Audiences, Media

In this article, the authors provide a historical overview of audience research spanning theoretical perspectives from the hypodermic needle model, the transition to British Cultural Studies, and on to postmodern conceptualizations. Applying an interdisciplinary lens, the article provides summaries of pertinent studies in anthropology, cultural studies, and sociology that explore how audiences understand, interact, and use media as part of their daily lives. In addition to the historical background, the article also explores specific subfields in new media, feminist, and global audience research. It concludes with insights into how the field is assessing new developments in social class and reality television.