Key concepts - Audiences

'Audience' is a very important concept throughout media studies. All media texts are made with an audience in mind.


When a media text is being planned, perhaps the most important question the producers consider is "Does it have an audience?" If the answer to this is 'no', then there is no point in going any further.

• income bracket/status
• age
• gender
• race
• location

Dennis McQuail. Uses the gratification theory, audiences consume media text for surveillance, personal identity and relationships.