Thursday, 6 December 2018

Audience Theory: Effects Factsheet

1. Complete the questions below:

  • Do you ever play violent video games? or watch violent films?  Are you violent 'in real life'? 
I don't play violent video games that often and if i do i usually am less inclined to participate in the violence or disturbing imagery of the game as i find it rather unsettling, similarly with films and tv shows. If i do watch violent films etc i skip or find myself avoiding the screen during violent scenes. I'm not violent in real life, verbally or physically, I would consider myself as not being dangerously tempermental.
  • Do you ever see a product advertised on tv or the internet and decide you want to buy it?
 Yes! I find that adverts tailored to my own interests and style help me discover new businesses and perhaps ones that are more ethical or affordable than some of my cult favourites. If advertising looks professional and usually comes from a trusted media source I will buy a product.
  • Have you ever seen a documentary that has drawn your attention to an issue you now feel strongly about?
I watched this Stacey Dooley Investigates episode  about the treatment of women in Honduras and it really opened my eyes up to the privilege I have as a woman in the western world and to be living in a country that allows me choice and options and doesn't police my body as severely as Honduras does to these young girls. Now, I feel strong about ensuring equal opportunity and treatment of women globally but especially the topic of choice regarding marriage and pregnancy of girls who have been forced into child marriages or the stigma surrounding abortion especially in rape victims. I was living in a bubble of privilege where I knew about options surrounding my body and the concept of choice and consent was strongly enforced but this brought the sheer disparity of genders to my attention and now I see that western complacency is a crime and using your voice on these topics is vital.

What are the four categories for different effects theories?

  • Direct effect theories
  • Diffusion theories
  • Indirect effect theories
  • The Pluralist Approach
What are the examples provided for the hypodermic needle model - where media texts have been blamed for certain events?

  • Child's Play; The murder of Jamie Bulger
  • Marilyn Manson; Columbine High School Shootings
  • Natural Born Killers; Murders committed by romantically involved couples

What was the 1999 Columbine Massacre?

  • The Columbine Massacre in 1999 was a school shooting that took place on April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School. 13 people died and 21 people were injured by two Seniors who planned the attack for up to a year in advanced. They also planted homemade bombs and at the time Columbine was the deadliest school shooting to date. The two shooters sparked a rise in copycat scenarios and their heavy use of violent gaming, exploitation to online echo chambers and love of Marilyn Manson's angst heavy music was scapegoated by the media as reasons alongside their treatment at school as to why they decided to orchestrate this catastrophic attack.

What reasons listed on the factsheet that could possibly explain the Columbine Shooting Massacre?

  • Marilyn Manson's music
  • the alienation felt by teenagers who felt like outsiders
  • the ease and social acceptance of gun ownership
  • living in a socially and economically deprived area
  • desensitisation caused by access to violent video games, films, tv shows and the news.

What does Gerbner's cultivation theory suggest?

  • Repeated exposure to certain ideologies leads to normalisation of these values and they're accepted rather than considered. Through repetition, audiences can become densensitised towards negative or violent representations. An example of this would be the reaction of the youth on the presence of hate online. 

How does this cover link to cultivation theory?

  • The main copy on this front cover is 'UNDER-5s GLUED TO SCREENS 4 HOURS EACH DAY' this supports Gerbner's Cultivation theory since it's main idea is that 'repeated exposure' - the 4 hours EACH day- leads to 'normalisation of values' which means the content they're absorbing will become as embedded into their ethics and growth as parental influence and these values are less likely to be taken seriously since the developmental years of a child are vital to growth, the hypothesis that these children will become desensitised to the violent and harmful content they're exposed to isn't a far reached thought. It could have negative implications as suggested by Gerbner's theory however educational content such as simplified youtube videos to help learn basic knowledge could actually aid their intellectual growth.  

What does the factsheet suggest about action films and the values and ideologies that are reinforced with regards to violence?

  • That there are 'good' and 'bad' types of violence and that certain actions can be justified with circumstance. It is used as a device for the hero to get his goal and the only reason we turn a blind eye to the hero's actions is that we consider the hero's moral afflictions and sympathise with them over the antagonist.

What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet?

  • the hypodermic needle theory is disregarded since it makes simplified judgments on the audience and displays them as pliant
  • It is not an accurate reading of the audience since it blames one single factor without considering external factors such as exposure to violence through familial issues etc.
  • There is little evidence to support this theory to the highest degree since it is vague and lacks the complexity that is needed within media contexts and diverse audiences and their reception of the media. 

Why might 1970s sitcom 'Love Thy Neighbour' be considered so controversial today? What does this tell us about reception theory and how audiences create meaning? What are examples of Hall's preferred, oppositional and negotiated readings?

  • Love thy neighbour conformed with many racist ideologies of the seventies that are no longer accepted in our social climate - the use of racist language and ideas by character, Eddie, would be seen as tone deaf and backwards in today's society similar to it's reception being seen as politically incorrect in the times of it's release, since the audience is much less tolerant to bigotry and would interpret the use of racist slurs as an acceptance or tolerance of racist language in media texts. Bill, getting the last laugh and no consequences to his actions could perhaps be interpreted as perpetuating anti-white ideology to be a more counter-hegemonic reading to the audience and the writing could be criticised for the disparity in race issues and how they are handled in a politically incorrect manner. This could also be interpreted as empowering Black people as they get to see a racist character get his comeuppance on mainstream media especially since their representation onscreen or lack thereof, is usually at a detriment to their white counterparts. It could also be taken as a negative since it portrays a black character as bitter and antagonistic and enforces prejudicial views and stereotypes surrounding black people, even today, which some people might see as a sheer conformity to stereotypes of the black community as well as the stereotypes of a white community through the main characters. In relation to Hall's theory perhaps the preferred reason was that both races take part in racially charged insults but that race shouldn't be used as an attack technique, the negotiated meaning could be that racial attacks for black and white people are both prevalent however Black people deserve the social lenience or the 'winning hand' due to previous social treatment and ongoing social treatment in the media until the late 90s and even today. The oppositional reading would be that racism is a humorous colloquialism and can be accepted in some circumstances regardless of context and parents especially in modern times would be opposed to exposing their children to this sitcom due to its tone deaf writing and ignorance laced ideologies. 

What audience theory do you think is the most convincing? Why? 


  • The hypodermic needle theory suggests that the audience is completely pliable and media influence can guarantee complete conformity from those absorbing the media, which in today's social climate and heavy internet use can be supported by the way audiences react, in relation to Hall's reception theory, to form their own ideologies and opinions on media texts and issues. Due to this, I believe that Gerbner's Cultivation theory is the most plausible audience theory, It suggests that the media impacts attitudes rather than behaviours and includes the media as a part of human socialisation - this can be supported through the changes in political lenience in America with the introduction of social media into campaigns, allowing voters to be more educated on policies or to share their own opinions, in hopes to influence other people absorbing the media at an accelerated rate. However, Hall's reception theory raises an important question on the power balance of the media and the audience, and that the media can perpetuate any ideology and it's up to the audience to interpret the meaning and importance - this works hand in hand with Gerbner's theory as persistent, ongoing exposure to the same opinions are naturally going to impact your thought process or perspective. This is why i believe that Gerbner's theory is the most convincing since prolonged, consistent exposure is undeniably going to have social and psychological impacts on the human mind. 



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