Wednesday, January 22, 2014

most media texts target wide range of audiences, how true is this of your chosen texts- Lost

lost targets a wide mainstream audience, it is constructed to include the widest audience possible and provide gratifications for both active and passive viewers. 

Lost uses an ensemble cast, this is where there is a large cast with a variety of gender, ages, races and cultures with all  of the characters getting a similar amount of screen time. This is used in order to include a variety of audiences, allowing everyone to have a relatable character or situation thus gratifying them. having this wide range of characters could provide uses and gratifications such as reinforcement with already gained values of a range of cultures and identifying with these values. such as in the scene on the beach where the father Michael who is trying to find his son meets with the Korean couple. the Korean husband shouts at his wife for not having her top button done up and this could be a cultural value that Koreans hold so this scene reinforces that view, we then we see a close up shot of Michael's face showing his shocked reaction which may reinforce the oppositional view that it is fine and a woman should not be controlled. 
this ensemble cast also produces a range of familiar narrative themes such as the relationship between the father and son and the brother sister relationship, breeding familiarity into the text.

lost uses mainstream narrative devices that attract its desired mainstream audience. techniques such as flash backs are used in order to explain events and give the characters a background story which a mainstream audience enjoys as it explains what is going on and encourages passive viewing making it easy to watch. 


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