Audience theory

Hypodermic needle model

2) How does coverage of the Talk Talk hacking case link to the hypodermic needle model? Why might someone criticise this front page? 
The coverage of this particular task links to the hypodermic needle as it explicitly alludes to how he is addicted to video games. This is suggestive of the video games being the origin of his criminal behaviour. As well as this, this article may be criticised for including irrelevant, exposing information such as his family structure and a photo of his face which violates his confidentiality.

                                           

Two-step flow model

1) Summarise the two-step flow model. In your opinion, is the two-step flow theory still relevant today?

The two-step flow model was developed in the 1940s and suggests the audience are influenced by ‘opinion leaders.’ These are often  high profile people in the media with a large fanbase who mediate how the audience react to media texts. In other words, consumers are influenced by certain people in the media who hold a higher level of status within the media. I believe that this model is definitely still relevant today as there are still many, if not more, people dominating the media and consumers.

2) How does this YouTube blogger fit into the two-step flow model?

This Youtube blogger reviews games and has built a reputation in the gaming and Youtube community. Thus, his content is significant to a large following, especially considering his 2 million subscriber count. He undoubtedly fits into this model as his position in the media enables him to give out his opinions to a large following. In several of his videos, he is reviewing games whilst playing them. By doing this, he is essentially giving out his opinion(s) of games which his large fanbase will take into account and likely into consideration when deciding whether to bother buying/playing a game.

3) How this this Telegraph article on influential tweeters fit the two-step flow model?

This article fits the two-step model because it shows us that Britain's public feel like they are most influenced by a group of singers, One Direction rather than other more arguably influential and inspirational people such as Allan Sugar. However, because of their immense popularity among young people, One Direction still had more of an influence on the media. 

4) Read this BBC profile of Jamal Edwards. How does Jamal Edwards link to the two-step flow model?

Jamal Edwards links to the two-step flow model as he is using the media as a platform to express his thoughts. He is a 'self-made multimillionaire' who achieved his status entirely through his own dedication to his field of work. This perhaps is a message to the many viewers of his profile that working hard enough can get you anywhere you want regardless of your background. Jamal Edward's influential message is likely to work as an incentive for many people so they too can work harder towards goals they seek to attain.

Uses and Gratifications theory

1) For each of the four categories, write about one media text that fits that particular audience use or pleasure. Make sure you explain WHY it fits the category and use images or clips to illustrate your points.

Diversion: For this category I have decided the best example are drama, comedy, mystery series. The reason I specifically chose series was because they allow its audiences to become committed to the storylines whereas with films or book, the period of time a fan can remain actively engaged in the media text is significantly shorter. Examples of these kinds of series include 'Jane The Virgin', 'Pretty Little Liars', 'Devious Maids' etc. These series all consist of elaborate, complex storylines to fully consume the viewers into the show. This ensures viewers will return as they are very engrossed into the narrative. To amplify this, the use of characters is also relevant as viewers will form connections with certain characters and this bond means any events occurring that may affect their favourited characters could cause an emotional impact on viewers. This means they are likely to continue watching to continue their 'relationship' with the characters on screen.

Personal Relationships: Next, I have chosen 'Desperate Housewives' to represent this gratification. I think this television series works well with this category as it has been airing from 2004 to 2012. This is a very long time period in which the audiences are likely to form connections with all the characters, differentiating between disliked and favourited characters. This is a good example of personal relationships because the show revolves around a group of 4 women who eventually viewers will become engrossed with due to the complexity of their storylines.

Personal Identity: For personal identity, I have chosen the film The Breakfast Club. The film is about five high school students who meet in detention, where they discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought. This movie is a good example of personal identity because it captures the time of being a teenager very well and a lot of people in the age period can also identify with this film.


Surveillance: Finally, I have chosen the popular social media platform, Twitter. I think that this platform is an especially convenient way of retrieving information, more so than other forms of media such as BBC News on TV or by using newspapers because many people with demanding lifestyles may not have enough time to watch the news on TV or buy a copy of the newspaper every day. However, people are more likely to have constant access to the internet so they can use social media platforms such as Twitter quite easily. The short and brief tweets also make it easy to catch up on current affairs without wasting too much time yet still having access to links that enable users to see the entire story.