Audience Theories

Stuart Hall: Reception Theory 

• The Reception theory is where the producer will encode the text in a certain way to convey a desired message. The theory is a version of reader response literacy theory that emphasizes the reader's reception of literacy text. It could be argued that theory is now outdated as it was said to be the most influential during the 1970s and early 1980s, however, it is evident that it also relevant today in some cases.
• Stuart Hall stressed the role of social positioning in the interpretations of mass media texts consumed by different social groups.
• The theory argues that the audience would respond to this message in three different ways, as displayed below.
• Preferred/ Dominant Reading: This refers to the reading whereby the viewer shares the desired opinion that the producer wants them to have. Due to this, the reader fully shares the texts code and accepts+ reproduces the preferred reading in such a stance that the code seems natural and transparent. For example, a McDonald's advert which displays an image of a burger would want the audience to crave the burger and therefore purchase it. Those who look at a text with the dominant reading, would be the section of an audience that would take this action. 
• Negotiated Reading: This is where the reader accepts some of the preferred reading, however will refine their view based on their own experiences, opinions and knowledge. The consumer would therefore resist and modify the text in a way which reflects their own position. For example: Whilst referring to the McDonalds's advert, unlike those with the dominant reading, negotiating readers would weigh up the pros and cons and state something such as "The burger does look nice, however it is bad for me, therefore I will make sure that I do not purchase one today, and instead only once a month". 
• Oppositional Reading: Oppositional Reading is also known as 'counter-hegemonic'' reading, where the reader will think the complete opposite of what the producer intended them too. Their social situation places them in a directly oppositional relation to the dominant code, understands  the preferred reading, however does not share the texts message and instead decides to reject the meaning. For example: Whilst looking at the concept of a McDonalds advert, the viewer would think that the burger looks unpleasant and would feel no desire to purchase the product. Members of this section of the audience would be people such as athletes, those who are healthy/ on a diet and those who work in Mcdonalds. Due to this, they would associate this burger with different thinks and share different views.
• It could be argued that these three responses could relate to how the viewers of my documentary will respond. It could be interpreted that the Dominant Readers would therefore accept the message that I have encoded into the programme which states that all teenagers are rebellious, vulnerable and that underage drinking is an increasing problem. The consumers of my product would agree with this stereotype and therefore share this opinion of teenagers.

Audience Theories

Hypodermic Syringe Theory:

• 1920's 
• looks at the effect that the media has on the audience and how the media 'injects' us with their desired meaning, which we then passively accept. 
• It could be argued that this theory is now outdated but still sometimes assumed to be true by the government and tabloids. For example: violent video games are said to damage children as they cause them to be violent, therefore the games need to be banned.
• 'Moral panic' is created through websites such as the Daily Mail through their exaggeration of stories such as the horse meat scandal
• It could be argued that this theory relates to my upcoming documentary as it aims to send a message to the audience that teenagers are rebellious, breaking the law and are put in vulnerable situations whilst attending festivals, fulfilling the stereotype of how they are perceived in wider society. It would 'inject' the audience with the meaning that teenagers are risk takers.
• http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Mass%20Media/Hypodermic_Needle_Theory.doc/

Two Step Flow:

• A slightly more sophisticated version of the hypodermic syringe theory.
• The message is transmitted to the audience via a small group of 'opinion leaders' 
• The general audience receive the media message, filtered through the thoughts of the opinion leaders. For example: celebrities on Twitter may express their opinion about a certain matter, causing a majority of their fan base to then share this same view. These opinion leaders have an influence on the general audience. (effects from social media)
• http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Levels%20of%20theories/macro/Two-Step%20Flow%20Theory.doc/

Uses and Gratifications:

• Blumer and Katz expanded an earlier theory in 1974
• The audience choose their media text to fulfill different needs that they have
• Following reasons to choose a text: diversion, personal relationships, personal identity, survelliance.
• Criticisms of the theory state that it focuses on the individual and therefore does not take the pressures of wider society into account. Another disadvantage of the theory is that it does not account for the media that is consumed with no choice. For example: bus advertisements, music in the background of adverts/programmes etc.
• http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Communication%20and%20Information%20Technology/Uses_and_Gratifications_Approach-1.doc/