Audiences Task Mainstream

The X Factor

The audience that watch the X Factor are a mainstream audience. The audience get gratification because they're listening and watching the people like James Arthur sing every week and improve their talent and get experience. On the programme the producers always include a small and brief video tape of what the contestant have done and been through during the week previous to the live show. This also shows their development and also it gives the audience an insight of the artists/ contestants week. This insight gives gratification to the audience because it makes them feel that they are apart of their journey through their music career. 

The audience is also gratified through their participation in the show. After each contestant has performed they give the audience a number to ring if they want to send them into next week. By ringing up the audience is gratified because they feel that their vote has got that singer/ contestant safely through into the next week. 

The X Factor is a mainstream program. The programme is shown on one of the main channels ITV1. The programme is shown at 8:00pm on a saturday at which time adults will be home from work watching the TV. Many older audiences complain about how bad Saturday night television is so by having such a well-known and mainstream programme on fills their time. Teenagers and young adults watch this mostly for social integration, they have something to talk about with peers at school and college. 

The X Factor has a lot of big expensive production equipments allowing them to create a show that is mainstream because of all the technology used. 

The programme also has an additional programme linking them together. The second programme is called 'The Xtra Factor' which is a 'backstage pass' to all of the behind the scenes aspects of the X Factor. This programme lets the audience find out more about the contestants and judges. It also allows the audience to participate by phoning up and asking questions to the judges and contestants. This gratifies the audience. 

Also the programme's contestants will appear on breakfast shows and chat shows promoting the X Factor. Also halfway through the actual programme there will be a movie premier that they will attend in London which will be shown. This promotes the X Factor. The X Factor has become a sort of brand and everyone knows what it is. They also have X Factor toys, apps on iPhones and iPods and games. 

The X Factor appeals to a mass audience because of these features.