Why do audiences respond differently to the same media text?

With references to your own detailed examples, which must not be the resource material examples, explore why audiences may respond differently to the same media text- 15 marks

Audiences may react differently to the same media source because of their age. For example, if a child (5-10years) year old and an adult (20-40 years) were watching a programme such as a documentary, both subjects would react differently due to their intellect and social upbringing. The younger person would become quickly uninterested of the media text because they would not understand what was going on – probably because they are not educated enough to understand certain words or topics - and as a result, will lose interest. However, the older person would not be disinterested so easily because they are probably going to be more educated and will understand the topics being outlined in the programme.

Audiences may also react differently to a media text because of their gender. Women will stereotypically enjoy things that are of a romance genre because they are seen to be more interested in subjects such as love and passion. It is also stereotypically seen that men dislike the romance genre because it is not seen as very masculine, and will enjoy a fast pace action film more.

For example, if a man and a woman were watching a romantic film, a man would become disinterested because the genre does not appeal to a male audience (action, thriller) and is normally from the view of the woman instead of the man. The woman however would be more likely to enjoy the film because it shows topics that women are interested in (drama and romance) and contains feminine topics such as beauty.

Another reason why an audience may react differently to the same media text is because of class.

Upper-class audiences are stereotypically seen to enjoy educated and sophisticated media texts such as documentaries and magazines such as the National Geographical- that focuses on more complex topics than an ordinary fashion magazine will., and will include complex information that could be relevant to upper-class jobs.

If someone in of a working class read a magazine such as that, they would stereotypically become disinterested, because it has sophisticated information such as the mechanics of earthquakes, which would not be enjoyable to someone who does not understand or need to, due to the requirements of their work.