Cover Work: Audience Theory

Read Media Factsheet 030 - Media and Audiences -The Effects Debate and answer the following questions:

1) Complete the questions in the first activity box (beginning with 'Do you play violent games? Are you violent in real life?')
-->  I don't really play any violent video games or watch any violent videos, I am not violent at all in real life.

2) What are the four categories of different effects theories?
--> Bandura: Social Learning Theory
   Stanley Cohen: Moral Panic
   Tecnopanic: Modern Moral Panic
   George Gerbner: Cultivation Theory
3) What are the examples provided for the hypodermic needle theory - where media texts have been blamed for certain events? 
-->The media text that is provided as hypodermic theory which is used to blame for certain events are : Child's Play, Natural Born Killers, and Marilyn Manson 

4) What was the 1999 Columbine massacre? You may need to research this online in addition to the information on the factsheet.
-->The Columbine massacre was a school shooting that occurred in 1999 at the Columbine High School.In addition to the shootings, the complex and highly planned attack involved a fire bomb to divert firefighters, propane tanks converted to bombs placed in the cafeteria, 99 explosive devices, and car bombs.12 students and one teacher had been murdered and 21 people were injured in this activity.

5) What are the reasons listed on the factsheet to possibly explain the Columbine High School massacre?
-->Their reasons listed were, They wished their actions to rival the Oklahoma City bombing and other deadly incidents in the United States in the 1990s. 

6) What does Gerbner's Cultivation theory suggest?
-->The gerbners cultivation theory suggests and considers the way media affects attitudes rather than behavior According to this theory, while anyone media text does not have too much effect, repeated exposure to certain ideas and values may make the audience less critical.

7) How does this front page of the Daily Mail (from this week - Wednesday 16 November) link to Cultivation theory? The Mail Online version of the story is here.
-->This cover reinforces that young children should not use or be allowed by parents or guardians to use technology over excessively, This links to cultivation theory as it adopts the idea that society has become immune to this idea and the problems that come with it.


8) What does the factsheet suggest about action films and the values and ideologies that are reinforced with regards to violence?
--> The text does not encourage the audience to question the values presented and question whether what being showed is right or wrong, however, the action in films and the violence shown is supported as a way for the hero to reach his ultimate goal.
 
9) What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the fact sheet?
-->Two-Step Theory (Katz and Lagerfeld)
This theory acknowledges that we often access media texts with others or, if alone, we may well talk about our media experiences with our friends and family later. One argument is that these kinds of conversations have more influence on potential behavior than the media text itself. A theory that springs from this idea are called the two-step theory which says that, whatever our experience of the media, we are likely to discuss it with others. If we respect their opinion (the theory calls these people opinion leaders), the chances are that we may be affected by the opinion leaders’ responses as well as by the text
10) Why might the 1970s sitcom Love Thy Neighbour be considered so controversial today? What does this tell us about Reception theory and how audiences create meanings?
--> Love Thy Neighbour was hugely popular at the time of its broadcast; during an era in which Britain struggled to come to terms with its recently arrived population of black immigrants, Love Thy Neighbour exemplified this struggle. However, today it would arouse a great deal of controversy because views and meanings in society have changed. This supports Hall's Reception, Theory

11) What examples are provided for Hall's theory of preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings?
-->
12) Which audience theory do you think is most convincing? Why? It is important that you develop critical autonomy in judging the arguments for and against different theories and form your own opinion on these issues.\
-->I think the most convincing theory is the Cultivation theory as it reflects the modern society and it is not as simple as the hypodermic theory.