Passive/Active Audiences

Passive/Active Audiences

Passive Audience - a Passive Audience in a media text is where they have no control of what its going to happen next. An example of this would be programs such as: Eastenders, Holly oaks and coronation street. Passive audiences tend to be programs such as soaps.

Active Audiences - a Active Audience in a media text is when the viewer has some control in what happens next. An example of this would be X-Factor or Big Brother.

with these two different type of audiences they each have their own advantages and dis advantages. other types of media texts that force the audience to interact are as followed:

• Newspapers/Magazines/Books
• Internet
• Gaming for example Nintendo Wii
• Arcade Machines

Passive Audience:

Advantages		Disadvantages
Production will be easier		Fans may not be as loyal
Will be able to film well in advance		The media text will need a good narrative structure
The viewer will be in suspense because they don’t know what will happen next		The viewers may not like the decisions made via the director
The director will be in full control

 Active Audience:

 

Advantages		Disadvantages
Make money from phone/ text entries		Not all fans may agree with each other
Will have more loyal fans as they would feel they have made a change in the story		Could limit the directors ideas
Audience choose what they want to see		Audiences can be fickle
Will take some pressure off the director to make the next move

However active audiences can not always be obedient and do what is best for the situation they are given to influence for example in the X Factor this year there is a contestant called wagner. Now wagner is not a great singer, has no talent what so ever but on the other hand he is entertaining to watch and for that simple fact he has beaten off other contestants who are a lot more talented than he is.

Some of the comments left on Wagners page on the official x factor site