Audience Fragmentation

New forms of media have allowed the film industry to attract more audiences in a variety of ways. The most important of these is, of course, the internet. Via the menagerie of different websites, it has become possible to reach a significantly more diverse set of people than previously. The online traffic from a social media site will consist of different people to that of a newspaper webpage or a TV streaming service, meaning the film industry (and, of course, others) now know exactly when and where to advertise. Not only does this increase their revenue, but it also increases the income of advertising companies, as well as the websites themselves (as the so-called “Cost of Free” is at least partially covered by money earned from people clicking on ads).

The internet and television also collaborate in this case to form not only increasingly more niche audiences but also as a unifier for more intimate consumer communities, such as through forums and blogging platforms dedicated to certain works. Film makers now attempt to create so-called cult cinema; films and franchises thereof that inspire a solid, unwavering fan base. This technique usually works best if the film being released is based off another medium (as with movies centred around Marvel and DC comics) or when the plot of the film revolves around a separate world (fantastical or otherwise) that especially avid consumers can get lost in. One of the most successful and innovative marketing  campaigns of all time, prior to the release of “The Dark Knight”, thus caused the film to earn the most in the entire industry that year by launching a viral online marketing campaign that encouraged fans to get involved both online and in the real world.

This creates a completely different environment than before, not only for film-makers but for other mediums such as newspapers. The companies of the world now have to greatly struggle for the audience’s attention, not only because the film industry continues to release more and more content each day (including amateur productions), but because audience fragmentation has created a climate in which the viewers can pick and choose what truly interests them. Therefore, despite being undoubtedly useful to the film and other industries, new forms of media and audience fragmentation have also created a new type of more critical, discerning viewer who is harder to interest and please.

DY