1.2.2
Audiences 2
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Active and Passive Audiences
Audiences can be described as being ‘active’ or 'passive'.
'Active' audiences
- Audiences can be described as being ‘active’.
- An active audience refers to an audience that is involved in creating meaning of the product and so does not necessarily absorb the dominant messages being promoted by media products.
Uses and Gratifications theory
- Blumler and Katz’s theory of ‘Uses and Gratifications’ applies to active audiences.
- They argue an audience uses the text.
- For example, an audience member reads a magazine for diversion, and can watch a sci-fi film for escapism from real life.
- In this model, audience members have the power.
'Passive' audiences
- Audience members can also be viewed as ‘passive’.
- This is the idea that the audience is heavily influenced by the media and so will not question the messages it is promoting.
- Instead, a passive audience will adopt these views.
Active or passive
- Whether an audience is passive or active will depend on their experience of the media, and also their own views and beliefs.
- For example, an audience member who has little political knowledge is less likely to disagree with what they read in a newspaper as they may not have much prior experience of the subject, and therefore will be a passive audience.
Audience Positioning
Audiences can be positioned by media products. This means the product attempts to encourage the audience to respond in a certain way.
Charities
- In a charity advert, the audience is often positioned to feel empowered and to feel almost guilty.
- By positioning the audience in this way it subconsciously encourages the audience to donate to the cause.
- The way an audience is positioned will depend on the nature of the product.
Reception theory
- Stuart Hall’s reception theory can be applied to audience responses and readings of a product.
- Here, Hall stated that an audience can read the product in one of three ways:
- Dominant reading.
- Negotiated reading.
- Oppositional reading.
A dominant reading
- A dominant reading is where the audience agrees with and adopts the message encoded in the product.
A negotiated reading
- A negotiated reading will be where the audience agrees with elements of the product, however doesn’t fully adopt the messages encoded in the product.
An oppositional reading
- An oppositional reading is where the audience completely rejects the message encoded in the media product.
Individual differences
- Readings will differ depending on the audience member as people have different prior knowledge, different experiences of the world and different backgrounds.
1Overview
1.1Media Language
1.3Representation
2Component 1: Section A
2.1Magazines - Vogue
2.2Magazines - GQ
2.3Advertising & Marketing
2.4Print Advertisements - Quality Street
2.5Print Advertisements - (2026 Exams) This Girl Can
2.6Print Advertisements - (2027 Exams) NHS 111
2.7Film Posters (Marketing)
2.8Film - No Time To Die
2.9Newspapers
2.11The Guardian
2.12(2028 Exams) The Sun
2.13(2028 Exams) The Guardian
3Component 1: Section B
3.1Video Games
3.2Video Games - Fortnite
3.4Radio
3.5Radio - The Archers
3.6(2027 Exams) Radio - Desert Island Discs
4Component 2: Section A
4.1Television
4.3Sitcom - Modern Family
4.4Sitcom - Man Like Mobeen
4.5(2026 Exams) Luther
5Component 2: Section B
5.1Music Video
5.2Lizzo - 'Good as Hell'
5.3Taylor Swift - 'The Man'
5.4Stormzy - 'Superheroes'
5.5Justin Bieber - 'Intentions'
5.6TLC - 'Waterfalls'
5.7Duran Duran - 'Rio'
5.8Online Media - Lizzo
5.9Online Media - Taylor Swift
5.10Online Media - Stormzy
Jump to other topics
1Overview
1.1Media Language
1.3Representation
2Component 1: Section A
2.1Magazines - Vogue
2.2Magazines - GQ
2.3Advertising & Marketing
2.4Print Advertisements - Quality Street
2.5Print Advertisements - (2026 Exams) This Girl Can
2.6Print Advertisements - (2027 Exams) NHS 111
2.7Film Posters (Marketing)
2.8Film - No Time To Die
2.9Newspapers
2.11The Guardian
2.12(2028 Exams) The Sun
2.13(2028 Exams) The Guardian
3Component 1: Section B
3.1Video Games
3.2Video Games - Fortnite
3.4Radio
3.5Radio - The Archers
3.6(2027 Exams) Radio - Desert Island Discs
4Component 2: Section A
4.1Television
4.3Sitcom - Modern Family
4.4Sitcom - Man Like Mobeen
4.5(2026 Exams) Luther
5Component 2: Section B
5.1Music Video
5.2Lizzo - 'Good as Hell'
5.3Taylor Swift - 'The Man'
5.4Stormzy - 'Superheroes'
5.5Justin Bieber - 'Intentions'
5.6TLC - 'Waterfalls'
5.7Duran Duran - 'Rio'
5.8Online Media - Lizzo
5.9Online Media - Taylor Swift
5.10Online Media - Stormzy
Practice questions on Audiences 2
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1Factors that determine whether an audience is passive or active:Fill in the list
- 2
- 3
- 4Who first wrote about Reception Theory?Multiple choice
- 5
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