Audience profiles
Introduction
An audience analysis can provide insight into an audience’s values,
beliefs, aspirations, attitudes, role models, and demographics, as
well as possible media channels and vehicles to reach them.
It can be challenging to complete an audience analysis for a number
of reasons:
- Media measurement categories may not correspond with
market research groups. For example, youth media measurement
by Neilsen divides youth
by the ages of 2-11, 12-17, 19-24, however, conventional
age groups for research include children (0-5),
early school age (6-8),
tweens (9-14),
teens (15-19),
and youth (no age specified). (1)
- There is enormous within-group variation (e.g., between age 9
and 14 or between 65 and 75) so categories are only helpful in
providing
general information regarding cognitive abilities, media
habits, and media literacy. (1)
- Youth psychographics (values and beliefs) change every two years.
As published data is often two or more years old before it
is mass distributed, it is often out of date.
- Use of the Internet and other new technologies is evolving rapidly.
Research into consumption of these media is becoming increasingly
plentiful, but findings may be out of date before they
are published.
- Private
market research is current, specific and detailed; however,
it is also costly.
The following audience profile examples were created within the
same limitations that we all face--access only to freely available
(low cost) resources.
- Tweens (May
2004)
- Seniors (created
May 2004 and updated June 2005)
- Teens (June 2005)
- Baby
Boomers (June 2005)
- Children (forthcoming)
- Women (forthcoming)
These summaries are only a beginning in terms of understanding the
audience. This information should be complemented by primary formative
research collected using techniques such as focus groups, interviews,
or surveys.
These profiles are a work in progress and will be updated as new
information becomes available. Please send any current research,
focus group data or suggestions to
Jodi Thesenvitz
Resource Consultant
j.thesenvitz@utoronto.ca
(519) 837-3659
Notes
(1) Health Canada. (1999). Youth Public Opinion Research Study:
Secondary Analysis of Current Market Research on Youth Ages 7-19.
