This document discusses reception theory, which was proposed by Stuart Hall in the 1970s as an improvement over uses and gratifications theory and effects theory. Reception theory suggests that media producers encode hidden meanings into texts that they want audiences to receive. Audiences can be dominant, negotiated, or oppositional in how they receive these messages. Dominant audiences agree with what they hear. Negotiated audiences both agree and disagree, or have questions. Oppositional audiences realize the message but reject it due to their own views.

1. Relevant Audience Theories
for British Film Drama’s

2. Reception theory
This theory was put forward by Stuart Hall in the 1970’s, as there
were a few limitations with the uses and gratifications theory and
the effects theory that he solved with the reception theory.
This theory puts forward the idea that producers or directors
construct pieces of media text that are encoded with a hidden
meaning that they want to convey across their audience. If this is
done successfully the audience will pick up on it but will need
reminding throughout the film.
The 3 types of audiences reading messages he identified are:
• Dominant
• Negotiated
• Oppositional

3. Dominant
This is about what the audience wants to hear from
someone in a piece of media text and agree with
whatever is being said, with limited knowledge on the
subject .
E.g. political speakers saying what the public want to
hear, like increased minimum wage.

4. Negotiated
This is when the audience agrees, disagrees, or has
questions about a piece of media text.
E.g. people question the validity of news in this day
and age as a lot of articles are sponsor by big
companies that pay news sources to help market their
brand.

5. Oppositional
This is where the audience realises the message but
intentionally opposes/rejects it due to their cultural or
political opinion. When the audience is in this state
you can not get any message across to them as
they’ve already made up their mind.