Audience Theory Essay

Audience Theory Essay

The Effects Theory shows how media can affect society and how society can affect the media.The Effects model is not a grounded theory. 

The Effects theory suggests that the audience is passive and that being exposed to media will influence the behavior of the audience. This theory suggests that the audience exposed to certain forms of media are a very passive audience who are vulnerable and will end up copying behavior which they have seen.

One problem with the effects theory is the drawback of 'copycat' effect.
For example  in 2004 a teenage boy committed murder in the style of a killing in a video game as a result , the game ManHunt was banned in the UK. Due to the media labeling its audience as passive and therefore weak/vulnerable (an audience who will copy media) then that means that for people who would have enjoyed the game they cannot play due to the media viewing every user as passive. 

The theory also links with moral panic. Moral panic is where there is a threat represented to moral order in a situation that is out of control in some way. And with this theory suggesting that the audience is passive it means that nobody will question the situation which is out of control and it will be easier for moral panic to begin. This is another problem with the effects theory model. 

The studies in which the theory is based on are artificial:

• The Bobo doll experiment with kids, watching them assaulting a doll reenacting what they had just seen adults do on a TV.The criticism is that the children are young and vulnerable.Children are easily manipulated however not all of the audience are (like the theory suggests).

• ThePavlov's Dog was widely criticized as they gathered evidence from a science lab in which animals were tested. However animals are not comparable with Human actions.

The effects theory is also known as the Hypodermic Needle Theory. The reason for the name, being, that the theory suggests that media injects content into its audience' mind without them questioning anything that they are being told. Therefore labeling the audience as passive. Another reason is that the theory suggests that media is like a drug which addicts its audience. 

Suggesting the power lies with the consumer , the uses and grats theory puts more focus on the audience instead of the message itself. The theory does this by asking "what people do with media" rather than "what media does to people". This theory is the opposite of the effects theory suggesting that the audience are not passive but instead take an active role when interpreting forms of media. 
These are examples of the Uses and Gratifications theory in which the theory looks into what the audience do with media rather than what effect media has on its audience.

The problems with the Uses & Gratifications theory are that many people believe that the public have no control over the media and what it produces. The theory is also too kind the the media letting them not take responsibility for what they produce. The model assumes that the media identify individuals needs and provide material to gratify them. But we are more likely to want to feel categorized in the active reader sector rather than passive readers who are being 'duped' by the media. 

The Uses & Grats Theory suggests that the audience rely on media and that it meets audience needs. 
For example watching soap operas:

• Part of regular routine 
• People use as a reward after work
• Escapism
• Preventing loneliness

The reasons are down to the individual member of the audience. And not just for soap operas but with day to day media. There are many examples pf media with multiple reasons for example , watching Quiz Programs for the audience to compare intelligence with player on the TV.Television can also be topic for social interaction. Watching the same program as a friend would begin a conversation. 

I would like to see myself as part of the active audience however I must admit that occasionally the media manages to 'dupe' me along with passive audiences. I may not question what I am being told and believe what I am being told. However I feel I am also part of the active audience. This is because , also , at times I question what I am reading in the newspaper or do not fully agree with what I am being told or think it is being exaggerated by the media. I feel aware and able to question what is being told to me by the media.

When I read a newspaper stating 'Burgers contain horsemeat' I had a passive response and believed the articles without questioning. I was powerless to resist. Another example is that I bought an IPhone after seeing all the advertisements claiming it was the must have phone , I was passive and ended up purchasing the product.
When I read an article stating 'no one should consume more than one rasher of bacon a day or it will send them to an early grave' I questioned this response and didn't believe the article fully and knew there would be exaggeration. 

Perhaps advertising companies rely on a passive audience in order to sell their products. Much like me, many people buy the newest apple product due to the brand and the label of Iphone etc. Many advertising companies aim to young kids to sell products as they are a very passive audience as they are young and vulnerable. For example, many children have the newest craze e.g trading cards and collectable items and they regularly buy the newest item for example new stickers for a sticker book. Marketing and advertising rely on a passive audience (gullible) in order to sell products. 
On the other hand, other media formats rely on an active audience to question things. Radio stations love to get a response from the audience giving their views , opinions and votes etc. 
They rely on an active audience in order to communicate with the audience and cause debates and voting polls online.  

The theory in which I find most convincing would be the Uses & Gratifications theory. This is because the theory is much nicer , suggesting that the media cater to the audience and the theory itself focuses more on the audience than the actual theory. Rather than thinking about medias effects on people it looks at what people do with media. Where as on the other hand the effects model groups together a whole audience and labels them as passive and suggest they do not challenge what they are being told by the media. 
The effects model is , however , interesting as it touches upon key points but groups a whole audience into one categorized audience of passive. I find both theories interesting but in my opinion the uses and gratifications theory is the better of the two theories.


There is an argument that these vulnerable individuals who are part of the passive audience should be protected from violent and explicit material in the media. Especially children. I think vulnerable audiences should be protected from explicit material in which the media produces. However, I feel most of the time the media is blamed for the content produced rather than the child or individual reenacting it. For example the video game Man Hunt being banned. I feel that instead of banning and blaming the media content , there should be stricter age restrictions and parents should take responsibility when purchasing their child, for example , a DVD or Game featuring content which is violent and will most likely influence them. The age restrictions on products are sensible and I feel that sensoring products is a better way to deal with the situation rather than banning it. 

Advertising is a very powerful media tool that aims to persuade us to buy certain products by claiming that we 'need' these items to make our lives better. I consider myself as passive when it comes to advertising. However, it does depend on the type of product being advertised. I do not receive any influence to buy a product when the advert is targeted to an audience that I do not fall into : Car owner (insurance deals, new cars) Home owner (insurance, loans , paying bills etc). Although I am not interested in these products, I still understand the message put forward by the advertising companies. 
Some adverts create an emotional response for me. For example the 3 mobile advert of the dancing horse is a feel good advert which makes me laugh.
Adverts for RSPCA and other fundraising ads also create an emotional response as they make me feel sad and make me feel like I should donate money. The techniques in these adverts are clever as they create emotional responses in order to receive donations.
TV adverts which promote new TV shows pull me in to want to watch them. 





Referring to Maslows Hierarchy of needs I made my own hierarchy of needs using Microsoft word. 

Reception Theory photography task

Reception theory

The reception theory suggests that each individual interprets things differently and has a different outlook on the matter depending on things like social class, race, age and gender.

We were asked to carry out a photography task in order to test this theory. In groups we created 3 different scenarios each with a photograph representing the subject, which is happening. We took three photographs representing a proposal, a fight and being hit by a car. 

The reception theory has three possible results when interpreting: The dominant reading where you see and agree with what is being displayed. The negotiated reading where you see and understand but indecisive about what to believe (sitting on the fence) and the oppositional reading where you see , understand but do not agree with what you are seeing.

 For this picture the dominant reading is a surprise proposal.The majority of people we asked agreed with the dominant reading and only sore and interpreted a proposal. There was one negotiated reading where there was some confusion with begging but other than that everyone we asked agreed with the dominant reading. A wide majority of our audience picked up on the dominant reading.

 For this photograph the dominant reading is a fight between two people. All the readings taken on this photo were dominant. Everyone we asked sore the photograph and agreed with what it is portraying. 100% of the audience picked up on the dominant reading.

For this photograph the dominant reading is being hit by a car. There was a wide range of dominant , negotiated and oppositional readings with this photograph. Some responses included "chilling by a car" and "just bought a car". When we explained the dominant reading these people were examples of oppositional readings. They understood what the photo tries to represent but they do not agree.

In conclusion the majority of the audience picked up on the dominant reading however some opposed to the idea and sore it as an oppositional or negotiated reading.

In my opinion the reception theory is useful. It suggests that individuals can have different opinions on media texts and interpret them in different ways. Some people read a piece of media text and agree with it and fully understand what they are reading, this is the dominant reading. However some people also fully understand what they are reading but strongly disagree, this is called the oppositional reading. A good example would be a headline such as "Prime Minister is the only hope for our nation" some people may completely agree and others may disagree strongly. Those who sit on the fence are part of the negotiated reading. 

The only problem i can see with this theory is that the readings vary for reasons like gender, social class, wealth, race etc. For example a headline like "UK cuts all benefits" would have different readings depending on who is asked. Wealth and social background with make the readings vary. High income tax payers in a wealthy area may be dominant readings 100% where as low income families on benefits are most likely to be oppositional readings. This means that the readings would be bias. 

When readings are taken there should be a wide range of readings in different areas of different genders of different age groups and of different ethical backgrounds. This will get the readings fair and there will be a wide variety as the reception theory suggests that people interpret media texts differently due to these reasons.

The Doreen test -COD consumer-

The typical individual who consumes the game COD

This is an example of one of the main consumers of the game:

Name: Nigel 'the gamer'

Age: 27

Gender: Male 

lifestyle: Nigel comes home from work and sits in his room-which is still in his parents house-playing on one of his many games consoles. Nigel isn't interested in girls or fashion, he has confidence issues and cannot make contact with any girls. He commonly wears tracksuits and comfortable items which are as cheap as he can get as his wages are spent on new games and points pack , accessories for his consoles and gaming merchandise such as T shirts and posters. 

Where do they live: Nigel lives in London where there are great wifi networks for when he plays games on his computer. 

Occupation: Nigel works part time at burger king although he dreams of being a game designer and often begins to design games in his free time. He has a great knowledge about computers and technology and hopes to go into this in the future. Although intelligent Nigel isn't dedicated to anything but his gaming. His laziness costs his his future so he currently remains a part time burger king worker. He has a great knowledge on gaming and technology due to his dedication to technology from a young age, although he doesn't care enough to pursue as a career and it will remain a hobby. 

Relationship status: Nigel is single as he "doesnt have time for a girlfriend" and he freezes up if a girl ever makes eye contact with him. He finds is safer to talk to girls online such as facebook or other websites. 

Call of duty

Media sector-
Call of duty (COD) is a video game based on war and battle. Each release has a different theme of war.
Many editions have been brought out and it is a continuous series of games with reliable new and devoted customers.

Producer-
It is owned by activision and published by apple OS X by aspyr media although the game itself was created by Ben Chichoski . The first game was bought out in 2003, the latest release was november 2011. It has many different developers and composers.

Genre-
The game is based on war and battle , targeted at males and has many platforms, here is a list:

• Microsoft windows
• Nintendo DS
• Nintendo gamecube
• Nokia
• Play station 2
• Play station 3
• Play station portable
• Wii
• Wii U
• xbox
• xbox 360
• IOS
• Blackberry

With this many platforms supporting the game there are many opportunities for people playing this game. It is a very popular game with new releases issuing each year keeping gamers committed to the game and wanting the new release on the day if not pre ordered. The game , being £40 brings alot of money into activision allowing it to produce more games.

content form and style- 
The game has war content and contains many different war scenes. The game has many different releases each with their own individual theme ranging from WW11 to Modern war. COD also make short films and merchandise. The colours and style of the merchandise is also aimed at males as the game itself is targeted to gaming boys with one of the above platforms to play it on. Many males are dedicated to the game and buy every single edition.

Rolling stone magazine

Rolling stone is a magazine based in New York and based on music, liberal politics and popular culture. Although its’ main category is as a music magazine.

It is produced bi-weekly and published and edited by Jann Wenner with the company Wenner media LLC. Jann Wenner was also the founder in 1967 with music critic Ralph J Gleason.

In the 1970s the magazine was known widely for political coverage although the format was changed in the 90s to appeal to younger readers as music based magazine. It now focuses on young, pop, television and film stars. So today the magazines content consists of music and fame alongside political stories. It now has expanded to have financial issues coverage.

As a result the magazine has seen circulation increase due to such a wide range of content. Total circulation for 2012 is 1,464,943!

The magazine obtained some criticism that the magazine was focusing on style over substance. Since then the magazine has levelled out to become music based magazine however still containing important news of today and with an informative style however still attracting the younger readers. Today the magazine “rolling stone” is known as a music magazine but only gradually has it made a new target audience and altered its content to drive more sales.

 Each issue contains a popular celebrity positioned on the front cover, which appeals to the younger target audience with quirky styled text and phrases. The red text stands out on the background and ahs become a well known logo, depending on how popular the issue is, the cover is then blown up and sold on as a “pin up” and sold in various places like HMV, the posters are a great way to promote the magazine and was done so with popular artists and actors like this example, Zac Efron and Justin Bieber.

Who is on the cover all depends on what is most up and coming and popular at the time for example Taylor Lautner was issued on the front cover of rolling stone magazine around the time of the release of the twilight saga new moon; this issue contained a cover with a popular image of him and the words “teen wolf’ the producers know that `at that moment in time twilight would be very on trend and topic of young persons conversation so he was a perfect model for the cover to drive sales and promote the new movie. So the style of production is very popular and very on trend.

The content of the magazine on the other hand is much more sophisticated yet still “on trend” this particular issue featured the nirvana drummer Dave Grohl of which his image and style is very different to young actor Taylor Lautner. The wide range of content means that this magazine has a very large total circulation. The music-based side of the magazine attracts a whole range of young people as musicians featured on the cover range from Justin Bieber to Billie Joe Armstrong and Jimmi Hendrix. Both musicians have a completely different style but who is featured on the cover depends who is most current and most popular. Justin Bieber was so popular as the “pin up boy” of the magazine that Tshirts were printed of the issue. This was a popular issue as he is a teen pop sensation. The magazines are very visual and the best content is advertised on the cover to attract more and new readers. The wide range of content means that the target audience almost depends on whatever is featured in the issue. The text is very much so targeted at young people using words such as “hot new actor” to tempt young girls into reading more into this particular article. The very on trend style means it’s a popular magazine as its main contents is informing the reader of what is going on currently in the music industry.

The visual outlook on the magazine determines who the target audience is although the target audience of the magazine is purely music enthusiasts; people who enjoy music and mainly rock music as the magazine has an alternative and punk twist to it featuring mainly rock artists.  So usually the style of production targets young people into rock and punk music that are interested in what is current in the world. The type of audience tends to be intelligent as the type of articles and style of writing is very informative.

The website features some of the content and it is very factual and features stories which apply to music enthusiasts and artists which are very on trend. This appeals to the target audience of young people.

The website displays content which targets to both genders with ‘hot girls who “rock” ‘ and “ heart throb zac efron confesses all”. The magazine isn’t targeted to a gender just young people who are interested in current music industry yet the magazine contains a political side widening the audience.