Audience Theories

Hypodermic Needle Theory:

This first theory surrounds the idea that audiences passively receive information from the media, accepting many ideas without real thought. In other words,  we are easily manipulated, and have our behaviour dictated, by media creators. It does originate from the 1920s however, suggesting this theory is less effective amongst the passive audiences of today; we are becoming much more involved with media, dictating the experience for ourselves. 

Two-Step Flow: 

Continuing from the previous theory, this two-step flow suggests that information surpasses important, influential figures, or 'opinion leaders', before reaching the wider audience. As a theory, the two-step flow presents the media to be less powerful, suggesting other factors such as personal beliefs can infiltrate an audience's interpretation. 

Uses and Gratifications: 

This important theory recognises the fact that audiences are increasingly becoming passive when it comes to reading media texts, bringing their individual preferences for their consumption of media. Charles Wright Mills, an American sociologist, suggested individuals follow the four functions when it comes to media: 

• To give people instruction
• To give individuals identity
• To give people aspiration 
• To give people a sense of escapism. 

In 1974 researchers Jay Blumler and Elihu Katz extended the uses and gratifications theory, publishing their own list of purposes for individual media choices:

• Diversion - escape from everyday problems and routine.
• Personal relationships - using the media for emotional and other interaction, for example substituting soap operas for family life.
• Personal Identity - finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behaviours and values from texts.
• Surveillance - Information which could be useful for living, for example weather reports, financial news or holiday bargains.

Reception Theory:

This final theory was highly influenced by Stuart Hall, a cultural theorist, who by producing his encoding/decoding model created the new idea that the same text may be interpreted differently depending on the individual. This includes their gender, class, age, ethnicity, beliefs etc; encoded by the producer, decoded by the audience. 

It is most important that I refer back to these different theories throughout the development of my music video, making sure to include recognised codes and conventions that can be easily interpreted by any individual within my target audience. This can be achieved by obtaining audience feedback throughout, making it more possible to create a strong final video.