Active Audience Models

Question 1

Uses and gratifications model (state briefly what it is and support w/ Zillman)

Answer 1

• audience is an active agent when using the media as they are using it for their own purposes and to satisfy their needs
• discusses what people do with the media
• active audience theorists say individual characteristics influence how and why people access the media to gratify their needs

Question 2

Zillman

Answer 2

• persons mood may influence their media choice
• for example, boredom may encourage choice of exciting content and stress may encourage the choice of relaxing content
• same tv programme may satisfy needs of individuals differently depending on personalities, stages of maturation, backgrounds and social roles
  Eg. Some people may watch friends as a comfort show however, some other use it as source of entertainment

Question 3

Coding/decoding model (Hall)

Answer 3

• claims audiences are active
• audiences are able to decode media messages in a way that reflects their social backgrounds and ideas
• three different ways of reading media messages: dominant (audience take message intended by media professionals), negotiated (audience mixes original message with additional ideas), oppositional (audience constructs a meaning completely different to its intended meaning)
  Eg. Loren Allred a semi professional singer received golden buzzer on Great Britain’s talent singing never enough taking her straight to semi final (oppositional stance could be that a semi professional with millions of followers on Spotify should go straight to the semi finals)

Question 4

Selective filter model (Klapper)

Answer 4

• audience are not passive receptors of media but that media reinforces already held beliefs and attitudes
• for a media message to have any effect it must pass through three filters: selective exposure (audience must choose to access the content of the media), selective perception (audience may not accept message), selective retention (message has to stick in the mind of those who have accessed the media content)
  Eg. Messages promoted on TikTok about the dangers of vaping including videos about popcorn lungs in attempt to stop youth from vaping (However some people may choose to ignore these messages as they don’t care about the effects)