FIFTH LESSON-THURSDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 2014
AUDIENCE
AIMS
- To be aware of ‘The Effect Debate’.
- Identify some theories of the way the media may affect an audience.
- Support a critical engagement with the theories.
THE EFFECT DEBATE
Producers think carefully about identifying their target audience and providing a text, which will interest and engage them. However, the mass media is such a major part of people's lives that a major debate about the subject is how the media is having an effect on the audience.
AUDIENCE THEORIES
Several theories have been developed which offer specific viewpoints on the effects the media. Audience theories regarding the effects of the media on audiences can be divided into these categories:
- Direct Effect Theories
- Diffusion Theories
- Indirect Effect Theories
- The pluralist Approach
DIRECT EFFECT THEORIES
These ideas view the media as having a direct effect on the ideas, attitudes and behaviors of the audience.
- Hypodermic Syringe Theory - Often used, as a method of scapegoating and some types of texts seem to get blamed more than others. Scapegoating is when a simple reason (a media text) is blamed for a specific action or event. It is often easier to scapegoat a media text rather than lock at the more complex reasons why something may have happened.
- Cultivation Theory - Often more vulnerable groups are a main consideration within this approach. For example, children are often seen to need protection from the cultivation of certain ideas and values. This concern has led to the banning of fast food advertising during children’s TV programming, responding to recent concerns regarding nutrition and childhood obesity.
DIFFUSION THEORIES
These ideas focus on the influence media may have but concentrate on the personalised way audiences access texts and consider the influence other people may have.
- Two-Step Theory (Paul Lazarsfeld and Elihu Katz) – This theory states that, whatever our experience of the media, we are likely to discuss it with others. If we respect their opinion (the theory calls these people opinion leaders), the chances are that we may be affected by the opinion leaders’ responses as well as by the text itself. Opinion leaders can come in the form of reviewers, presenters on television or people from groups we admire such as religious leaders, politician etc. as well from our family or social groups.
- Indirect Effect Theories – These theories acknowledge that the media may affect people but focuses on the fact that people respond differently to media texts and mages and environment we are in may be a part of that too.
- Pluralism – The final theoretical position is the pluralist one, which sees media intuitions as free to present whatever pint of view they wish and audience being equally free to choose from the ideas and representations available. This view sees the audience, not as a manipulated mass, but as individuals who are in a relationship wit the media texts they access. The pluralist view sees the media offering a wide selection of viewpoints to various social groups.
RECEPTION ANALYSIS
Reception Analysis is based on the idea
that no text has one single meaning. The audience create meanings for
themselves based on many individual factors such as: gender, age, race,
religious beliefs, personal values, upbringing and education, geographical
location and historical location.
