Reception Theory

Given that the Effects model and Uses and Gratification model have their problems and limitations however the academic Stuart Hall at Birmingham University developed a different approach to audiences in 1970’s. This considered how text were encoded with meaning by producers and then decoded by audiences.

The theory suggests that:

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

Stuart Hall identified three types of audience reading of the text:

1.     dominant or preferred reading

2.     negotiated reading

3.     oppositional reading

Dominant reading is where the audience decodes the message, as the producer wants them to do and broadly agrees with it; for example watching a political speech and agreeing with it.

Negotiated reading is where the audience accepts, rejects or refines elements of the text in light of previously held views; for example neither agreeing or disagreeing with the political speech or being disinterested.

Oppositional reading is where the dominant meaning is recognised but rejected for cultural, political or ideological reasons; for example total rejection of the political speech and active opposition.