Audience Reception Theory The Effects Model l Also

Audience Reception Theory

The Effects Model l Also known as the hypodermic syringe model. l Theorises about what the media does to its audience.

The Effects Model l Uses terminology such as ‘mass media’ and ‘mass communication’, thus emphasising the size.

The Effects Model l This theory implies that the media’s implied meaning is injected into a single mass audience. l This gives the potential for the audience to be duped or taken in.

The Effects Model l Grebner and Gross (1976) l Researched audience in the USA l Stated that the more TV watched, the viewers had a more fearful attitude to the world outside home. l Blamed programmes such as America’s Most Wanted, real life crime dramas and media exaggeration of events and people such as terrorism.

Stuart Hall – Encoding/Decoding Dominant Reading l. Viewer recognises the preferred or offered meaning and broadly agrees with it.

Stuart Hall – Encoding/Decoding Oppositional Reading l. The dominant reading is recognised but rejected for cultural, political or ideological reasons.

Stuart Hall – Encoding/Decoding Negotiated Reading l. The reader accepts, rejects or refines elements of the programme in light of previously held views.

Stuart Hall – Encoding/Decoding l Dominant – ‘flag waving patriot who responds to George Bush’s latest speech’. l Oppositional – ‘the pacifist who understands the speech but rejects it’. l Negotiated – ‘the viewer who agrees with the need for a response to Sept. 11 th but doesn’t agree to the military means announced’. ’