Audience Theory

It was important for us before we even started thinking about filming our documentary, that we researched into and understood audience theory.




Reception Theory:

• Where a producer constructs text, it is encoded with a meaning or messages which the producer wishes to convey to the audiences.
• In some instances, audiences will correctly decodes theses messages/meanings whereas as in others audiences will either fail or reject them.

Stuart Hall - The 3 ways an audience can decode a text:

1. Dominant- Where the audience decodes the message as the producer wans them to do and broadly agree with it.
2. Negotiated- Where the audiences accepts, rejects or refines element of the text in light of previously held views.
3. Oppositional- Where the dominant meaning is recognised but rejected for cultural, political or ideological reasons.

The Uses of Gratification Model:

• This is considered the opposite of the 'Effects Model'
• In this theory, the audience is active and uses the text, rather than being used by it.
• The audience uses text for their own gratification and pleasure, leaving power with the receiver and not the producer.
• This theory concludes that the audience sees meaning where they see fit.

The Hyperdomeric Model:

• The messages in media texts are injected into the audience by the media.
• The audience is powerless to resist these messages.
• In conclusion, the media works like a drug an the audience becomes 'drugged'.

The Effects Model:

• The consumption of media texts has an effect or influence upon the audience
• Often, this effect is negative
• The audiences are passive and powerless against this influence
• The power in this theory, lies with producer and not receiver.