Audience Theory

This will be the first of the music video post.

This post is on the four theories about the audience, I will explain the theory and how these theories relate to music videos.

Hypodermic Needle Theory: This theory implies that mass media has a large influence on the audience. This theory was first observed due to the response of people to propaganda posters and advertisement. The theory states that the way information is given in a linear and direct way, the audience is passive (more information below) and that they respond to the information in the same way, this theory is no longer regarded as true due to the increase of social media allowing people the ability to be more active in their response. This theory relates to how the music video presents the artists of the video and the imagery, how this influences the audience about artist's looks and the way the preserve the genre.

Passive and Active Consumption: This theory takes about the ways that the audience reacts to the media product. Passive response means that the audience does not have an opinion and will not pay much attention to the product. Active response means that the audience will have an opinion and will react to the product, in either praise or criticism. This theory relates to how many people who watch the music video will feedback on the video, if the majority don't feedback then it means that I have not done enough to get their attention.

Reception Theory: This is how an audience of different backgrounds will perceive the message. I have already talked about this in my previous post so this mean I don't need to go over this. I will however talk about how it relates to the music video, this will tie into the Passive and Active Consumption Theory above, how events that lead up to the point they view the products effect how they react to the product.

 

Uses and Gratification Theory: This theory is an approach on how people understand media; sometimes it is for Diversion: the need to escape from reality, Personal relationship: when the person uses the media product to form relationships with others, Personal Identity: where the person uses the product as a way to find who they our, what they like, sometimes the way a person is portrayed in the product reflect us, finally there is the use of Surveillance: when the person is using the product to find out about current events and/ or issues. The theory applies to the music as how the audience uses the product, they may wish to view the video as a way to escape currents events in life e.g. taking a break from work, they may also wish to use it as a way to become apart of the social that enjoy the artist of the music and discuss it, they may use it to find who they our, if they like the video they can get a better understanding of themselves, the video can also help the audience to get information about the artist e.g. the current image that he/ her are presenting themselves as, either as a one-off or as their famous and most identifiable image.