Topic 6: Evaluate legal, ethical and regulatory issues associated with media products

Passive audience

Audience that merely observes an event than responding to it

Active audience

Audience that actively involved in making sense of the media (often unconscious)

Hypodermic theory

Audiences are ‘injected’ with ideas, values and messages through media products they consume

Hypodermic theory **PROs**

Highlights power of media to uphold social control

Hypodermic theory **CONs**

Audience are seen as passive and not able to think for themselves

Copycat theory

Audiences are influenced by deviant behaviours seen in media and will emulate the actions

Copycat theory **PROs**

Highlights the much debated notion that the media has become more **violent/sexualised/indecent** in the past few decades.

Copycat theory **CONs**

Assumes that the audience are largely **passive** and easily **influenced**

Ignores social factors such as upbringing, environment, lifestyle etc

Can cause moral panic

False Consciousness theory

The media acts as a distraction and lures people in as a sense of comfort

False Consciousness theory **PROs**

Considers the links between the media and the **perpetuation of ideological messages** that serve the interest of those in **power**

False Consciousness theory **CONs**

Audience are seen as passive and do not have their own thoughts

Cultivation theory

focuses on the long term ideologies effects that the media may have on audience

Cultivation theory **PROs**

* Audience seen as active
* Media has no immediate effect on audiences

Cultivation theory **CONs**

Focuses on the issue of power and social control

Reception theory

Producers encode messages and values into their own work which can be decoded differently based on different members of the audience

Reception theory **PROs**

* Audience are seen as active
* Considers social and cultural background of the audience

Reception theory **CONs**

Can lead to moral panic if thoughts are put into actions

Moral Panic

Exaggerated outburst of public concern over the morality or behaviour of a group in society

Folk Devil

Subject of a moral panic ( group being targeted)

Deviancy Amplification

Alleged consequence of moral panic

5 Stages of Moral Panic

1) Something/Someone perceived as threat to society

2) News media and community depict threat in a simpler form for the public

3) Widespread public concern

4) Response from authorities

5) Panic recedes or results in social change

Uses and Gratification theory

What audience do with media rather than what it does to them:

* **Diversion/Escapism** (enjoyment; pleasure; distraction)
* **Personal identity** (form a sense of your own identity from what you see)
* **Personal Relationships** (Water Cooler Effect; spark discussion and interaction with others)
* **Surveillance** (learning from the media; education)

Uses and Gratification theory PROs

* Active audience
* Media become more user generated

Uses and Gratification theory CONs

* ignores ‘audiences do not have control over construction of media texts’
* does not consider need for profit and agenda setting