Audience

1. Audience Technical Words

2. Aberrant Decoding An interpretation which, rather than recognise the preferred meaning of a media text, produces instead a deviant or unexpected reading

3. Aberrant Decoding An interpretation which, rather than recognise the preferred meaning of a media text, produces instead a deviant or unexpected reading

4. Aberrant Decoding An interpretation which, rather than recognise the preferred meaning of a media text, produces instead a deviant or unexpected reading

5. Aberrant Decoding An interpretation which, rather than recognise the preferred meaning of a media text, produces instead a deviant or unexpected reading

6. Consensus The set of ideas, beliefs and values that are shared by the majority of the population, the centre ground that by definition often excludes alternative positions.

7. Content Analysis A research method used to systematically measure or compare characteristics or selected samples of media output and content.

8. Encoding/Decoding The linked processes of constructing and received, involving producers (who encode meanings) and receivers (who decode the meanings)

9. Demographics Demographic data refers to the social characteristics of the population being studied, e.g.. social class, gender and age. For the purposes of media analysis, it is particularly helpful in identifying the social profile of the audience.

10. Ethnography A research method which aims to understand the social perspective and cultural values of a particular group, from the ‘inside’, by participating with or getting to know their activities in depth or detail.

11. For more information on urban myths look at www.snopes.com Example 1 A popular urban myth is that Clint Eastwood is the son of the Comedy actor San Laurel from the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. This is not true. Example 2 Coca Cola used to contain cocaine (This is actually true) MythA social and historically determined idea which has gained the status of accepted truth or naturalness

12. Myth As Good today as it’s always been. How does the Hovis advert work as a myth?

13. Mode of address How a media text speaks to its particular audience, and in so doing, helps to form the nature of the relationship between producer and audience

14. Hyperdermic Needle model A theory which asserts that the media are powerful agents of influence, capable of ‘injecting’ ideas and behaviours directly into relatively passive audiences of isolated individuals

15. Narrowcasting The opposite of broadcasting, where programmes are aimed at quite specific, special interest or minority audiences. `(Many TV and radio stations reflect the range and diversity of the magazine shelves of a newsagents with subjects such as fly-fishing, home decoration and a vast range of consumer products such as cars, hi-fi equipment and computers. This range of choice, however, is only possible through advertising and the existence of consumers who are presumably prepared to pay more for their specialist products.)