Reception Theory

-given that the Effects model and the Uses and Gratifications model have their own problems and limitations a different approach to audience was developed by the academic Stuart Hall at Birmingham University in the 1970's

-this considered how texts were encolded with meaning by producers and them decoded (understood) by audience

-the theory suggests that:-

• when a producer constructs a text it is encoled with a meaning or message that the producer wishes to convey to the audience
• in some instances audiences will correctly decode the message or meaning and understand what the producer was tryingm to say
• in some instances the audience will either reject or fail to correctly understand the message

-Stuart Hall identified three types of audience readings (or decoding) of the texts

1). Dominant:- where the audience decodes the messageas the producer wants them to do and broadly agrees with it

-e.g watchinga policital speech and agreeing with it

2). Negotiated:- where the audience accepts, rejects or refines elements fo the text in light of previously held views

-e.g neither agreeing or disagreeing with the polictical speech or being disinterested

3). Oppositional:- where the dominant meaning is recognised but rejected for cultural, political or ideological reasons

-e.g total rejection of the political speech and active opposition.