Class Notes on Audience Theory Reading

Philip J Hanes


Philip J Hanes stated that texts have many different possible meanings, which are then interpreted by the audience. Andrew Hart believes that audiences are vital in communication, as the media wouldn't exist without them, as it wouldn't have a propose. The Frankfurt school developed the Effects model. The main idea of this, is the Hypodermic syringe in which it believes that a person is vulnerable to media messages, as they believe the audience is injected with the thoughts, attitudes, opinions and beliefs of the producers through the media without any questioning.

I think that this explanation is relevant to the time period, as this was their only source of media, and they wouldn't have known any different, and would have believed anything the read or heard. when television was first introduced in the 90's, research showed that violent programmes reflected into their society. But this was later discarded, as they came to the conclusion that media wasn't the primary source of violence in society, but personal contact and religion was a more likely influence than the media. This effects model has been described as an inadequate representation between the media and public as it does not take into account their own beliefs, opinions, attitudes and ideals. I agree with this second idea, as everyone has different personalities and is entitled to their own opinions. Also, people who are in favour of the Effects model are assuming that the audience are passive in interpreting the text, and that the text is very powerful in influencing the audience. Overall however it is impossible to measure the effects of the media.

Uses and Gratification Model

Theorists do not look into how the media effects audiences, but how the audiences were using the media, and how the audience's point of view, in relation to the media. As audiences have specific needs, they actively turn to the media to consume these texts to satisfy their needs. Here, they have a choice of texts to choose from to satisfy their needs, and according to the effects model, the audiences are seen as active rather than passive.

Bulmer and Katz suggested four main needs for audiences:
-Diversion - a form of escaping from everyday life pressures and stresses
-Personal Relationships - the viewer gains a companionship with the characters, or through conversation with others about television.
-Personal Identity - where the viewer is able to compare, explore, re-affirm or question their life with the lives or situations of characters on a programme.
-Surveillance - this is where the media is looked upon for information about the events around the world.
There are some limitations with the Uses and Gratifications Model. The model implies that the message that are put across in the media, will be read the same by everyone watching, and does not consider how the messages will be read differently or any other factors affecting their interpretation. Another limitation concentrates on why audiences consume media texts rather than investigating what the meanings and interpretations are formed and in what circumstances.

Both of these models ignore the audience and their social background and how they form the interpretations of the media messages and their specific relationship with media texts.

Gaultlette