Effects theory – (hypodermic syringe theory) – what media does to audiences

Uses and gratifications – what audience does with the media

Reception theory – what audiences do to the media

Effects theory: Mass media and communication make people powerless to resist messages the

media carries. Consumers drugged and hypnotised Effects theory taken up with protection of young. Historical - - Frankfurt school: Marxist German intellectuals reacting again Nazi

propaganda and US advertising, suggested the power of big corporations and the state to control how we think.

Rise of TV in the 50s and 60s – fear of danger to children. Influences of behavioural scientists (Pavlov’s dogs) – media may reinforce

attitude through repetition. Bodo doll experiment (1963) – Bandura and Walters –children imitate adult

treatment of doll seen on film. Moral panics: concern, hostility, consensus, disproportionality, volatility Two step flow – media text – opinion leaders – media consumers What’s wrong with the effects theory: The problems with violence are often social/psychological not to do with the

media. The media can often be positive rather than harmful. Criticism of the media using the effects model is often politically motivated. There is not real grounding of research and theory for this model

U+G: Users of the media use media texts to satisfy certain needs Based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Denis McQuail(1987): Information, finding out about the world; seeking advice;

satisfying curiosity; education; security through knowledge – Personal identity – integration – entertainment.

James Lull(1990): Structural – Relational Richard Kilborn(1992): Problems: we may not have choice about what we watch Neglects any aspects of effects theories. Neglects socio-economic factors.

Reception Theory: Often as opposite to effects theories Sees media consumption as active not passive Suggests media texts are polysemic Research examines social, cultural, economic, gender, sexuality, as influence on

the reading of media texts.David Morley 1980 – different social/economic groups watched same TV programmes.

Interviews reveal different reading of same text.

John Fiske 1989 – does Madonna exploit the music industry or the does the music industry exploit Madonna? 0000.

Audience Theory: Three questions

1. Why do audiences choose to consume certain texts?2. How do they consume texts?3. What happens when they consume texts?