Reception Theory

Reception Theory - Understanding Basics

• Founded by Stuart Hall; British
• Predominantly on Radio and Television.
• Reception Theory gives power and influence to both, the Media Text creator and the audience.
• Encoding (Creator):
• What is put into the Media Text, is what the creator wants it to have such as the camera angles/shots for producing a meaning.
• Decoding (Audience):
• Is the audiences interpretation of the creators coding/meaning.
• Reception Theory acknowledges that not everyone will not decode the same meaning.

Reception Theory Concepts

• Three Types of Readings:
• Dominant Reading: The audience sees exactly what the creator wants them to see.
• Negotiated Reading: The audience mainly follows the Dominant Reading, apart from one issue of which is interpreted slightly differently due to possible influences e.g. Personal Life Experiences.
• Oppositional Reading: The audience completely rejects the Dominant Reading.
• Influences on interpretation of a Media Text:
• Age
• Gender
• Religion
• Personal Life Experience
• Culture
• Era
• Mood