The document summarizes several media theories including the hypodermic needle theory, two-step flow theory, uses and gratification theory, reception theory, structuralism theories from Todorov, Levi-Strauss and Propp, participatory culture theories from Leadbeater, Anderson and Jenkins, and Web 2.0 theories on the changing nature of online participation and content creation. Key ideas covered include the influence of media on audiences, the role of opinion leaders, active audience choices, encoding and decoding of messages, narrative patterns, and the democratization of media through user-generated content and networking effects online.

3. Hypodermic Needle Theory
 This theory suggests that the information
from a media text passes through to the
audiences minds.
 This can get them to take control of
something. (e.g. Playing Call of Duty and
using the same effects in real life)
 The theory connects with MORAL PANICS
such as gaming addiction.

4. Two-Step Flow
 Explains the relationship between the audience and
the media text.
Information from the media moves into two different
stages:-
 First - Individuals who pay attention to the mass
media and its messages receive the information.
 Second – Opinion leaders pass on their own
interpretations in addition to the actual media
content

5. Uses and Gratification
 Blumler and Katz (1974) argued that audience needs have social and
psychological origins which generate certain expectations about the mass
media, leading to differential patterns of media exposure which result in both
the gratification of needs and in other (often unintended) consequences. This
does assume an active audience making motivated choices.
Social Uses of Television
 Environmental: background noise; companionship; entertainment
 Regulative: punctuation of time and activity; talk patterns
 Communication Facilitation: Experience illustration; common ground;
conversational entrance; anxiety reduction; agenda for talk; value clarification
 Affiliation/Avoidance: Physical, verbal contact/neglect; family solidarity;
family relaxant; conflict reduction; relationship maintenance
 Social Learning: Decision-making; behaviour modelling; problem-solving;
value transmission; legitimization; information dissemination; substitute
schooling
 Competence/Dominance: Role enactment; role reinforcement; substitute role
portrayal; intellectual validation; authority exercise; gatekeeping; argument
facilitation

6. Reception Theory
 Created by Stuart Hall
 Encoding/Decoding Model
 A media text is encoded by the producer
and then decoded by the reader.
 The audience can recognise the codes and
conventions within a media text. (e.g.- the
audience can tell why certain colours have
been used on a magazine front cover.)

8. Tvzetan Todorov
 Todorov has a 5 part theory which consists of the
Equilibrium.
The 5 part Equilibrium consists of :-
 Equilibrium
 Disruption of the Equilibrium
 Recognition of the Equilibrium
 Repair of the Equilibrium
 Return to the Equilibrium

9. Claude Levi-Strauss
 Using Narrative to find oppositions within a
media text.
 Binary Oppositions
 Oppositions can be visual.
 Such as light/darkness, movement/stillness,
man vs. woman, boy vs. girl, love/hate)

10. Vladimir Propp
 Theory consists of character types.
 Suggests that there are 31 functions within a story.
 Such as a villain that gains information about the victim.
He has spread these into 7 categories and they are:-
 The Villain
 The Donor
 The Helper
 The Princess
 The Dispatcher
 The Hero
 The False Hero

12. Charles Leadbeater
 We Think Theory
 This theory suggests that there is an open access knowledge which
allows building communities on the web to allow ideas to be
shared and tested much more quickly and effectively.
 Ultimately this leads to us becoming more creative and
innovative, as we are liberated from the usual institutional
constraints on how things are invented and changed by scientists
and academics.
 For example – Lily Allen and Ed Sheeran have used social network
websites such as MySpace and YouTube to upload their music so
that the audience can listen to it. This had led to them being
internet and worldwide sensations. They are now well-known
professional singers.

13. Chris Anderson: The Long Tail
 How the Internet has transformed economics,
commerce and consumption.
 Revenue from the niche products now adds up to
the same as blockbuster products.
 The internet allows the people to share and look
around for a wider variety of products. (e.g.
Google Shopping and eBay)
 Range of filtering services on the internet. (e.g.
Google and Yahoo)

14. David Buckingham
 Specializes in the study of media and its effect on
children.
 In 2009, he was made chairman of Advertising
Association and published a report saying that there
is no reason to suspect that changes in the media in
the past 15 years has had a damaging effect on
children.
 Applied cultural studies which approached to
analysing children’s experiences with TV and
electronic media.

15. David Gauntlett- Web 2.0
 Web 2.0 invites users to play.
 Tim Berner’s Lee had invented the internet so
that people can be creative and connected.
 ‘He imagined that browsing the web would be a
matter of writing and editing, not just searching
and reading’ (David Gauntlett Quote)
 We are seeing a shift away from a ‘sit back and be
told’ to a culture towards more of a ‘making and
doing’ culture.

16. Henry Jenkins
 Has researched into video games and their effects such
as investigating how boys and girls are affected by
video games.
 “Games represent a new lively art, one as appropriate
for the digital age as those earlier media aesthetic
experiences and transform the computer screen into a
realm of experimentation and innovation that is
broadly accessible”(Jenkins Quote)
 “Everyone is a producer of media as well as a
consumer”

17. Media Regulation
 Byron Report
 SOPA (Stop Online Privacy Act) vs. PIPA (Protection of
Intellectual Property Act)
 Silicon Valley vs. Hollywood - debated between each other
about protection of intellectual property and the rights of
freedom of speech.
 Hard to regulate everything on the internet as there is too
much going on within the internet . (e.g. Twitters use of the
super-injunction)

18. Moral Panics
 Terrorism
 Pornography
 Gambling Addictions
 Fraud
 Cyber Bullying
 Gaming Addictions
 Child Safety
 Viruses
 Grooming
 Hacking
 Illegal Downloading

19. Wikinomics
 Theory created by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams.
Had 5 ideas to do with the media and the internet:-
 Peering – The free sharing of material on the internet is good for
business when it cuts distribution costs to almost zero but its bad for
those who are trying to protect their ideas.
 Free Creativity – Is a natural and positive outcome of the free market.
 Democratised – The media is democratised by peering, free creativity
and the We Media journalism produced by ordinary people.
 Thinking Globally – Web 2.0 makes thinking globally inevitable. The
internet is a virtual space in which a new blog is created every second. In
this instantly global communication sphere, national and global
boundaries are inevitably reduced.
 Perfect Storm – The combination of three things, technology (Web
2.0), demographics and economics creates a perfect storm.

20. Web 2.0
 The term ‘web 2.0’ officially came in 2004 by Dale
Doherty.
There were 6 key ideas on how the internet is used :-
 Individual And User Generated Content (e.g.
YouTube)
 Harness The Power Of The Crowd (e.g. Twitter)
 Data On An Epic Scale (e.g. Wikipedia)
 Architecture Of Participation (e.g. World of
Warcraft)
 Network Effects (e.g. Flash Player)
 Openness (e.g. Dominos)