Audience Theory - Pick and Mix (David Gauntlett).

Learning objectives: 
To consider David Gauntlett's Pick and Mix theory in relation to

Key words: Sophisticated audiences

This is another theory that understands the autonomy of the audience. It couteracts the theory that all audiences are affected by what they read. 
Gauntlett focuses on the way in which magazines and advertisements attract and represent audiences. His suggestion is that audiences are sophisticated and use texts to satisfy their needs. They pick the bits of the text that are appropriate to them and their lives and ignore others. 
This challenges the theory that women, for example, will be adversely affected by the unrealistic images they see on the front covers of women's magazines. They may read the magazine, ignoring the articles relating to sex and relationships and 'pick' the articles on fashion and beauty.

To conclude, Gauntlett talks about a highly sophisticated media user that isaware of what they want and don’t want from media texts and is also aware of themselves as a consumer.

Task 1:
Apply Gauntlett's pick and mix theory to the magazine front cover below

Task 2: 
List the modes of address and language used on the cover.