Audience Theory
The Effects Model theory suggests the media inject ideas into a passive audience. The media could be described as a drug being supplied to the audience. The media is also referred to as 'the mass media' and 'mass communication' this is because it emphasises the size and scale of their activities. This theory is supported when there are moral panic's in society, where it is used to explain why certain groups in society shouldn't be to exposed to certain media texts. This is because here may be a chance they will reenact the sexual or violent behaviour they have watched or read. For example when the media supplied the idea that listening to Marilyn Manson makes you violent and aggressive, and there was a moral panic where different groups in society raised against Marilyn Manson. An experiment called 'the bobo doll' showed children to act aggressive and violent towards a doll after watching a film that had content of adults being aggressive and violent to a bobo doll. This theory shows the effects of the media are usually assumed to be negative. Its mass audience are assumed to be the 'weaker' members of society.
The Uses and Gratifications theory suggests that the media audiences make active use of what the media offer. The audience has a set of needs that the media can supply in one way or another. The audience are imagined to use media texts to satisfy needs and interest they have individually. They are seen to be made up of individuals free to agree or disagree with media forms, instead of being a passive audience doped with the media.The power lies with the consumer. Studies done in 1940's-50's in America contradict the Effects Theory, as the audience didn't accept what the media had to say, the were actively responding to what they had seen, watched or read. In these studies they found it interesting that when it came to politics' the audience focused on the messages that reinforced their individual thoughts and beliefs. They concluded that audiences were composed of different social and culture groups with different thoughts and beliefs. An issue with this theory is that it is very simplistic, and everyone would rather say they were an active audience with a choice instead of passive just being told information and with no question believing it.
As just stated everyone would rather say they were an active audience and I'm no different, I believe I am an active audience because i like to question what i am being told, but when watching adverts on beauty and hair products I would say I am a passive audience. When i see an advert for L'orial or rimmel and they are saying it their foundation makes your skin flawless i tend to believe and buy their products, i don't question how they have made this assumption or look for information on it. This is a passive response to what i have seen for a media text. Then on the other side when I see and advert on TV for adopting a cat or dog, and by giving £2 each month it would help, this I get quite annoyed by because how can my £2 help at all when i get sent, pictures, letter and soft toys? Surely the gifts i receive for donating costs more than £2, it seems to defeat the object of giving to 'charity', this is an active response to a media text i have seen.
There are certain different media forms that demand either a passive or active audience. The advertising industry demands a passive audience as they don't want to you to question what they are telling you, they want you to see, want, buy their product. Also Tv soaps want you to be passive and believe in the their soap being reality for the full 30minutes they show for. Then theres is programmes such as X Factor, The Voice, and Britain's got talent that want you to be an active audience and share your opinion, their would be no show with out active audiences voting for different acts.
In my opinion i believe that the Uses and Gratifications theory is more useful and convincing because it allows use all to use media texts for our own needs, pleasures and entertainment. Then there is evidence that the Effects model is a convincing, when it comes to video games and the violence and death that they show, can lead to certain members of the audiences to killing their own parents. Then we do need to think about the other factors that are in these specific case as it is only a small amount of the audience that do things like this.
As just stated everyone would rather say they were an active audience and I'm no different, I believe I am an active audience because i like to question what i am being told, but when watching adverts on beauty and hair products I would say I am a passive audience. When i see an advert for L'orial or rimmel and they are saying it their foundation makes your skin flawless i tend to believe and buy their products, i don't question how they have made this assumption or look for information on it. This is a passive response to what i have seen for a media text. Then on the other side when I see and advert on TV for adopting a cat or dog, and by giving £2 each month it would help, this I get quite annoyed by because how can my £2 help at all when i get sent, pictures, letter and soft toys? Surely the gifts i receive for donating costs more than £2, it seems to defeat the object of giving to 'charity', this is an active response to a media text i have seen.
There are certain different media forms that demand either a passive or active audience. The advertising industry demands a passive audience as they don't want to you to question what they are telling you, they want you to see, want, buy their product. Also Tv soaps want you to be passive and believe in the their soap being reality for the full 30minutes they show for. Then theres is programmes such as X Factor, The Voice, and Britain's got talent that want you to be an active audience and share your opinion, their would be no show with out active audiences voting for different acts.
In my opinion i believe that the Uses and Gratifications theory is more useful and convincing because it allows use all to use media texts for our own needs, pleasures and entertainment. Then there is evidence that the Effects model is a convincing, when it comes to video games and the violence and death that they show, can lead to certain members of the audiences to killing their own parents. Then we do need to think about the other factors that are in these specific case as it is only a small amount of the audience that do things like this.
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