Hi, my name is Kyrstin and I'm starting this blog "Audience Studies" as a way of showing my understanding and interest in the evaluation and importance of audiences today. A little about myself is that I love to be apart of audiences, in all its forms. Im an active user on social media accounts, I am a highly invested consumer of television shows and often go on for days about the latest episode of Teen Mom, Big Brother, etc. Along with my favourite activities outside of school and work is to go to a sporting event, or a concert. Hope you enjoy, my take on audiences today!
A little history of Early Audiences
- As far back as 400 BC is our histories earliest records of audiences forming. It was during this time that the Greeks performed plays for all of Athens free for all to attend.
- As time moves forward we see the Roman theatre in 100-300 BC continue the lively traditions of the Greek theatre.
- As well as audiences forming in churches during the middle ages ( 500- 1400 ACE) to listen and perform bible scenes.
- Elizabethan audiences gathered in the mid 1500s for audience members to simply enjoy life.
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| Greek/Roman theatre (BC) |
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| church in the middle ages |
- until nearly the 18th century audiences were considered over active, rowdy members of society. Often the audience would engage with actors, talk during plays as a sign of enjoyment.
which translated audiences during the 20th century to become passive.
I believe this definition best describes what an audience is:
" An Audience is a group of people who participate in a show or
encounter a work of art, literature ( in which they are called "readers" )
theatre music ( in which they are called "listeners" )
and video games ( in which they are called "players" )
This definition best describes all the ways in which we can be an audience, times have changed since the beginning of audiences with the Greek and Roman theatre, today audiences arent limited to a single show as their only way of being an active audience member. Today being an audience member is unlimited to its options, do you play video games, and chat online with members, do you have any social media accounts, do you have a favourite television show you follow, or band you like to see when their in town? There are so many opportunities for you to be an audience member, you might not even know you are one.
Heres an example of how multi audiences are being formed from one "show".
In this example, you are an audience member if you are sitting in the audience of the Ellen Degenerous show, you are an audience member if you are watching the show from home, You are also a audience member if you are a Twitter member, following or participating in any of the tweets, or hashtags. Overal in todays an audience member has had an evolution from being a single audience member to now being a audience member on various levels of both passive and active members.
SO the Big Question, why do we care about audiences?
Audiences are so powerful in todays society, the power of the internet has allowed videos, tweets, and photos to go viral almost instantaneously across the globe. Meaning that a single person can send a message around the world, to promote, discuss, enjoy and stop acts of violence, discrimination etc. at all times. This relates to the textbook, the idea that media messages can lead to changes in individual audience members is the thrust behind the "effective perspective", which emerged in the 20th century as the dominant paradigm in the field of media studies.
An example, is how a young women simply doing yoga in her living room, came across the knowledge that cats can do it to. This woman's discovery has lead to the world being able to view her idea, support if they wish and spread the message of helping orphaned kittens.
Although, this message and video doesn't save the world by any means, the audience this video acquires will help save and give homes to orphaned kittens which might not have been possible. The power again is the multi audience, this is through the internet, which allowed for a single video about cats/ and yoga to go viral, anyone who is an audience of youtube can view or come across it, yoga ethusiates may follow or look up yoga titles, of audiences who follow the news this story was published by CBC, and by audience members who are animal lovers. This video can lead to individual audience members, as the effective perspective, making a change.
Reflecting to today's audiences, and how they are being discussed, lets hit it close to home with the Toronto Blue Jays. A baseball team which didn't always make it to the playoffs, and didn't always get the support of Toronto as it is today.
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| 2015 Blue jays audience, a Full stadium |
The Blue jays have become a huge hit on socail media, because of fans.https://twitter.com/hashtag/bluejays
has connected friends and family, old fans and new
fans.http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/grange-blue-jays-fans-get-the-gift-of-a-pennant-race/
and has connected the blue jays by all media sources possible, with live updates, fantasy baseball leagues, ticket availably etc.
overall the Toronto Blue jays audiences are being talked about today in every news outlet possible, its the fans that make a team, and its the team that connects the fans.
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