This theory proposes that media producers encode messages in media products and audiences decode and make meaning from those messages based on their own experiences and perspectives, leading to different readings. There are three types of readings: preferred, where the audience agrees with the intended message; negotiated, where the audience somewhat agrees but adjusts the message; and oppositional, where the audience opposes the intended message. The theory sees audiences as active rather than passive in making their own interpretations rather than just accepting the producer's message. It is not heavily criticized as it does not assume audiences will simply accept information but can understand it in multiple ways.

1. Theory: Reception theory
Theorists:
Stuart Hall
What isthe theory?
Thistheoryhas twoparts: the firstpart is encodinganddecoding. Encodingiswhere a
mediaproducerfillsaproductwitha message,whattheywantpeople tonotice/hear.For
example, Newspapers encode byusingcaptionsontheirimagesandusingemotive
headlines,whichshowsthe audience theirideas.Decodingiswhereaconsumerof a media
product‘decodes’(receives) the messageencodedbymediaproducer. Forexample,the
audience canunderstandamessage beingputwithinanewspaper,bythe publisher.
However,whenthe audience isdecodingatype of media,theywill decodeitin theirown
way, dependingontheirown experiences,leavingroomforinterpretation. Forexample,
songwriters will tryconveysomethingtothe audience like acertain emotion,howeverthe
audience will create theirownmeaningtoasong,whichmay be completelydifferent to
otherpeople.
The secondpart of the theoryreferstohow someone understandsamediaproductafter
theydecodedit.There is3 waysaccording to StuartHall whichwe can understandamedia
product:preferred,negotiatedandoppositional understanding. Preferredmeansthatthe
readeragreeswiththe message and understands it.Negotiated meansreaderkindof
acceptsthe preferredreading butchangesitto fittheirown position,experiencesand
interests.Oppositional iswhere the readeropposesagainstthe preferredreading.
Doesthistheorysee the audience asactive orpassive?Whydo youthinkthis?
I thinkthistheoryisveryactive inthe way that audience willapplytheirownideasand
viewstomessage giventothemina mediaproduct. The audience willreadatext
dependingontheirownvalues,experiencesandbackgroundsonomessage will be
interpretedexactlythe same. People whohave similarideasandvaluestothatwho
createdthe product are likelytohave a preferredreading.However,peoplewhohave
ideasandvalueswhichare opposingordifferentare likelytohave anoppositional reading.
What are the criticismsof thistheory?
I don’tthinkthere ismuch criticismof thistheorybecause itdoesn’tassume the audience
will acceptthe informationgiventothem.Forexample,theycaneitheragree withthe
message,change the message ordisagree withthe messagegiventotheminthe media
accordingto theirownideasor values.

2. Applythe theory:
I thinkall elementsinamediaproduct,placedbya mediaproducer,are put togetherand
worktogetherto give the audience amessage.
Preferred-
If I wasreadinga newspaperaboutanarticle abouta murderor a terroristattack.The
article will be made toinformpeople andmake themsympatheticandemotional towards
whathas happened.Also,itwillmake youhave anegative view towardsthe personwho
didthe crime.My readingwouldbe preferredbecauseitisobviouslyupsetting news.I
wouldalsohave a negative opinionof whoisresponsible. Tomake sure people have a
preferredreadingthe magazinewouldprovide negative imageryandwordsinthe story.
Negotiated-
If I sawsomethingnegative aboutTheresamayonTV,I wouldhave a negotiatedreading.
Theywill have done thistomake yourviewstowardsTheresanegative,thereforemaking
youvote anotherparty. Theymaydo thisby comparingherto somethingthatyousee as
negative;forexampleJeremycorbynwasreferredtoas‘cor-bin’. Ipreferlabourtothe
conservativessoI’dleantowardsagree withthe message,butIdon’tknow that much on
politics. Iwouldhave anegotiatedreadingbecause Iknow enoughaboutpoliticstototal
agree withsomethingbashingTheresa,but atthe same time I don’tdisagree either.
Oppositional-
I wouldhave a oppositional readingIf Isaw something aboutprofox huntingbecause I
don’tagree withfox hunting.Forexample,anewspaperarticle maysay ‘Fox attacksa full
flockof sheep’.The preferredreadingof thiswouldbe thatIfeel negative towardsthe fox,
therefore beingleadinto thinkingthatfox huntingisgoodidea. Iwouldobviouslyfeel bad
for the sheepbutdoingthe same to fox’s,isjustasnasty.So I woulddisagree withthat
reading.