Audience are a very important part of the media, these are the people that consume the media. Audience theories suggest that representations are open to different interpretations and that their meanings are not fixed.
There are a number of different theories to suggest how audience works.
1. Hypodermic needle- this theory suggests that audiences passively receive the information transmitted via a media text, they process this without any attempt on their part to process or challenge the data. Passive theories propose that audience soak up the empty promises of mass entertainment, becoming willing victims who both produce and consume the products of consumer capitalism.
2. Two step flow- this theory suggest that audiences actively receive information, it does not flow directly from the text into the mind of their audience. It suggests that actually the information is filtered through 'opinion leaders' who then communicate it to their less active associates, influencing them to have the same opinions.
3. Uses and gratification-This theory suggests that audience consume media for a number of different reasons.
For example, lets relate this theory to EastEnders- Why do people watch EastEnders?
1. A need for company
2. The need to be part of a group
3. The need to identify with characters and scenarios
4. The need for structure and order- a reassuring routine
5. Relaxation
6. To combat loneliness, allows the audience to perceive themselves to be part of a imagined community
7. Simply for entertainment
Just by looking at the reasons audience may watch EastEnders it is obvious that audiences all have different reasons for consuming different pieces of media.
4. Encoding/Decoding model- this model was created by Stuart Hall and is based on the relationship between text and audience, it explains how a text is created for the audience using conventions. For example, in films, certain actors are used to meet up with audience expectations. He focused on how dominant ideological messages were sometimes resisted or reinterpreted by the audience.
1 stage. Encoding stage, this is where producers first create messages which they expect their viewers to understand.
2 stage. Decode stage, this is when the audience come into contact with the text and decode the messages to create their own meaning.
However it is which meaning they create that this theory is based around as media messages are poly-semic, meaning then have numerous possible interpretations.
Preferred/dominant reading- these are produced by people whose social situation favours the preferred messages being portrayed.
Negotiated readings- these are produced by audiences who inflect the preferred reading and take into account their social positions which differs from the one being portrayed.
Oppositional readings- these are produced by audiences whose social position puts them into direct conflict with the preferred reading.
EXAMPLE-
The preferred reading of this McDonalds advert is that you think 'wow that looks like a tasty burger!' and then for you to go and purchase one.
However the other reading that could be associated with this advert is how unhealthy it looks and actually cause the audience to stay away. It all depends on the audience perceptions and social positions.
