Audience

Use this section to introduce how to write reviews and be a critical audience.

Go to Being critical for suggestions to give to students so they can write reviews and understand being an analytical audience.

Writing reviews

The purpose of review writing is to outline:

what a programme or live performance is about;
where or when it took place;
who was involved in its creation and presentation;
how skilled you think they were in delivering their ideas to an audience.

Audience

The audience are the spectators or listeners assembled at a public performance, or attracted by a radio or television broadcast.

There are two types of television audience: a viewing audience and a studio audience. Most programmes just have a viewing audience (people at home watching) although some programmes have a studio audience as well. The studio audience watches the making and filming of the programme. The audience reactions are usually recorded as part of the programme. In some programmes the audience are required to take part and in some genres of television this is essential, for instance, game shows.

The audience has an important role to play in television. The reactions of a studio audience will tell the programme makers lots about how the programme is being received. They will be watching out for the audience reactions and asking themselves lots of questions, for example:

Did the audience laugh at the joke about...?
Did they understand the reference to...?
Did they show empathy towards the character of...?

If the show is not well received by the studio audience then the programme makers may change the show in order to improve it.

The viewing audience will dictate whether or not the programme is a success. If a viewing audience member likes the programme then they are more likely to tell their friends to watch it, therefore increasing the number of viewers and the overall success of the show. The role of the audience in both cases is to be a critical observer.

Programme makers will make shows for a particular audience. Being Eve is targeted at an audience of 9- to 14-year-olds and their parents.