Task: Audience survey
• What types of people prefer which newspapers / news websites?
• Try conducting a survey to find out who reads which newspaper / news
website. Ask a wide range of ages, both genders, and a range of different
types of people.
• Draw conclusions: do different newspapers/news websites appeal more to
older / younger audience groups?
– do different newspapers/news websites appeal more to different genders?
– do different newspapers/news websites appeal more to certain social groups?
• Look at the front page of a popular newspaper, or the home page of a popular
press website.
– Who is it aimed at? Decide the age, location, gender and income level of its
probable typical audience.
– How is it trying to appeal to this section of the demographic?
Uses and Gratifications: why are people interested in the news?
Blumler and Katz suggested people use the media to satisfy their needs. This
is called The Four Needs theory. It has four main parts –
1. Escape and diversion from everyday life
2. Surveillance and information
3. Personal relationships
4. Personal identity
Popular press and the Four Needs
1.Newspapers and websites can provide an escape from people’s own everyday life; the audience can get involved with different news stories, they can get carried away with the drama, the tragedy or the excitement and forget about their own lives and worries for a while.
2. Surveillance: newspapers and websites can provide information about the world; the audience can learn things, and find out what is happening ‘out there.’
3. Personal relationships: the audience can chat to each other about events of the day, sharing opinions and information about current events, celebrity news, sports and so on. It provides an opportunity for social interaction.
4. Personal identity: audience members can compare themselves with people in the news, imagining how they would react in similar circumstances. Some people like to identify with a newspaper and describe themselves as ‘a Sun reader’ or ‘a Guardian reader.’
• Look at the front page of a popular newspaper, or the home page of a popular
press website.
– How does it appeal to each of the four needs?
– Which of the four needs seems most important here? What is your reason for
this?
– Why do you think this need is the most important?
– Does it relate to the needs of the particular demographic, or audience group?
From Devon County Council's Teaching the Popular Press Pack
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