Media Diary - Week 3

                                                                                                      Audience Classification                      

Text I have chosen to analyse this week is Skins (Series 5). Skins is a British teen drama TV Show that aired from 2007 to 2013. Series 5 was broadcast in early 2011, and brought a whole new cast/'generation' to the programme (see image, right). This season, like all others, follows a group of teenagers lives through their two years in Sixth Form. I think the predominant audience for this text is 16 to 18 year olds.

When looking at the Income/Status model, I think that the majority of the audience for Skins would be in Class E. This is because it has a target audience of teenagers, who are mostly attending school, which will make them students. Students are mostly unemployed so therefore they are at the lowest level on income. I think that Skins could also possibly target the working class (D). Each episode in series 5 targets a different character, although every episode contains all the characters.

I think when Jamie Brittain, Bryan Elsley and Ed Hime wrote skins, they had a certain audience member in mind. It targets both boys and girls, of around 17. The typical audience member would live at home with their parents and be at college / sixth form. They probably don't follow a religion specifically, but were brought up catholic. I think that the typical viewer would be white British as skins is set in Bristol.

On Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs (1943), I think that Skins challenges peoples love and belonging needs. Throughout the series, the characters are subjected to manipulation, drug abuse, violence and much more. A lot of their families are torn apart or disfunctional, which is why I think that it challenges these needs. However, I think it supports peoples social and esteem needs. This is because although the group of friends are arguing and fighting for a lot of the time, a sudden turn of events brings them together again.

There are 3 lifestyle categories that I think Skins would fit into. These are drifters, drop-outs and rebels. Drifters may enjoy this programme because they will be able to relate to the characters more than anything else. This is because not many of the characters know what they want to do once they leave sixth form. A lot of episodes end on a cliff hanger, which leaves drifters wanting to know more. I also think that Skins would appeal to rebels because rebels want others to fit in with their view of the world, which is exactly what the characters want to happen. As each episode is based around 1 of the characters, we get to see their view on things that are happening in everyone's lives. Lastly, I think drop outs would enjoy skins because none of them want commitment in any way. This is most relevant in relationships, particularly between Mini and Nick. In the third episode of the series, it becomes apparent that Mini isn't the most truthful to Nick, and that Nick doesn't actually like her, he's only using her to fulfill his own sexual needs.