Audience Pleasures: Preparing for the exam question

Why do audiences consume any media product? Most media theorists agree it is because they need to fulfil certain needs and have tried to explain these needs. One famous theory is the Uses and Gratifications theory which lists why people are driven to buy media products.


Theory:  Katz’ Uses & Gratifications theory

• Personal Identification – Where the audience can relate to a character or their situation
• Personal Relationship – Where the audience builds a close bond with a character or group of characters
• Inform & Educate – Where the audience LEARN something from consuming the text
• Diversion – Where the audience can ESCAPE from their reality and immerse themselves in the text.

You can see why this might be useful when analysing the success of a television programme. In the exam, you also have to look closely at the pleasures associated with watch a TV Comedy.


The pleasures are:

• narrative pleasures such as those of narrative resolution, 
• character identification, snowballing narrative, suspense, comedy, and so on
• pleasures of recognition, familiarity and anticipation
• pleasures of difference-within-repetition
• performance unpredictability and spontaneity
• transgressive pleasures
• specific pleasures associated with performers or personalities.

Here is an example exam question:
4. (b) Discuss in detail how one programme offers audience pleasures. Give examples from the programme. [15 marks]


Task: You need to watch the next Car Share episode and make notes on the handout provided about the audience pleasures you can spot in the programme.