Audience theory: key notes and terminology

 Passive & Active


Passive: This is the view that audiences passively take in information from the media and that these messages have the same effect on everyone.

Active: This is the more modern and generally accepted view that audiences interact with and make conscious choices regarding the media they consume.


Hypodermic Needle Theory

This is the suggestion that audiences are always passive and therefore take the intended message from the producer as if it was injected into their minds. This assumes no individual difference in audience members. 


Two-step flow theory

This is the theory that consumers form their opinions based on opinion leaders like newspapers, politicians and, nowadays, celebrities.


Uses and Gratifications - Blumler & Katz

INFORMATION/SURVEILLANCE: learning information that you did not already know or that is useful for living (e.g. documentaries; weather or traffic). 
IDENTITY: personally relating to something - seeing your lifestyle on screen.
DIVERSION/ENTERTAINMENT: escapism and being entertained away from your normal life.
RELATIONSHIPS: social interaction, caring about characters or celebrities, forming relationships e.g watching a soap opera for a long time because you care about what happens to long-standing characters.


The 3 Vs

VISCERAL PLEASURE: Physical thrill of watching something e.g hairs on the back of your neck in a horror film, sport, big explosions. 
VICARIOUS PLEASURE: Experiencing something through the characters. 
VOYEURISTIC PLEASURE: Watching people e.g hidden camera shows / elements of reality TV like Big Brother.


Audience effects theory: blog tasks



Create a new blogpost called ‘Audience Effects Theory’ and complete the following tasks:

1) Write a definition of a passive audience: content that we consume without needing to interact with it.

2) Write a definition of an active audience: engages, interprets and responds to a media text in different ways and is capable of challenging the ideas encoded in it.

3) Write a definition of the hypodermic needle theory: A linear communication theory which suggests that the media has a direct and powerful influence on audiences, like being injected with a hypodermic needle.

4) Write down a media product (e.g. TV show, newspaper or videogame) for each category of Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory and WHY it fits that particular audience use/gratification. The first one is done for you: 

Personal Identity: "The Simpsons" (TV series)

  • Why it fits: The Simpsons allows viewers to reflect on and explore their own identity through satirical commentary on American family life, societal norms, and cultural issues. Fans may identify with the characters' struggles, values, or humor, helping them reaffirm their own personal beliefs, norms, and worldview.

INFORMATION/SURVEILLANCE: Media text - The Times newspaper
 > Why: It tells audiences important information about politics, the world and more.
PERSONAL IDENTITY: 
 > Why:  
DIVERSION/ENTERTAINMENT: 
 > Why: 
RELATIONSHIPS:
 > Why: 

Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications Theory posits that audiences actively seek out media to satisfy specific needs or gratifications. The theory divides these needs into categories such as Diversion, Personal Relationships, Personal Identity, and Surveillance. Below are examples of media products for each category and explanations for why they fit their respective audience's use/gratification:

1. Diversion: "The Office" (U.S. TV series)

  • Why it fits: This sitcom provides an escape for viewers who seek relaxation and entertainment. The humor, quirky characters, and lighthearted plots allow viewers to temporarily forget about their everyday stresses and engage in a form of diversionary entertainment.

2. Personal Relationships: "Friends" (TV series)

  • Why it fits: Audiences often watch Friends as a way to connect with the characters and form emotional bonds with them. The close-knit group dynamic and relatable friendship themes encourage viewers to identify with the characters, creating a sense of personal connection and attachment.

3. Personal Identity: "The Simpsons" (TV series)

  • Why it fits: The Simpsons allows viewers to reflect on and explore their own identity through satirical commentary on American family life, societal norms, and cultural issues. Fans may identify with the characters' struggles, values, or humor, helping them reaffirm their own personal beliefs, norms, and worldview.

4. Surveillance: "BBC News" (News outlet)

  • Why it fits: News programs like BBC News serve a s a resource for viewers seeking information about current events, global issues, and societal changes. This media product caters to the audience's need for surveillance by providing factual, real-time updates on important developments, helping individuals stay informed and aware of the world around them.

5. Escape: "World of Warcraft" (Video game)

  • Why it fits: World of Warcraft provides players with an immersive, fantastical world where they can escape their daily lives, assuming new roles and facing challenges in a virtual universe. The game fulfills the audience's need for an immersive, alternate reality where they can leave behind the stresses of the real world.

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