Stuart Hall 'reception theory' (audience)

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 the audience. The spectators will decode the text in different ways, not always in the way the producer intended.

There are aspects that can change how the audience views the video

• region
• religion
• sexuality
• social class
• age
• personal experience
• profession
• gender
• disability
• personal identity
• political views

The dominant message

• 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 ideal consumption has been met and the institution happy

The Negotiated message

• This is a compromise between the dominant and the oppositional readings, the audience accepts the views of the producer but also has their own input and understanding in relation to the text
• They don't agree or disagree but can understand the point being made.

The oppositional message

• the audience fully rejects the preferred reading and create their own reading of the text. They may be offended, upset and fail to see the intended message from the institutions.