This document summarizes three theories related to media audiences: effects theory, uses and gratifications theory, and reception theory. Effects theory postulates that audiences passively absorb media messages. Uses and gratifications theory holds that audiences actively use media to fulfill various needs. Reception theory views audiences as active interpreters of media texts, influenced by their social and cultural contexts.

1. Effects theory – (hypodermicsyringetheory) – what mediadoes to
audiences
Uses and gratifications – what audiencedoeswith the media
Reception theory – what audiencesdo to the media
Effects theory:
 Mass media and communication make people powerless to resist messages the
media carries.
 Consumers drugged and hypnotised
 Effectstheory taken up with protection of young.
 Historical - - Frankfurt school: Marxist German intellectuals reacting again Nazi
propaganda and US advertising, suggested the powerof big corporations and the
state to controlhow wethink.
 Rise of TV in the 50s and 60s – fear of danger to children.
 Influences of behavioural scientists (Pavlov’sdogs) – 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
 Twostep flow – media text – opinion leaders – media consumers
 What’s wrongwith the effectstheory:
 The problems with violenceare often social/psychologicalnot to do with the
media.
 The media can often be positive rather than harmful.
 Criticism of the media using the effectsmodel is oftenpolitically motivated.
 There is not real grounding of research and theory forthis 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 choiceabout whatwe watch
 Neglects any aspects of effectstheories.
 Neglects socio-economic factors.
Reception Theory:
 Often as opposite to effectstheories
 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.

2. David Morley 1980 – differentsocial/economic groups watchedsame 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?