And the Target Demographic Is...

Wait a minute, wait a minute!  

I just realized something. You know how most TV programming, movies and advertising is aimed at the so-called "Target Demographic (or Audience)" which is something like people ages 15-25? You don't know that? Well, it is. This is why so much of what's out there for entertainment doesn't appeal to the older crowd. Some does, but a lot is just... garbage. In fact, I'm thinking that most entertainment producers picture their target audiences as being made up of high-school-mentality boys with dirty jokes as the highlight of their humor portfolio.

Photo from ydcdetroit.org

Anyway, I have known for a while that I've managed, without even trying, to age out of the TV demographic, especially. Inadvertently, unavoidably, I've gone and turned the "big" 4-0. I have 4 strikes against me: 

1. I'm "old"-- 40 is not the new 20. Though I don't feel much past 25, truthfully, I am.
2. I'm a woman. Don't pretend most advertising and TV isn't aimed at over-sexed young men. It is. The ongoing objectification of women ("Cougar Town", anyone?) and the skimpy outfits on everyone from lawyers to doctors proves it. Sorry, ladies, they may write stories we could enjoy, but they're counting on your boyfriend sitting with you to watch.
3. I'm a Mormon, and have a rather high standard where entertainment is concerned. I don't like sexual so-called humor, I don't care for lots of swearing and I'm pretty conservative, so I don't really enjoy liberal agenda-laced entertainment. It's just not my thing.
4. I am SO ridiculously busy! I have a husband and four kids, work full-time, try to keep 2 blogs going and I have church responsibilities-- plus, with the raising of the kids, I actually want to spend time with them, and most of what's on TV is decidedly not family-friendly. This means there are hundreds of shows I simply haven't even heard of, and others that people recommend that I just don't have time to get to!

This may not seem like a significant realization to you, but for me it's something of a Eureka! moment, since I was blaming the entertainment creators and advertisers for having too narrow a focus for their target demographic, but maybe, just maybe, they're on to something. 

I don't have wads of cash to spend on entertainment, but my teenagers do. Young adults often have more spending money, simply because they usually don't have kids-- or don't have many. Or the kids they have are still small. Kids are bank account vampires, what with all the needing to eat and having to wear clothes and the housing requirements... Just kidding-- I actually adore my kiddos and don't begrudge them their expensiveness.

It also makes a difference that in my current time of life, I just don't have the time to spend on entertainment that I would like.

However... in about 5 years, I expect things will slow down a bit. Hopefully. Maybe more like 10 years, but my point is that I will again have time and spending money and I will want to be entertained, dangit!! So I do think that creators of TV, movies and advertising should keep the old fogies in mind. I'm walking toward being an oldie, and my money spends just as well as the young 'uns!