niche and mainstream

Across the media industry there are several forms of texts however the majority of the texts appeal to two types of audiences niche and mainstream audiences.

Niche - the definition of the word niche means little nest, and in the context of audience size it just means small. For example a text with a small audience would be the TV show songs of praise, this is because this show appeals to Christians who enjoy singing hymns at home. this is a very specific audience which narrows down how many views the show will get. one way we can tell that this show is niche is by when it is shown. songs of praise is aired during the day when most people who are working whereas shows that carry a bigger audience tend to be shown at peak times. Also we cane tell that the main demographic for this show do not work and are there for either unemployed or are retired which suggests the audience is elderly.

Mainstream - this is where the TV show/ film/ magazine/ other form of text has a large audience or following. The X Factor is a mainstream show, we can tell this because it is shown at a peak time and does not narrow its audience down by appealing to a specific demographic.



Niche

Mainstream

My favourite TV programme is The Inbetweeners, this is not really niche or mainstream as it started out niche and then quickly gained a huge audience but is still not very appealing to a lot of people which makes it in the middle. Some people who may take an oppositional reading to the show are elderly people or upperclass people, this is because they may

This show is aimed mainly at a male audience ranging from the ages of 16 to 30 however the show also attracts an older audience of men and women in their 40s and 50s because they may have children who are of a similar age to the characters in the show. Furthermore although the show revolves around 4 male teenagers the show also attracts an audience of women ranging from the the age of 16 to 30.

I watch the inbetweeners because it find the characters and the scenarios funny and relatable. Also it is a show that is often talked about so it can be a topic for social integration. The show contains a variety of inside jokes, words and phrases which you would be left out of if you didn't watch the show.