An Audience-Centered Perspective on Media Brands: Theoretical Considerations, Empirical Results and ‘White Spaces’

Chapter

Abstract

In an audience perspective a media brand can be understood as a construct carrying all the connotations of (potential) recipients comprising cognitive, emotional, conscious or unconscious associations towards specific media formats, personae, genres, channels etc. Audience-centered media brand study has successfully stimulated research, but is largely isolated from communication science and other related disciplines. The aim of this article is to review and structure audience-centered research on media brands and to uncover ‘white spaces’ in this field of interest. In applying a multi-level approach of audiences, the chapter not only considers extant theoretical and methodological approaches in audience theory, but also presents a flexible framework for different interpretations of media brands’ functions and effects.

Keywords

Media brands Audience theory Brand personality Brand extension Symbolic media consumption Participation 
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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of CommunicationUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria

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