Media Notes Written up

The Producer is someone who makes the media.
The Consumer is someone who reads the media.
The media is a text that people read.

The system of encoding and decoding is:
The producer encodes the text then the text is transmitted and the consumer decodes the text.

The encoding and decoding has to be right to work. For example if the message was in a different language and the receiver doesnt know that language the receiver could miss interpret it. Therefore both messages have to match.

Key words in Media

Gate Keeper- Decides what they put through to the media/news or not e.g sensor who decides what age you have to be to watch certain films.

Prefer reading- Where the consumer takes away what the producer was intended.

Denotation- That there are empty bottles on the table and two people sitting on the sofa.

Connation- That they are drunk and have drank them.

Oppositional reading- When someone makes a conscious rejection or subversion of the preferred meaning.

Negotiated reading- When someone understands the meaning but doesn't relate to them so its of no interest to them to decode it.

Semiology- The study of signs and symbols.

Mode of Address- The way the media talks to there audience e.g the news is very formal, theres no negotiations, the reporter talks directly to the camera. This makes the audience trust them as they are being direct and authoritative. This media also makes the audience learn.

The effect that media has on the audience.

Hypodermic Needle Theory

This theory has a direct effect on its audience. The theory suggests that the media passes through to the conscience of the audience that are passive. Directly by injecting them with messages that trigger a desired response. This producer (media maker) manipulates the audience and changes there view, behaviour and thinking of the media text. The audience take this in and trust what the media are presenting to them.


The step flow Theory 
This theory shows that the audiences thinking and behaviour is proceeded through by opinion leaders.  The individuals called opinion leaders who pay close attention to the media and its messages receive the information. The opinion leaders then pass on there own interpretations to the media content.Opinion leaders are quite influential in getting people to change there attitudes and views on the media. The audience follow the opinion leaders views and then become passive. The audience take this is in not directly like the hypodermic needle modle theory but by a two step flow. For example if Jeremy Clarkson says that a certain car is bad then the audience would automatically not go out and buy the car.

Gratification Theory
This theory tends to give an audience a bit more respect as active decisions are made. The members of the audience aren't passive but take an active role of taking in and interpreting media in there own life's. This theory is less controlling as the audience are making there own decision of how there going to interpret the media.
Diversion- Escape or emotional release from daily pressure.
Personal Relationship- Virtual companionship and socialilrity of discussing T.V with others.
Surveillance- Finding out whats going on in the world- Voyeurism.
De-sensatised- If you see something a lot of times you will sensitise yourself to it e.g phobias.