Introduction: The Mass Media of Our Times
The impact of mass media in the modern world is huge, which is why it is important to keep the track on the influence the mass media has on people. Analyzing the needs and wants of the humankind, journals, and magazines produce the information that is demanded most at the present moment. It is evident that each journal or newspaper has its target audience, which is predetermined by the information the given specimen of mass media produces.
Tracking the specifics of certain mass media and analyzing its features, as well as comparing it to another one, people can figure out the target audience for each, which is, doubtlessly, of huge importance. Conducting a careful analysis of the features of The New Yorker and National Geographic, one can define the target audience for each and, thus, figure out the impact of each of the publications on people.
Slicing the Articles in Significant Parts: The Analysis
Analyzing the articles in question, “Magical Mystery Treasure” from National Geographic by Caroline Alexander and “Big Is Beautiful” from The New Yorker by James Surowiecki, one must mark that these articles are quite enticing and provide an insightful observation of human nature in general and the actions that people take in the course of certain events in particular.
White Alexander tells about the mysterious treasure found in the English countryside and offers her ideas on who hid it, Surowiecki deals with the disregard of small businesses in the USA. What finds most interesting about Surowiecki’s article is that he manages to counter the politics of the USA government, whereas, in Alexander’s article, the secret of the buried treasure and the historical events are the most delightful parts.
It is evident that in her article, Alexander splits the information into several tiny pieces, highlighting the first lines if the most important paragraphs. With such tactics, the author keeps the reader’s attention and does not allow him/her to keep track of the most important issues. Compared to this means of attracting the reader, Surowiecki merely offers only the most essential and the most enticing information.
Splitting the articles into several parts, one can see the recurrent details in both articles. It is obvious that each article has a dame structure. Also, the means of offering certain information are quite the same. Hence, it can be concluded that the given articles produce the same effect, creating an atmosphere of suspense and providing much food for thoughts.
It is evident that Alexander’s article, which tells about historical issues and the magical mystery of the buried treasure, is narrative and logical, each conclusion following from the facts above, and chronically solid. Telling the enticing story of “Roman defenders, Britons” (Alexander), she manages to maintain chronological order.
In contrast to this article, Surowiecki’s creation swings backward and forwards, taking the audience from modern times to the long-gone events, and then again plunging people into the economics of present-day America. Hence, it must be concluded that, while Alexander’s target audience consists of adventurous people who love history, Surowiecki aims at drawing the attention of the modern-day businessmen, economists, and financiers
However, it must also be kept in mind that both articles use the same reference to the past events and compare it to the present, which means that at certain points, the audiences which the given papers aim at the cross.
Defining the Target Audience: The Significant Detail
Speaking of the details that help to define the target audience of the articles and can be used as the characteristics of the given articles and the two magazines in general, one can mark the specific rounded font and the readable placement of the text. Also, the pictures in the articles help considerably to draw the specific audience to the information in the issue.
Taking Alexander’s work as an object of the analysis, one should mark that the element arresting the readers’ attention immediately is the bright picture at the top of the article. Vivid and full of motion, it makes the whole text less dry and more appealing, thus, attracting the younger audience. Also, the name of the article is unusual as well, bright and striking. Compared to the article written by Surowiecki, who tells about “Walmart and IKEA” (Surowiecki) in an entertaining way, the given paper seems m entertaining.
However, it must be kept in mind that behind the funny image placed at the top of Surowiecki’s article, important and a little fry information is concealed as well, which justifies the choice of the picture. Therefore, the target audience seems even more obvious now – these are the busy and educated people who would like to learn important information sugared with a few elements of entertainment.
Thus, it can be considered that, despite the differences in the features of the articles, there is a lot in common between them, which allows suggesting that the public enjoying the given magazines consists of businessmen, clerks, and students.
The Sherlock Holmes Method: Relying on Deduction
Marking the elements that point to the specific target audience of the given magazines, one must mention the peculiar advertisements in the newspapers. Taking a closer look at the commercials in The New Yorker, one can see distinctly that each of them is business-related and concerns the newspaper itself and the means to access it; one of the examples of such advertisements is the e-Book reader.
Likewise, National Geographic makes use of the advertisements that relate to the key issues of the site, like nature and wildlife. However, the advertisements in the article also promote the means that help reading the newspaper and to learn the new information about the site, like IPad. Thus, the circle of the target audience of both newspapers narrows to relatively young business people who enjoy to be informed on the world news and use modern advanced technologies.
Conclusion: The Reflections on the Target Audience
Thus, it is obvious that there is more in common between the two articles than meets the eye. One cannot judge the entire journal by a dingle issue, yet there are specific characteristics that define each of the papers and create the reputation that attracts the attention of certain layer of the population. Hence, it must be admitted that the two articles have several things in common, which predetermines the public that buys the given papers.
However, it cannot be denied that the articles have several differences either, which means that the issues can attract the attention not only of the specified people but also the people with their own specific needs for certain information.
Since it is practically impossible to keep track of every single bit of the information that the given issues convey, it is obvious that the articles can attract the miscellaneous public that is hard to classify. It has been proved that both papers draw the attention of a certain group of people, which means that the initial theory has been proved.
Works Cited
Alexander, Caroline. “Magical Mystery Treasure.” National Geographic. 2011. Web.
Suroweicki, James. “Big Is Beautiful.” The New Yorker. 2011. Web.