Question

4. Explain the difference between the primary audience and the secondary audience, and provide an example of a message that would have audience benefits for both.

Answer 1

Primary audiences are those who receive the communication directly and are also known as the target audience. The person is also usually the decision maker. Secondary audiences are those readers who are not the primary addressee, but are still included as viewer.

These include anyone who will receive a copy, need to approve, will hear about, or be affected by your message. You should determine the level of knowledge, interest, and any potential biases the audience may have with regard to your message.

The primary audience is the decision-maker and/or decision-making body and the secondary audience is the group(s) of people that you identify, educate and activate to influence the primary audience

For example, your organization seeks to utilize some of its resources to develop tangible programs that K-12 students in your school district can participate in and reap valuable educational experiences. In your case, the primary audience might be the county school board, if that is the decision-making body that designs the public school curriculum and allocates the funding and teachers for such programs. The secondary audience could include the PTA, parents, students, faculty groups, and business groups that understand the critical thinking, problem solving and leadership skills provided by comprehensive and fully integrated programs.