Key demographic

{{Short description|Cohorts most-often targeted in broadcasting}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}

{{globalise|article|US|date=January 2024}}

The key demographic or target demographic is a term in commercial broadcasting that refers to the most desirable demographic group to a given advertiser. Key demographics vary by outlet, time of day, and programming type, but they are generally composed of individuals who are younger and more affluent than the general public: "Young adult viewers have been TV's target demographic for decades, because they're thought to have less brand loyalty and more disposable income."{{cite journal|last=Weinman|first=Jaime J.|title=Television's mid-life crisis|journal=Maclean's|year=2012|volume=125|issue=27|page=72}} In the case of television, most key demographic groups consist of adults who are somewhere in age between 18 and 54.{{cite book|last1=Stabile|first1=Carol A. |last2=Harrison|first2=Mark|title=Prime Time Animation: Television Animation and American Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wVWS-ukTSg0C&pg=PA86|accessdate=22 December 2012|year=2003|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-0-415-28326-7|page=86}}{{cite book|author1=Donald G. Godfrey|author2=Frederic A. Leigh|title=Historical Dictionary of American Radio|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4l_2kkv5aeMC&pg=PA26|accessdate=22 December 2012|year=1998|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-29636-9|page=26}}{{cite book|author=Horace Newcomb|title=Encyclopedia of television: A-C|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CFXgj7a55agC&pg=PA1892|accessdate=22 December 2012|year=2004|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-57958-411-5|page=1892}} For example, the key demographic for reality television is women with disposable income aged 18 to 34{{cite book|author=Verena Stickler|title=The Music and Media Industry: The Television Industry UK – REALity TV|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T-KcOgeMndoC&pg=PA7|accessdate=22 December 2012|date=5 September 2011|publisher=GRIN Verlag|isbn=978-3-640-99842-5|page=7}} whereas for the WB Television Network it was "eighteen to thirty-four-year-old viewers."{{cite book|author=David Lavery|title=The Essential Cult Tv Reader|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TKcaI75I72AC&pg=PA66|accessdate=22 December 2012|date=15 January 2010|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|isbn=978-0-8131-2568-8|page=66}} Television programming is tailored to members of its key demographics:{{cite book|author1=Michael Hyman, PhD|author2=Jeremy Sierra, PhD|title=Marketing Research Kit For Dummies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zh7ND642ZpoC&pg=PA285|accessdate=22 December 2012|date=5 March 2010|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-470-63256-7|page=285}}{{cite book|author1=Roy L. Moore|author2=Michael D. Murray|title=Media Law and Ethics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FYmNABMDqXUC&pg=PA509|accessdate=22 December 2012|year=2008|publisher=Taylor & Francis|page=509|id=GGKEY:Z44Q63BL6EQ}}{{cite book|author=Steve Michael Barkin|title=American Television News: The Media Marketplace and the Public Interest|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tdFqQAc6fAkC&pg=PA164|accessdate=22 December 2012|year=2003|publisher=M.E. Sharpe|isbn=978-0-7656-0923-6|pages=164–}}{{cite book|author=James L. Longworth|title=TV Creators: Conversations With America's Top Producers of Television Drama|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JQc4x8QhuR8C&pg=PA224|accessdate=22 December 2012|date=1 July 2002|publisher=Syracuse University Press|isbn=978-0-8156-0702-1|page=224}} "Despite the increase in time-shifting to watch recorded television and shows on the Internet, the use of television as an advertising vehicle is still determined by demographic characteristics or who is watching at what time."{{cite book|author=Victoria O'Donnell|title=Television Criticism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MkFueTd-cdYC|accessdate=22 December 2012|date=9 February 2012|publisher=SAGE|isbn=978-1-4129-9105-6|page=35}} The subset of ratings that only includes the key demographic of 18- to 49-year-olds is often referred to as the "key demo".{{cite web|title=Thursday TV Show Ratings: X Factor, CMA Country Christmas, White House Christmas, Charlie Brown|url=http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/thursday-tv-show-ratings-x-factor-finale-cma-country-christmas-white-house-christmas-charlie-brown-26079/|work=TV Series Finale|accessdate=22 December 2012|date=21 December 2012}} Certain radio formats (especially those dubbed "classic") and television outlets may target persons 35 to 64, who generally have more disposable income than millennials, in part due to the late 2000s recession, which impeded career opportunities for younger generations.{{cite news|url=http://buffalonews.com/2017/05/30/colberts-rise-wny-includes-key-demographic-win-may-sweeps/|first=Alan|last=Pergament|title=Stephen Colbert's rise in WNY includes key demographic win in May sweeps|work=The Buffalo News|date=30 May 2017|accessdate=31 May 2017|quote=More interestingly, Colbert's program […]handily defeated Fallon in the age 35–64 demographic that Channel 4 (WIVB-TV) claims has the most money to spend.}}