Active Audiences

Question 1

Stuart Hall

Answer 1

Reception Theory
- dominant/preferred reading - intended reading from producers

• negotiated reading- The audience mixes the original (dominant) message with additional ideas meaning that the intended message is slightly altered. Perhaps voting for the underdog in a talent competition or questioning the programme via social media platforms.
• oppositional reading -The audience constructs a meaning that is entirely different to its intended meaning – E.g. a party political broadcast that then pushes a voter to vote for an opposing party OR the campaign to stop the winner of The X Factor from getting to Christmas number one in the charts.

Question 2

Klapper

Answer 2

selective filter model
stated that for a media message to have any effect, it must pass through three filters:
1.
Selective EXPOSURE – The audience must choose to view, read or listen to the content of specific media. Media messages can have no effect if no one sees or hears them. However, what the audience choose to access depends upon their interests, education, work commitments and so on.

2.
Selective PERCEPTION – The audience may not accept the message; some people may take notice of some media content, but decide to reject or ignore others. For example, a smoker may reject a anti-smoking message in favour of other messages.

3.
Selective RETENTION – The messages have to ‘stick’ in the mind of those who have accessed the media content. However, research indicates that most people have a tendency to remember only the things they broadly agree with and that

Question 3

the uses and gratification model

Answer 3

The Uses and Gratifications Model - Suggests that the audience is an active agent when using the media as they are using it for their own purposes and to satisfy their needs. Rather than thinking about ‘what the media does to people’, as is discussed by the direct and indirect models, the uses and gratifications model discusses ‘what people do with the media’. Meaning they do not directly discuss media effects.

• Supported by McQuail - 4 reasons for media use - Information, Personal Identity, Social Integration (learning to identify with others), Entertainment