The interaction between audiences and the television industry has become a topic widely discussed within the modern era as technology and new social platforms have developed.

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Audience transformations have been exceedingly hard to depict because of the difficulty in capturing audience’s honest opinions about what they truly want for the television industry

when it comes to shows and content. This dissertation addresses some of the origins and influences that may have been a factor of the modern audience’s behaviour shift that can be seen in today’s social context.

 

It can be argued that the mass audience was influenced by a subculture of itself, Cult. This study analyses ways in which cult influence can be seen in the past and present, and explores how the modern audience may still be evolving. The following discussion outlines ways in which audiences are categorised by academics and scholars to try and simplify the study of audiences. While further examining if, and how, the power struggle between producers and cult audiences can be seen in the current scenario.

 

Through an investigative look at audience surveys, television interaction examples, and an interview with a highly-regarded Cult author, this study will depict where behaviours from cult audiences can be seen, and whether they were influential in creating the modern audience found today. The complexity of factors that are involved when analysing audience transformations could help determine where audiences may want their interactive relationship with the television industry to go next, and a good way to do that is

to look at where it started.

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