AUDIENCE THEORIES!

There are four different types of media theories that are important in the industry to attract the widest target audience. The main theories are: 
                         1. The Hypodermic Syringe Theory

                         2. The Two Step Flow Theory

                         3. The Uses and Gratifications Theory

                         4. The Reception Theory

Hypodermic Syringe Theory

The Hypodermic Needle Theory, also known as the Magic Bullet Theory, was the first major theory involving the effect of the mass media on society. This theory started in the 1920s, it was based on the idea of an all-powerful media direct effects on the viewer or audience. The Hypodermic Needle Theory is an effects theory that contends viewers are passive, and directly affected by what they view; people accept the message they see without thinking of its message. In that way media content is shot at the audience like a magic bullet, directly penetrating the viewer' mind.

The audience passively receives the information that is given to them through the media. They are manipulated into what they’re being told and seeing is true.

Two Step Theory

This theory shows that information from the media moves in two distinct stages. First, individuals (opinion leaders) who pay close attention to the mass media and its messages. Opinion leaders pass on their own interpretations adding to the other media content. The term ‘personal influence’ refers to the process between the media’s direct message and the audience’s ultimate reaction to that message. Opinion leaders are quite influential in getting people to change their attitudes and behaviors and are quite similar to those they influence.

 Media is changed through other people before it gets to the audience and has time to influence their opinions, building on to the Hypodermic syringe theory. The best example of this would be TV Critics and how they can change information before it has a big effect on people. 

Uses and Gratifications Theory

Uses and Gratification theory suggests that media users play an active role in using the media. The theorists say that a media viewer seeks out a media source that best fulfills their need. Uses and gratifications assume that the user has alternate choices to satisfy their need.

The audience chooses what they want to see and believe. They use actively for their own use meaning they can watch what they want and create their own opinion.

The public is not a sitting target for the world of media, but claims we use it to suit ourselves, interpreting it in ways that we like and that work for us.

Reception theory

A persons gender, age, class and ethnicity effects how they receive and interpret particular information given to them by the media.

Reception theory argues that contextual factors, influence the way the spectator views the film or television program. Contextual factors include elements of the viewer's identity as well as circumstances of living and even broad social, historical, and political issues. In short, reception theory places the viewer in context, taking into account all of the different factors that might influence how she/he will read and create meaning from the text.
Producers can use particular conventions to make the audience see their film/television programme in the way they want to.