Primary research evidence

Primary Research Evidence

Target Audience of a soapSurvey results

Name: Esme QuantrillCandidate Number: 6094Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic SchoolCenter Number: 64135

OCR Media Studies – A2 Level

Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio

• This graph illustrates that the main age ranges that consume soap operas are 10-25 and 26- 40, most likely because it is on at a set time everyday which is when people come home from work and for the younger ages they may watch it because their parents do.

• This graph connotes

that people like to watch soap operas for the conflict involved. So for our soap advertisement we need to show the conflict and make it look interesting so that people would want to watch it.

• This graph displays that using Katz’ Uses & Gratifications theory, people watch soap operas as a form of ‘escapism’.

• Maybe in my group soap opera production we could introduce the idea of education as the ’moral of the story’ for example at the end of the advert we could have a voice over denoting ‘if you have been effected by any of the issues raised in this episode please contact.’

Soap opera’s are stereotypically a feminine programme to watch the graph shows that when asked 100% of the people who took part in my survey think that females are more likely to watch soaps than men. I also asked what a production team could do to make a soap opera more appealing to men. Most of the responses where to have ‘sexy women’ or ‘more explosions’ and also weak female characters in need of male protection. In previous questions the people that took part in my survey said that they watch soaps for ‘escapism’ (Katz’ Uses & Gratifications) and therefore soap operas need to be realistic and plausible consequently adding in more explosions would make the soap not very realistic.

• The graph displays that people expect female characters to be strong and dominant characters. The previous question people answered that men would find soaps more appeling if there were weak female characters in need of male protection (patriarchal).

The graph illustrates how many story lines people think run alongside each other at the same time (plots and sub plots).most people thought that in a conventional soap opera there are 3 to 4 plots running at the same time.

Conclusion In conclusion from doing my survey I have found that:

• The main age group that watch soaps are 20-40+

• Mainly 3 or 4 plots run alongside each other at the same time.

• People expect women to be portrayed as strong and dominant characters.

• Females are more likely to watch soaps then men.

• People think that men are more likely to watch soaps if there are ‘sexy female characters’ and female characters that are dependant on men (patriarchal).

• People watch soaps for ‘escapism’ (Katz).

• The main thing that people want to see in soaps is conflict.

From this feed back I will take on board that people mainly watch soaps to see conflict and therefore my soap opera trailer will show a lot of conflict to engage with the audience as the other main reason people watch soaps is for ‘escapism’ (Katz’ Uses & Gratifications) therefore the soap will need to be realistic but a form of escape at the same time. I would take on board the idea of using ‘sexy women’ for example like HollyOaks as people have suggested that this would make soaps more appealing to men.