Media studies practice exam question- Referring to your own detailed examples, discuss how different media texts can appeal to audiences

Media studies practice exam question-

Referring to your own detailed examples, discuss how different media texts can appeal to audiences

The mirror newspaper is one of a more light-hearted selection of news. This newspaper is seen as more ‘gossip’ than all seriousness. Typically it appeals to the audiences social interaction needs. This is because it provides reliable sources of information out to the public for them to discuss and give opinion about. This enables people to form a topic of discussion. It secondary provides informative needs as it tells us about daily occurrences locally or across the UK. This enables people to keep up to date with the here and now, and not be as misinformed. The audience are able to use this knowledge for other purposes. Occasionally the mirror can be used for entertainment. Some of the less serious stories or general news could appeal to the audience and enable them to read what is happening in others lives, leading to escapism from the audiences own reality and delving into others reality.

The inbetweeners movie can provide the audience with personal identity. This is because they are likely to identify with one or more of the characters, relating to their actions. The audience is also provided with entertainment/ escapism. This is because of the narrative. The narrative follows around 4 teen males and their journey whilst on holiday alone for the first time. This allows for the audience to escape from their reality and follow that of the characters. The comedic approach that this film endures allows the audience to keep occupied during the time of watching.

Call of duty is a console game that young males most commonly play (COD). This game provides large levels of social interaction because the game enables people to play together through the Internet. This means that players from all over the world can talk and play. This can make the game more enjoyable as interaction with others can build team-working skills.  COD also provides entertainment as it enables the audience to escape the real world and play in a virtual world where they can control their actions, like reality, but usually better.

The mirror appeals to the audience need for aesthetic sensations. This is because on the front cover, we see 2 women glammed up to appear ‘pretty’. Although these aren’t the main image, they are surrounding the paper to catch the audience’s attention. Their beauty (e.g. Kate Middleton) is aesthetically pleasing to the audience, meaning they could purchase the magazine on influence of the attractive females displayed. The paper cover also challenges our need to feel safe, sometimes covering shocking stories that can shake the audience up and prepare them for the worst. This specific copy, addresses the issue of a petrol panic. This challenges our need to feel safe as our mode of transport could be hindered, meaning problems getting to important places such as work, hindering people’s lives. This type of panic is in association with the end of petrol itself, posing problems to the drivers of the audience.

The inbetweeners contains a vast amount of underdressed females and minor forms of nudity. This satisfies the audiences need for sex as  the inbetweeners uses sexual appeal to appeal to the audience. Another need is affiliation, as we see the friends make up after fighting and staying with each other for moral support throughout the film. Another need is the need to aggress/ get even.  This is because we see a lot of competition in the film, and characters giving payback to those who mess with them. This creates a comical attribute whilst fulfilling our need to aggress. The need for aesthetic sensations is also fulfilled. This is because