Paper 2: Exam Question

Clay Shirky argues that audiences in today’s online age are no longer passive consumers of media content. Evaluate this ‘end of audience’ theory.
Refer to Zoella ( blog /youtube/other channels ) and  the Attitude website to support your answer. [30]

Clay Shirky's end of audience, discuses the evolution of the typical media audience. Shirky says that people are more likely to use the internet to respond to other media products. This hypothesis also includes people making their own forms of Media. For Example Zoella uses Youtube and online Blog sites to create her forms of Media. Her audience can repsond to her media products through the internet, for example by commenting on youtube and her social media pages.  In regards to Attitude magazine, readers can email the magazine company for any queries and concerns they may have. Attitude also has a website, that allows readers to keep up to date with the latest LGBT news, they can also subscribe, so they can receive  every issue to there house, in addition they can subscribe to download the issues, instead of owning a digital copy. Attitude also have social media accounts, that allows its fans to respond and give feedback to the magazine.  Audiences can always be active due to the progression of  online media. Audiences can always respond to the media content by using other social media pages and online comment boxes. In addition, fans can make fan accounts of a public figure using other media platforms. In addition,  Zoella sometimes runs Q & A videos on her youtbe channel, which allows her to respond to her viewers questions.  Both media products encourage audiences to get involved by displaying website pop-up, asking the viewers to subscribe to the email address to received up to date updates and news. Attitude uses an old form  media, which is an old form of media.

Clay Shirky's end of audience theory display a clear outline of how a typical media audience has evolved over time. Shirky's theory can be backed up in nealry every media product. For example in regards to Zoella, audiences are allowed to respond to her media product for social media platforms, which is considered a new form of media platforms. Zoella's target audience is clearly highlighted in her videos, by its titles. The video titles relate to the target audience of  teenage and young girls, this can be backed up by 'My make-up collection, and 'primark haul'. Attitude, display LGBT latest news, which highlights that the LGBT community are the target audience.