Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Audiences

Audiences will interpret representations differently, depending on their background and prior experiences or understanding of the subject being represented.

Demographics

Demographics

  • Factors that can affect the way an audience understand representations can be referred to as their demographics:
    • Gender, age, ethnicity and social class.
Audience interpretations

Audience interpretations

  • Because people are made up of so many different variables, it is impossible to predict that all audience members will understand representations in the same way.
  • If an audience is unfamiliar with the subject matter, they are more likely to adopt the views and opinions that are embedded into the representation without questioning them.
The filter bubble effect

The filter bubble effect

  • If an audience member consumes their media from the same sources repeatedly e.g. the same TV channel, same newspaper etc, it creates a filter bubble effect.
  • This means audience members will only be exposed to one, repeated viewpoint over and over again and it will increase the chances of them adopting the viewpoint included in the representation as their own.
Agenda setting

Agenda setting

  • The process of mediation involves embedding viewpoints and values into representation, which can contribute to a term known as agenda setting.
  • Agenda setting refers to the intended planting of ideas or values within representations, to help persuade or encourage an audience to adopt them.
The power of the media

The power of the media

  • Because of the natural selection and combination that occurs through mediation, agenda setting is almost impossible to avoid.
  • This is why the media is seen to have huge influence over its audience and the shaping of societies beliefs and values.
Jump to other topics
1

Overview

2

Component 1: Section A

3

Component 1: Section B

4

Component 2: Section A

5

Component 2: Section B

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium