Audience Theories

• Desensitisation Theory
• Uses & Gratifications
• Roland Barthes’s Ideas of Denotation, Connotation & Anchorage
• Stuart Hall’s Model of Preferred Readings, Negotiated Readings, Oppositional Readings
• Reception Theory

Uses & Gratifications

The enjoyment acquired by fulfilling a wish is gratification. The Uses and Gratifications Model is a concept coined in the 1970s by Blumler and Katz, but has since been created by other media researchers including Richard Dyer. The theory relates to how texts are produced for distinct requirements of the audience and how the audience can use media text to satisfy distinct requirements

This theory indicates that individuals are actively looking for media products based on what they want to see. This theory implies an active target group and a goal-oriented use of its media. McQuail, Blumler & Brown classify media use in 4 kinds to satisfy requirements:

• The need to strengthen the perspective of personal identity by comparing our own roles and values with comparable media roles and values.

• Need for partnership and communication with others–media personalities assume the function of a’ true’ friend or acquaintance

• Need for information

• Need for entertainment and distraction–escapism

In the past, individuals thought that the author encodes or places a certain significance in the text and it is the receiver / reader’s duty is to decode the text and find that meaning to share the world’s knowledge of the author. But this is just one way of understanding a film’s process. Another way to do this is to take a more semiotic strategy.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

This theory is simply based on the phycology of a person, it starts with the most basic need which is our physical survival. As it’s the first thing that motivates our behaviour, this is related to biology of course.

• Physiological needs which are requirements such as air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, sleep and etc. without these the human body cannot function properly. Additionally, Maslow’s theory also considers how others needs become secondary until these needs are met.
• Then we get safety needs which is basically protection, stability and freedom from fear.
•  Next, we have the love and belonging needs, it is believed that the third stage of a human needs social and involving feelings. This stage also motivates behaviour, for example; friendship, intimacy, acceptance.
• Esteem needs, are classified into two categories in this theory. First one being dignity, achievements and independence. Second, being reputation, and respect from others. Additionally, the theory also states that reputation and respect is really important for children.
• Lastly, actualization needs which are realizing personal potential, seeking personal growth and experience. A desire “to become everything one is capable of becoming”, Maslow, 1987.

Furthermore, it is important to note that Maslow is a five-stage model that also includes aesthetic needs. Instead of focusing on the physiopathology and what goes wrong with people, this theory helped expressed that if all these steps are followed human can have a more positive human behaviour. Maslow believed that humans have a potential and it can be fulfilled.

So far, we have found out that this theory is completely based on physical, emotional, social and intellectual qualities that you may find in an individual and also how they might impact on learning.

However, we are looking at this from a different view which is from a film and media view. This theory talks about self-improvement, for example, changing your life may appeal to the audience who might also change their lives. This is seen in movies many times. For instance, when someone has made a big mistake but then they start looking at how they can make up for it.

In the same way, showing glamorous thing in media can make one want to change their esteem needs. Love and belonging are also seen in films mainly romance movies.

Moreover, safety and security are communicated through thriller and horror films. It worries us about of safety and security needs. Lastly, we have our basic (sexual) needs which can also be appealing through films and media.

Cultural Effects Model

This theory believes that audience should respond in a certain way, this is also known as dominant reading. This model links with Neo – Marxism, which says that audience is not simply passive, also that they will always interpret media they consume. This model also recognises that media is a big influence for the audience and it keeps on increasing gradually. Also, that this is influenced by very powerful groups within the society. In other words their interests heavily influence us.

For example, how women are portrayed as house wives and mothers. Or how there are so any different stereotypes for different ethnics and minorities. However, this theory suggests the extent to which the media affects the audience depends on their social characteristics and experiences.

This model mainly suggests that the media generally spreads dominant ideology in the society. It shows how people can approach different idea in different ways based on their social situations and beliefs.

This model is also known as the ‘Drip Drip’ effect, it gets it name from an idea about how ideologies are dripped into the society by the media, and the more the people believe it the truer it seems.

Hypodermic Syringe Theory

‘The Hypodermic needle theory is a linear communication theory that suggests that media messages are injected directly into the brains of passive audiences.’

In this theory, I believe tat the use if the word’ inject’ makes the audience seem weak and passive. Additionally, this theory has been used before and proven to be right. It was used in the 1930’s during WW2 by the Nazi Party, it was used to ‘inject’ propaganda into the German audiences to make them believe what the Nazi Party wanted them to believe. And it worked!

This theory came from the fear of mass media and its power, its something that can never have democracy or be influenced by it. This theory believes that everyone has a different way of thinking and that they al behave differently.

Overall, the whole idea is that media can be used to inject ideas into people and make them believe what you want them to believe.

The Two-Step Flow Model

This theory only consists of two steps, first being the opinion of the influencer from a media source (social media). Second, the influenced audience and how they take the opinion along with the others.

Stuart Hall’s Reading Strategies

The text is closed for the passiveness-based audience theories, the meaning can not alter. But the text is open to a number of different meanings for Stuart Hall-there’s not just one way to read a text, but various methods.

Preferred or Dominant Reading: The creator of a text may like it to be received in a certain manner and thus build it to guarantee that this occurs. You agree with the messages within the text.

Negotiated Reading: an evaluation of the text in which you also try to alter while identifying the dominant reading . You agree with some of the messages.

Oppositional Reading: Any reading which rejects or significantly challenges the dominant meaning.

Under this model the reader is the key factor in the communication process and the production of meaning.