Active & Passive Audience Homework

2 a/b) The Hypodermic Syringe model suggests that the Media is dangerous and the theory explains when the audience watch something or play a violent video games they are influenced to commit the crimes that they have just watched and the theory works around Copycat killings. There could be positive effects from the media text the audience consume for example a heroic act, on the other hand there are negative effects for example murder or violent acts. A example of negative effects is the Sandy Hook Massacre which was the killing of 26 children and 6 adult's at a Elementary school in America, this act was from a man who was obsessed with violent video games. These video games have been blamed for such violent acts! This type of theory suggests the audience is passive which means they are easy manipulated by the media.

Cultivation Model is the theory that is concerned with the long term effects of the beliefs that we have. This model doesn't suggest that the media controls every aspect of our lives it suggests that the media can put opinions and certain ideas into our heads, the theory explains that we have our own ideologies on the values that we believe in. The media has influenced the audience to believe that 'Every teenager is violent' and the 'All the French eat Snails' this is a type of stereotyping which has been reinforced by the media but this doesn't mean everyone believes in these theories.

3) An active audience reception is an audience that is engaged with the media text by being free-willed and having there own opinions on the media they consume. The active audience isn't influenced by other peoples opinions because they are in control and have the ability to make up there own judgements when there interrupting the world around them. The uses and gratification theory believes audiences make active use of the media to fulfil their needs.

An passive audience reception is an audience which is the complete opposite to a active audience. The passive audience is easy manipulated and controlled by the media into doing uncontrollable things such as committing awful crimes which is influenced by the media they consume. The passive audience is portrayed as sheep because they follow the crowd by following the latest trends such as music, fashion, films and hobbies. They are also portrayed as pushovers because there opinions and views are influenced by the media.

4) I feel in some ways violent programmes can influence and put ideas into peoples heads to commit a awful crime. But on the other hand I feel that we all have a free will to live life the way we want to and people chose to do the wrong things because of their surroundings and upbringing. When I watch violent movies I don't feel the need to go out and commit violent crimes but everyone is different and someone may have mental issues and I feel they shouldn't consume media like that if that's how they feel.

5) I believe that active audience theories are more acceptable than passive audience theories because not everyone is easy manipulated by the media like the passive theory states. The passive theory basically suggests that everyone that watches a violent type of media they will go out and feel the need to copy what they have just seen and this is not the case. The active audience shows that people are free-willed to make there own assumptions up about things. Also the active audience shows individuality by suggesting that the audience can make there own mind up about the things they like instead of following the crowd (passive).

6) The media text I particularly like is Geordie Shore and using the Uses and Gratifications theory I have sorted this programme into two categories which are 'Escapism/Entertainment' and 'Social Interaction'. I feel that this programme falls into the category the Entertainment category because that's the type of show it is, they do vile things on TV to provide entertainment to the public. I feel that Geordie shore mostly fits the Social Interaction category because when its on everyone on social media websites such as twitter, tweets about the show and basically you don't even need to be watching it to find out what's happening if your on twitter. Also texting your friends and having a discussion about the programme and who you like and hate is a part of the social aspect. The programme has become a popular MTV programme and was influenced by America's MTV Jersey shore. Geordie shore portrays life in Newcastle as a young adult going out and getting drunk and what people get up to when there out which involves arguments and tantrums for the audiences entertainment.

7a) A preferred reading for this advertisement would be don't take drugs and drive because it is dangerous and the ad basically tells us that you will get caught while doing it. The advertisement shows a young man clearly controlled by the drugs he has taken and the eyes being so big to show how bad drugs actually can be in someone else's position. This will make the preferred audience more worthy of taking drugs because they are dangerous and driving when under the influence could cause serious consequences.

b) A oppositional reading for this advertisement would point out immediately that the person in the photo is young and stereotype all young people to be the ones causing accidents by drugs because there the ones that take them. They may believe that the eyes on the photo are to much out of context and don't look real because they've been edited that much to make it look worst than it already is.