Reception theory

Stuart Hall

How many different ways can this advert be read?

How different ways can this advert be read?

Aims

• To understand Stuart Halls Reception theory.

• To understand the 3 ways an audience can understand and read a text.

• To create an advert and to see how an audience can consume it in different ways.

Reception theory Stuart Hall

• The reception theory states that media texts are encoded by the producer meaning that whoever produces the text fills the product with values and messages.

• The text is then decoded by spectators.• Different spectators will decode the text in

different ways, not always in the way the producer intended.

Reception theory

Dominant

• The dominant reading of a text is that the audience view the media text in the way the producer intended.

• The audience agree with the ideology and message behind the text.

• The audience will view the message in the way the producer wanted them to.

• i.e. a hand bag looks appealing to a female reader encouraging her to want to go out and buy it.

Negotiated

• This is a compromise between the dominant and oppositional readings, the audience accepts the views of the producer but also has their own input and understanding in relation to the text.

• They do not agree or disagree, they however can see the point being made in relation to the reading yet still have their own opinion.

• For e.g. they see a hand bag being advertised, they like the bag as it is beautiful and luxurious but could not justify spending x amount of money on a bag making the bag less appealing.

Oppositional

• The audience rejects the preferred reading and creates their own reading of the text.

• The audience reject the meaning fully as they do not agree with the message created for the audience.

• A woman sees an advert for a bag, they feel that women are being stereotyped in relation to the ad and reject its meaning fully as they feel women are categorised by appearance.

How may a audience have a

• Dominant understanding of your product?

• Clear messages• Audience is the same age so relates to product• From the same culture• Easy to understand narrative and they can relate to the

narrative in some way.• Relevant to society • Audience are choosing to consume the product so must

have a reason to like it in the first place

How may an audience have a

• Negotiated reading of your product:

• The audience may not have had the same life experiences

• May not understand the narrative in relation so therefore cannot relate to it in the intended way.

• Age may vary the reading and understanding• Do not understand all of the messages making it

unclear what the dominant reading is supposed to be.

How an audience may have a

• Oppositional reading of your product:

• Your product has controversial themes• Disagree with the messages in the video• Dis-like the genre• No understanding/ cannot relate to the narrative

structure• Is not reflective of society• Different cultures have different understandings.

Task 1

• To design an advert for a new product:• New ham burger at McDonalds• New perfume for a man/woman• New dress for a woman• New jeans for a man

• On the back state what the preferred reading, negotiated reading and oppositional reading could be of the advert you have just made.

Task 2

• Swap you advert with a person sitting near you.

• On the 3 post-it-notes state what the 3 readings of the product could be:

• Preferred• Negotiated • Oppositional

Exit pass

• Did the advert you created have more than one reading?

• How do you think the mass audience would respond to your advert in relation to Stuart Halls theory?

• What have you found challenging in todays lesson?