MS4 - Text, Industry & Audience: Mad Men/Lost/Louis Theroux (Audience/Industry)

In Section B of the MS4 paper (Television/Music) it will be useful for you to understand the approaches to answering the type of questions that are likely to be included. The chosen texts (Mad Men/Lost/Louis Theroux - TV) will need to be compared and contrasted throughout the response as well as some detailed reference to key scenes to support your answer.

Question:

How do your chosen texts attract their audiences?

It is likely that candidates will need to begin by explaining (defining) the target audience for the text/s.

Candidates may refer to some of the following points in their answer:

• content: form and structure (the style of programming)

• content: representations, characters (in detail)

• mode of address (language and narrative style)

• channel/scheduling (transmission times: satellite/terrestrial)

• some references may be made to theories such as the uses and gratifications theory and to ways in which audiences are attracted to texts depending on the cultural positioning.

•For a C grade: a viewpoint will be emerging and examples may be used more relevantly. Answers are likely to be more descriptive.

•For a B/A grade: the analysis of the relationship between text, industry and audience will tend to be more analytical. An understanding of how meanings and responses are created will be evident.