Audience Theory

Hypodermic Needle Theory

The Hypodermic needle theory states that "a media text can 'inject' ideas, values and attitudes into a passive audience who might then act upon them. The theory also suggests that a media text has only one message which the audience must pick up. 

The theory suggests that the mass media influences a large group of people directly and uniformly by 'injecting or shooting' them with messages designed to trigger the desired response. 

For example, in relation to the representation of youths in the media, the majority of films centred around youth culture in the 1950s portrayed teenagers negatively, and as a result, the population were bombarded with purely negative representations. 

A portion of the audience were passive, accepting whatever the media provided them with, despite there being little evidence to prove their claims that teenagers were out-of-control and dangerous. 

Uses and Gratification Theory

The idea stems from the idea that audiences are a complex mixture of individuals who select media texts that best suit their needs. It suggests that media audiences are active and make active decisions about what they consume in relation to their social and cultural setting and needs. Meanings can be decoded, or 'negotiated' between the media producers intended reading and the audiences actual reading. 

Blumer & Katz (1975) went into greater details and identified four main uses:

1. Surveillance: This is our need to know what is going on in the world. By keeping up to date with the news, we feel we have the knowledge to avoid or deal with danger. We satisfy our curiosity and also feel safer. 

2. Personal Relationships/Social Interaction: This is our need to interact with other people. This is provided by forming virtual relationships with characters in soaps, films and all kinds of drama. 

Personal Identity: This is our need to define out identity and sense of self. Part of this is informed by making judgements about all sorts of people and things. This is where we choose tv programmes or newspapers that have similar beliefs to those we hold. We can identify and relate to characters or their situations. 

3. Diversion: This is the need to escape, entertainment and relaxation. All types of television programmes can be 'used' to wind down and offer diversion, as well as satisfying some of the other needs at the same time.