Final Theme 1

Theme 1
The early electronic media led to the idea that the audience would be an undifferentiated mass. Trace thinking about audience from mass to "the long tail”. Include discussion( And illustration) of how demographics and media genres created media audiences ,and the ways in which social media can create, in theory , an audience of 1 for many media experiences.

Once electronic media became public and affordable, a fear was instilled that the individuality of the audience would soon be pieced together to form an undifferentiated mass. As Radio, Television and Films were introduced, they were commonly created to feed one audience instead of each individual member of that audience. It was the productive and profitable and its main intention was not only to entertain and express art but to categorize and group people into target audiences. This allowed advertisers to find which products appealed to the mass, not to the individual and which programs broadcasters should air.
Stemming from radio, demographics were known about which programs were being listened to and at which times. These numbers allowed for a plethora of profitable opportunities for advertisers. Normal programs that homemakers would listen to started slowing becoming known as “Soap Operas”. As the chores were being done, the radio was a way for one to pass the time. During those morning and early afternoon hours, advertisers found out which programs were more widely listened to. Those programs now started having advertisements for soap and other household cleaning products thus leading to the nickname of “Soap Operas”. Once it was noticed which programs had more listeners, a strategically timed program aired in the late 1930’s by Orson Wells. War of the Worlds was a program that Wells aired that caused a mass havoc. The program described an alien invasion and created a chaotic scene with widespread panic. Much of the audience was truly convinced of the program and acted against it looking for places to hide.

Unlike it was when electronic media first appeared, today’s electronic media gives the audience a more personal experience. With new social networking, and other media related websites, it takes the individual away from the “norm” and suggests possible interests in music, movies or even friends! In Chris Anderson’s “The Long Tail”, he describes how the new social electronic media doesn’t cluster the audience into one group but into numerous groups based on genres, interests and general likes and dislikes. For example, Netflix gathers general information about movies that you may rent and travels you down a “long tail” by offering other movies that you may be interested in. These titles may not be mainstream or popular but may be a possible interest of yours. Pandora internet radio is another “long-tail” search engine that offers your other soundtracks that may not be contemporary or from the same artist but are from the same genre. These programs or search engines are boosting the sales of different media, not only has what had the most advertising. These new forms of electronic media are opposite from any mass audience theory and make entertainment more personal for the individual and not solely for the mass.