A NICHE audience is a targeted group of people specific to a media text, it usually consists of a small amount of people. Niche media texts may be shown on less popular television channels, and not during peak television times and is a non-popular specific interest to a small group of people. For example, the TV channel 'MUTV' only targets Manchester United fans. This programme contains everything Manchester United, from training sessions to former players interviews, it is for the hardcore fans. It is a channel that is on from early morning hours (8/9am) to late evening (8/9pm). It is also a subscription channel which requests monthly payments in order to be watched, this is around £4 a month which narrows down the audience amount as it is not available for everyone.
A MAINSTREAM audience is a wider range targeting a vary of people, it doesn't just aim to target a small single group like a Niche audience, it will aim to target various races, ages, classes and also genders who vary interests. It will be shown on popular TV channels such as BBC ONE, and ITV. It will also be shown at the peak time, usually from 6PM to 10PM. Also, on some mainstream media texts they will use a ensemble cast, this is a range of ages, and ethnicities, a good example of this use is LOST. In this programme there are American, English, Australian and South Korean actors ranging from age 8 to pensioners. Also there are middle-class and working-class people in this programme which helps viewers to be able to fit in. It started of on Channel 4 in 2004 but Sky One brought it after numerous successful seasons. It is usually on at 8pm-10pm which is the peak time for TV channels, making it a mainstream programme.
Your Niche audience description covers most areas well,you identify, scheduling, placement and content efficiently, the only are where you could improve is to give further description on why MUTV falls into the category of niche. For mainstream I think you mean text rather than audience in your first sentence. Again though you description of the audience is accurate, you again need more detail on exactly how Lost contains a ensemble cast, give details of characters and CRASH.
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