, as these people would be interested in the band rather than the actual newspaper, and would buy it in order to see the story about the band. 

The oppositional reading would be taken by older people between the ages of 30-50 who are male and of a higher socio economic grouping as they are likely to be more interested in the more serious world news that is less focused on by The Sun.

TV Programme - The Only Way Is Essex

The target audience for TOWIE is people from the C2-E bracket and who are aged 16-25. This is because the cast are young and so a similar age to those watching. Also, the show deals with situations such as friendship, relationship and drama between these things, which would appeal to the younger generation rather than the older who are more concerned with jobs and serious relationships. 

The uses and gratifications that would appeal to the audience of TOWIE would be entertainment, as the audience can find humour in some situations, they may also experience attraction to some of the attractive cast members. They may also watch for personal identification, as they feel that they can relate to some of the characters. Also for social integration as the show is very popular among young people, and people may watch to connect with their social groups. 

The preferred audience of TOWIE would be the C2-E, 16-25 year olds who are most likely to be women. This is because the relationships and drama would appeal, as explained before. 

The negotiated reading would be taken by men aged 16-25 in the same bracket as before. This is because the attractive women in the show would provide attraction and entertainment for this audience.

The oppositional reading would be taken by older men of a higher bracket as the themes like relationships would not appeal to this generation as they have more important issues and things to be dealing with in later life.

Advertising Poster - The Avengers

The target audience of this film is 16-25 year old males in the C2-E scale. This is because the cover includes weapons such as a bow and arrow, futuristic lasers, guns and also super heroes. This, stereotypically appeals more to males than women.

The uses and gratifications would include entertainments, as the story is fictional and so people would watch to relax and as it is a blockbuster that includes high profile actors. Also, they would watch for social integration as the film is a blockbuster and so many people are likely to know what the film is in order to fit into friendship groups. Men may also watch for attraction as the film contains Scarlet Johansen, a very attractive actress.

The preferred audience is the 16-25 year old males in in the C2-E bracket as explained above. The negotiated reading would be taken by 16-25 year old girls who are fans of action and super hero films, and also by fans of any of the actors included in the film. 

The oppositional reading wold be taken by older women who perhaps are not interested in action movies or superhero films, as the themes such as violence and fantasy may not appeal to an older generation like this.