Audience's Questions Homework

1)

a) The Hypodermic Syringe Model & The Cultural Effects / Cultivation Model

b) The Hypodermic Syringe Model suggests that images and behaviour portrayed in media texts can reflect the way a consumer acts in real life. For example if someone is shown a violent text they will want to go out and commit a violent act. This is a very popular belief because there has been some cases where it's believed a violent media has made a person act a certain way, for example the horror film Childs Play 3 was blamed for the death of James Bulger. The problem with this theory is that it doesn't take into account a persons free will and moral compass, it almost sees consumers as cold hearted machines who just act the way people in imaginary films do. The Cultivation Model is the idea that our stereotypes of cultures around the world are reinforced by the media. For example that Italians are all gangsters and Liverpudlians are all thieves, it's not suggesting that the media initially puts the idea in our heads but that it reinforces what we already believe and think. The problem is in a lot of cases, stereotypes are unfair and absolutely do not let us see people within a culture as individuals. 

2)

The term 'Active' is used to describe an audience member that is engaged, involved, responsive, in control and free willed. It basically means making your own choice and having a free will in things like how a media text will effect us. The term 'Passive' describes an audience member that is easily manipulated, compliant, weak willed, follower (sheep), controlled and dominated. This means they can be easily swayed to have a certain opinion especially by media texts. 

3)

I do think that violent texts make a difference on how violence is viewed in our society. I believe the use of violence in media desensitises viewers and therefore they can get used to watching more and more violent scenes. I don't however agree that it causes us to be more violent in terms of going out and murdering someone. It may cause small violent acts like foul language and play fights but i don't think a media text should be blamed for someone killing or attacking another person. The reason i think this is because in a lot of cases, although killing and murder is shown, it is shown in a bad way as a bad thing that causes pain and heartbreak to everyone around the case. This certainly wouldn't make me want to inflict this on my community. 

4)

I believe the Active audience theories are more acceptable than the Passive theories because i think it's almost absurd to view a person as a coach potato that just gets swayed whichever way the media wants them to. The things that make us human are our personalities, opinions and beliefs. Passive theories view audience members as a whole, as a society, not as an individual. Which i think is ridiculous. For example i may have a certain opinion on a text that my best friend doesn't agree with. But because we're both female teenagers of the same age and viewing the same text, we're supposed to have the same opinion? That is not the case. 

5) 

A media text that i enjoy is CBS's 'Under the Dome' mainly because it provides an exciting form of escapism. Not only is this small town unexpectedly trapped under a huge alien-like dome with no explanation, but many humane problems start to arise. I feel this also provides news and surveillance as it really shows us how we'd most likely react under these circumstances when we feel trapped and under attack. Although this is based on fiction, it has hints of real life with bringing in things like the military and the idea of terrorism. It reminds me of things like 9/11 which were so shocking because they were so unexpected. And thats what keeps me watching. 

6)

a) http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-blog/blogs/radioshack_hot_dog.jpg this is the Robin Thicke Beats advert, the preferred reading for this ad would be that these speakers are the hip, sexy and 'cool' way to listen to music. Almost like the Beats company only want hot young people obsessed with sex to buy their products, much like Abercrombie and Fitch's advertising methods.

b) The ad is basically Robin Thicke's controversial but annoyingly catchy song Blurred Lines which is lined with innuendo's about drugs, sex and rape but the song undeniably appeals to The Mainstream who aren't interested in looking at the actual meaning of the song, just the generic beat that goes along with it and the sexy girls. The fact they literally just re did the music video with the placement of one tiny speaker just proves that this is exactly the target audience for the product too. The Oppositional reading for this ad would be that you have to be a common white girl groupie in order to buy this product.