Passive and Active Audiences

2. Two theories which are associated with the effects debate are the hypodermic syringe and the inoculation model also known as the desensitisation model .The hypodermic syringe is a short term effect theory, which according to this theory the audience receive an ‘injection’ of a media text. It could be negative (e.g. a violent murder) or positive (e.g. a heroic act) and the audience are stimulated in response. An example of this is the incident in Columbine Elementary School, where two guys killed 13 people and injured 24 others, people believed that the ‘matrix’ was the main factor and it had a big influence on them for the shootings.

However the inoculation model suggests that the long term exposure to repeated media messages makes audiences ‘immune’ to them. An example of this is the killings of the soldiers every day, when it comes on the news people are no longer shocked by it because it’s very common now and we get used to seeing it.

 

3. An active audience suggests that they have their own opinions and also we decide what the media does for us. The gratification model shows this which is split into four different categories, Escapism and Entertainment, Social Interaction, Personal Identity and Information and Knowledge.

However an passive audience suggests that all audiences are like puppets, they respond to however media texts and producers wish them to do. I think that the hypodermic syringe model is a great example of this, again the Columbine Elementary School suggests that they consumed a ‘negative’ piece of media text which led them to kill 13 people.

 

4. I think that violence on television to a certain extent can cause violent behaviour and they can influence people by making people think that all kind of violence can harm them and I think that the hypodermic syringe model can come into this because the media makes us believe this but also I think that the inoculation model can come into this as well because we get used to hearing stuff like this.

 

5. I think that active audiences are more acceptable than passive audiences because active audience theories give us more of an individuality whereas passive audiences are defined as one big group.

 

6. A particular media text that I enjoy is Sky 1’s ‘An Idiot Abroad’. The use of gratifications model that would explain better why I enjoy it so much is Escapism and Entertainment because its a humorous programme which allows me to relax and step away from things around me in my own life and instead I can receive laughter. Also Social Interaction can come into this as well because I can come into college and talk to my friends about it asking them if they seen this part and what we found funny about the episode.

7. The advert that I have used is a drink driving advert. A preferred audience member would take in the dangers and take into perspective that drink driving is extremely dangerous. An oppositional audience member would try to say its sexist because males are usually used in drink driving adverts instead of women, but women are always seemed as the victims.