Describe Niche and Mainstream audiences with specific text examples.

A niche audience is a smaller and more specialised audience. A text targeted at a niche audience could be something such as extreme couponing on the channel TLC which people will only have on tv subscriptions and is therefore not the most well know channel. This would be classed as niche as it specialises in the specific hobby of couponing. The show is shown on TLC at 2.30pm therefore the audience access is poor as many people would be working or at school etc. The mode of adress may be presented in a mainstream way - following the lives of different people - which people like however it is an american show and would not be particularly popular in the UK.

A mainstream audience is a large audience. A mainstream text could be something such as X factor. X factor is shown on a saturday and sunday night at 8pm. this will target a mainstream audience as it shown during the ‘primetime’ TV times. This is because on a saturday and sunday evening there will be a large number of people and families at home watching TV at this time which therefore make the show and producers more money than if it was shown in the middle of the day - when people are working. Xfactor is also shown on ITV which is also a mainstream channel as you don’t have to have any contract or subscription its shown through channels 1-5 which everybody has. The X factor is a singing competition; talent shows, singing and dance competitions etc are very mainstream and widely watched throughout the UK, Xfactor being one of the main shows. the mode of address will attract a lot of people as if follows the story of contestants which people can relate to or sympathise with etc. Being such a mainstream programme people that don’t particularly like to watch this show may watch it for social integration, so they can talk about it with friends or work collegues the next day.