1. Audience Research
In media studies, audience is the term used to
describe those who consume media texts
(for example, films, newspapers, magazines,
television programs etc)
L.O.1 - Understanding of audience segmentations
and classifications and their limitations
L.O.2 - Application of knowledge through analysis
of NME and Metal Hammer

2. Socio-Economic
Classification
• What products would you expect each
socio-economic category to be interested
in?
• What magazines would you expect them
to buy?
• Be prepared to feedback to the class…

3. • What other ways can you categories
audiences?

4. Psychographic profiling
– Psychographic profiling is designed to test audience
responses by attitude., they are based on the ‘inner
qualities’ of a person.
– For example, a questionnaire would be sent to
targeted sections of the population with questions to
respond to such as “on a scale of 1-5, with 1
representing “strongly agree” and 5 representing
“strongly disagree”, respond to the following
statements: “A woman’s place is in the home…….”
Etc.
– Personality - lifestyle - values - activities
– Interests - opinions

5. Segmentation
• Mainstreamers – make up about 40% of the population.
They conform to the dominant ideology, more or less. They
like security, follow set patterns of work and leisure and enjoy
a sense of belonging. They are jogging along quite nicely,
financially, but are not high-flyers.
• Succeeders – People who have already got status and
control and are high earners, at or near the top of their field.
They are affluent and comfortable.
• Aspirers – people who desire status, success and the
esteem of others. They are ambitious and like status
symbols, such as designer labels and expensive items such
as impressive cars, jewellery, etc. They aspire to be wealthy
and influential.
• Reformers – people who are less selfishly motivated and
believe in making a difference to the world they live in. They
define themselves by self-fulfilment and self-esteem. Likely to
be in the caring professions.

6. Geographic
– Region (from neighbourhoods to continents)
– Size and density
– Climate
Demographic
– Ethnicity
– Gender
– Family size
– Family cycle (e.g. full-nest, empty nest, double
income no kids )
– Generation
• (Baby boomers/Generation X/ Generation Y)
– Income
– Religion

7. Audience Research; What other
ways can you divide audiences?
• Psychographic profiling contd
– Psychographic variables often relate to the aspirations of the
consumer – the type of person they would like to be, for
example…
– Aspirational types found in younger audiences:
• Trendies – those who crave the attention of their peers
• Egoists – those who seek pleasure
• Puritans – those who wish to feel virtuous
• Innovators – those who wish to make their mark
• Rebels – those who wish to remake the world in their image
• Groupies – those who just want to be accepted
• Drifters – those who are not sure what they want
• Drop-outs – those who shun commitment of any kind
• Traditionalists – those who want things to stay as they are
• Utopians – those who want the world to be a better place
• Cynics – those who have something to complain about
• Cowboys – those who want to earn easy money
(Selby & cowdery 1995:
25)

8. Applying Audience Research
to NME and Metal Hammer
• In pairs find the answers to the following questions
(remember you need to reference the source):
– Who is the CORE BUYER of your magazine?
– Are they targeting a niche/small or mass population?
– How do they target different audiences?
• What do they offer them in terms of the products they offer/produce
• What opportunities do the audience have and how might this satisfy
mainstreamers/succeeders etc ?
– What it the mode of address? (“The way a media text speaks to
its target audience in order to encourage the audience to identify
with it.” - the manner, tone and attitude of the magazine) and
how does this appeal to the target audience?
– How is the brand being positioned?
– What are the brand values? If it were a person describe its
character….
• Be prepared to feedback to the class!

9. Support
http://www.alexa.com/ - collects data on internet browsing so this can
be sent to company so they can understand how their consumers
are using their sites (time spent on site etc)
http://www.abc.org.uk/Data/ReportProductPicker.aspx?ttid=89 - will
give you circulation figures for your magazine
http://www.nrs.co.uk/toplinereadership.html - will give you some great
information on demographic profiling of your magazine
• If you haven’t done so already download NME
and Metal Hammer readership profile (these can
be found on Learnzone and my blog)