Audience Profile

Demographic Profiling

This is the most basic form of identification for target audiences. eg age, gender.. etc.
It assumes that everyone in a very broad group has the same attitudes.

If i were to do a demographic audience on myself it would be this:
17 years old
Working/Middle Class
Male
London
Asian ethnic background
British born
Sikh/Hindu

Psychographic Profiling

Market researchers started to catagorise audiences in terms of needs and motivations rather then simple demographic factors. this was consumers can be targeted directly yhrough their needs and desires. Advertisers now aim to link the ideologies of the product to those of the consumer.

If i were to do a psychographic profile of myself it would be this:
i am someone that buys designer brands when i can afford it. i am probably influenced by advertising although i am media literate so i do make my own mind on what i buy. so from this i would classify myself as mostly a mainstreamer. am example of a brand i would buy is nike.

Jobs axed with American FHM

This article is about how FHM has stopped making its US edition. Emap blamed it on the deteriorating US trading conditions. Around 40 staff will lose their jobs but the US webpage will keep running. This wont effect the FHM magazines in the U.K or any of the other 30 countries it’s sold in. The March edition of the US FHM will be its last when it goes on sale in the New Year.

FHM's US edition is also the biggest-selling of any of the 30 versions of the title around the world. This means it will have a significant effect on the whole company.

Opinion

This is surprising as FHM in the US is bigger then any of the other 30 countries. This is their main source of income and popularity. Without this FHM could be doomed and things could only get worse. This could be the start of a on going change in society, maybe men are looking differently upon certain issues. I personally don’t think it’s going to happen, it’s just given the other magazine companies an opportunity to increase their sales and become as successful or more successful as FHM.

Uses & Gratifications

The uses and gratifications theory assumes a more active audience that chooses the texts it consumes.

It became apparent that the audiences made their own choices about how and when they consume media texts.Blumer and Katz expanded on this theory in 1974 suggesting a serious of reasons why audience members might consume a media text:

Diversion - Escapes from everyday problems
I use this as a chance to escape from everyday life and problems by watching such things as comedies. We can therefore see the perfect lives people live in these programs and aspire to live like these people.

Personal Relationships - Using the media for emotional and other interaction
This point does not really apply to any of my situations. I think soap operas exaggerate things so people get emotional but it’s not for me.

Personal Identity - Constructing their own identity from characters in media texts, and learning behaviour and values.
This applies to you more when you’re younger as you get influenced easier. When you’re older you realise its just acting.

Surveillance - Information gathering, e.g. educational programmes, financial news)
Sometimes I watch these programmes to keep up to date with the latest news and current affairs. This is important as living in society today you need to know what to expect.

Denis McQuail:
Information
I rarely do watch the news and only do to find out the weather or if there is something big that's going on. Also I use the Sky Sports News channel to find out updates in the Premiership. The radio also in the background may give me some news updates

Learning
I don’t learn much from tv, I learn most from the internet. I use google as my search engine and from there I can go and visit lots of learning sites.

Personal Identity
I would never find myself imitating a character on screen. The dress or act from a programme or movie wouldn’t influence me, but I can be influenced by something that appeals to me that I see on the news.

Entertainment
The main reason I watch or consume the media is due to entertainment purposes. I like to be entertained by watching humorous programs and comedies. I also like to keep up to date with the football.