Lesson 5 - Audiences V Uses and Gratification theory

Lesson Objectives:

K: Why do audiences consume media?
U: How the Uses and Gratification theory links to audiences' needs and wants.
BAT: Write your own interpretation of the uses and gratifications theory linking it to a range of media products.
CO: Use media terminology in your written analysis and interpretations.

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Create a new post in your blog and title it:  Media Theory - Uses and Gratification - Blumler and Katz

KEY INFO 1 - READ, COPY and PASTE this information below in your new blog post.

The Uses and Gratification model is a theory that states that audiences consume media products because they have to satisfy needs:

Goals of Media
Audiences listen/watch/read/use media because they want/need...

• To be informed or educated.
• To be entertained.
• To develop social interaction with others (interact with other fans).
• To feel connected with the situations and characters emotionally.
• To escape from real life situations.

EXAMPLES OF USES AND GRATIFICATION THEORY

In situations like watching movies and listening to the music of your own choice, this theory is applicable. People choose from their own choices and moods. The needs of the particular person are met through the media used.

Some people might watch news for information, some for entertainment, and some for self-reassurance. Some watch according to their moods. There are various needs which gets fulfilled by the media.

Similarly, internet and mobile phones have become a source of media that tries to fulfil not only the mass communication needs, but also interpersonal needs like interaction and emotional involvement. People can use internet, text, call, talk with photos or with videos. It is portable and accessible. It has come to be useful for many and serve many purposes.

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TASK 1 - WHY DO YOU WATCH/READ/LISTEN/USE MEDIA PRODUCTS?

This theory also states that audiences consume media products that are connected to their identity... even states that audiences consume media because they aspire to be someone else!

Which social media apps do you use? Why?

Are you 'the same person' in all of your social media?

Are you 'the same person' in social media that you are in real life?

Write your own definition of the Uses and Gratification theory in your blog post.  You may use the internet to find out what each of the uses and gratifications mean.

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TASK 2 - LINK THE USES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORY TO A RANGE OF MEDIA PRODUCTS.

Look at the following logos of media products and link the uses and gratifications to them... explain your choices and decisions.

      

   

   

       

     

   

CREATE A PRESENTATION IN WHICH YOU LINK USES AND GRATIFICATIONS TO ALL OF THESE... EXPLAIN WHY YOU'VE LINKED YOUR CHOSEN U&G TO EACH PRODUCT.

YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO LINK AT LEAST 2 USES AND GRATIFICATIONS TO EACH PRODUCT.

NOTE: If you're not familiar with these texts/media products then you will need to research them so you could undertake the task successfully.

I MADE THE EXAMPLE BELOW USING POPPLET, BUT YOU CAN USE PADLET OR ANOTHER PRESENTATION SOFTWARE... OR YOU COULD SIMPLY WRITE IT IN YOUR BLOG.

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AT THE END OF THE LESSON:

- Why do you think it's important for media producers to study the Uses and Gratification's Theory?

Lesson 4 - Audience

 Audiences

Learning Objectives:

• K: The importance of segmenting audiences.
• U: Why media companies need to categorise audiences to ensure success for their products.
• BAT: Evidence your knowledge of audiences via a practical activity.
• CO: Use media language effectively throughout the lesson - verbally and written.

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KEY INFO 1: COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BLOG POST

Studying and cataloging audiences is one of the most important aspects of media production and media studies. 

Every media product is targeted at specific audiences... however there are media products that are aimed at a MASS AUDIENCES - can you think of any products that have mass audience appeal?

Media products that have a much narrower audience appeal are said to have a NICHE audience. Amongst some of these products are HOBBIE magazines,  even certain kinds of films and TV programmes.

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TASK 1 - MASS OR NICHE AUDIENCE.

Copy these logos onto your blog post and identify whether they are made for mass or niche audiences... Explain your reasons.

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TASK 2 - WATCH AND LEARN...!

Watch this video.

INDIVIDUALLY

Answer these questions in your blog post.

• Why do you think it's important for media industries to study audiences?
• What does the term 'Demographics' mean in terms of studying media?

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TASK 3 - UNDERSTANDING SEGMENTATION OF AUDIENCES

Segmentation: Breaking into pieces/categories - Demographics.

Look at the popplet below:

Let's make links between these popplets.

In your blog post, copy and paste this Popplet and write your own understanding of it.

You can use these sentence starters to help you write your understanding of the graph above:

"This 'popplet' about audience shows that audiences need to be segmented (or put into categories) because......"

"This popplet shows that it is important for the media industry to put audiences into categories because............"

"This popplet also shows that audiences can be segmented into several categories, such as, mass and niche, gender, age, etc... It is important to segment audiences because......".

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TASK 4 - In order to analyse audiences effectively we need to use stereotypes, do you know what stereotype means?

In your blog post, can you:

• Write your own definition of the word stereotype.
• Give 3 examples of media products you think young people aged between 15 and 18 stereotypical will consume... make sure to include one example from a print based media (newspaper or magazines), one from a TV programme, and one internet-based product.
• Give 3 examples of media products you think people aged between 30 and 40 stereotypical will consume... make sure to include one example from a print based media (newspaper or magazines), one from a TV programme, and one internet-based product.
• Give 3 examples of media products you think people aged between 50 and above stereotypical will consume... make sure to include one example from a print based media (newspaper or magazines), one from a TV programme, and one internet-based product.

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KEY INFO 2: COPY AND PAST IN YOUR BLOG POST

Below is a table that describes ONE way of how audiences are fragmented in the media industry:

TASK - WHAT KIND OF MEDIA PRODUCTS WOULD THESE PEOPLE CONSUME?

USE THE INTERNET TO FIND 3 EXAMPLES OF MEDIA PRODUCTS (NEWSPAPERS, TV PROGRAMMES, MAGAZINES, FILMS, RADIO PROGRAMMES) THAT PEOPLE IN EACH OF THE CATEGORIES ABOVE WILL CONSUME... YOU WILL NEED TO BE VERY STEREOTYPICAL!

• WHAT 3 MEDIA PRODUCTS WOULD AUDIENCES IN THE "A" CATEGORY CONSUME?
• WHAT 3 MEDIA PRODUCTS WOULD AUDIENCES IN THE "B" CATEGORY CONSUME?
• WHAT 3 MEDIA PRODUCTS WOULD AUDIENCES IN THE "C1" CATEGORY CONSUME?
• WHAT 3 MEDIA PRODUCTS WOULD AUDIENCES IN THE "C2" CATEGORY CONSUME?
• WHAT 3 MEDIA PRODUCTS WOULD AUDIENCES IN THE "D" CATEGORY CONSUME?
• WHAT 3 MEDIA PRODUCTS WOULD AUDIENCES IN THE "E" CATEGORY CONSUME?

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE I MADE EARLIER:

Made using Popplet.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE: 

Made using GoConqr

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AT THE END OF THE LESSON:

- Why do you think it's important to study audiences?

- Why is it important to categorise audiences in the media?

Lesson 3 - Media Language V Genre

Learning Objectives:

Know: the areas of study referring to media language and genre as directed by the OCR spec.
Understand: how media language affects genre.
Be Able To: demonstrate your understanding of how these areas are applied via a practical activity.
Communication Objective: Use media terminology (both old and new) in your verbal and written communication).


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Part 1

Create a new post in your blogger and title it: Media Language V Genre.

Copy and Paste the learning Objectives from above into your own blog post.

Copy and paste the questions below:

• Why do you think it's important for the media industry to follow typical conventions of any given genre?

• Why do you think some media products challenge genre conventions?
• Why do you think media producers use intertextuality in their media texts?

You will be answering these later on in the lesson.



Part 2

Go online and search for "nearpod.com".

Input the class code the teacher gives you

After going through this lesson, please go back to the questions you pasted at the start of the lesson and answer them...

• Why do you think it's important for the media industry to follow typical conventions of any given genre?

• Why do you think some media products challenge genre conventions?
• Why do you think media producers use intertextuality in their media texts?

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Part 3- Visual dictionary.

For this visual dictionary you need to evidence that you understand genre as a concept and the importance of following conventions... 

Find examples (images) of 4 different media texts that belong to 4 different types of genres (chosen by you).  For example:

4 examples of texts that belong to the Horror genre.

4 examples of texts that belong to the Sci-Fi genre.

4 examples of texts that belong to the Action genre.

4 examples of texts that belong to the Romantic genre.

4 examples of texts that belong to the Period Drama genre.

MAKE SURE YOU DON'T JUST USE MOVIES... YOU CAN ALSO USE MUSIC VIDEOS, TV PROGRAMMES AND MAGAZINES.

Examples of music videos:

Taylor Swift - Bad Blood - Action.

Zac Efron and Zendaya - Re-write the stars - Romantic.

Ariana Grande - Break Free - Sci-Fi (great for intertextuality).

Examples of TV series:

Dr Who - Sci-Fi.

Downton Abbey - Period Drama.

What technology will you use to make this? A sway? Prezi? A padlet?

The following information must be included in the visual dictionary:

What is genre?

What do we mean by "codes and conventions"?

In your opinion, why does the media follow conventions?

Why would a media product challenge conventions? Can you think of an example?

What do we mean when a media product is of a Hybrid Genre?

What do we mean by intertextuality?

THEN... with each of your examples you must answer the following questions:

• Name of text

• What genre is this text?

• What codes and conventions can you identify in your text? - These need to be linked to media language in terms of camera shots, mise-en-scene (performance, lighting, props, settings, costume, hair and make up), sound and editing.

• Is it a hybrid genre? If so, what other?

Here's an example we made earlier:

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Success Criteria:

• You need to make sure you use full sentences in your explanations... not just one-two word answers.
• You need to make sure you use media language throughout.