Audience Theory.

Linear Models –

Effects/Hypodermic syringe theory – 1920’s

Audiences accept the messages that are injected into them

Audiences are passive, just sit back and accept

We are manipulated by media – power over us

Two step flow theory

Sender  - Message – Receiver

Ideas travel through mass media – to opinion leaders

Passive individuals to society

The messages may be misinterpreted

The message may not be accepted

(Too simplistic, unreliable)

Uses and Gratifications theory – 1960’s

Audiences are more active, make more choices

Bulmer & Katz – We choose text and use it for a particular need/purpose (relax and entertain) Audiences want to escape from everyday life (diversion)

• Personal Relationships – use media for emotions and other interactions
• Personal Identity – finding yourself, learning values and behaviour
• Surveillance – spreading the news

Stuart Hall – Encoding and Decoding texts: Suggest that we understand the technical codes of different media because we learn to read them. Encoded by the producers and then decoded or interpreted by the viewers.

David Gauntlett – Constructing Identity: Suggests that your identity is not fixed; you are shaped by the media. Audiences use media representations to check own identity, identity can be seen as a project – audiences choose the tools to make their own identity.  For example in my music video audiences can relate to the artist independence that is promoted in my music video.

Cultural Positioning: Whether an individual’s cultural positioning could include gender, social group or individual experiences determine the reading of my music video. For example women would be able to sympathize and relate to the difficulties of growing up as a teenager.

Louis Althusser - Reinforcing the values of society: Individuals believe that they are free to form their own opinions and values, my music video reinforces ideas and values that are found in popular culture of promoting independence. Individuals are interpellated, those in power unconsciously control them, and audiences are manipulated.