Reception theory

 Part 1) Applying Reception theory to adverts

Look back at the adverts you have been analysing in last week's lessons on Reading an Image and media codes (RBK 50 Cent and one of your choice). 

1) What are the preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings for the RBK 50 Cent advert? 

Preferred-The preferred reading of this advert is that Reebok is a understanding and non-judgemental brand which accepts people for who they are and don't judge people based on there past and see people for there individual personality as they are a growing brand that encourages people to be themselves. 

Negotiated-Some people may get confused to what the advert is about as it looks like the advert is mainly about 50 cent;this is because the brand Reebok is only shown on the bottom which isn't that big,Some people may not see the logo promoting Reebok as they may just scan through the advert as its not obvious the add is for Reebok.

Oppositional-Given that the fingerprints on the right side are associated with law enforcement and criminal investigations, some may think that Reebok is encouraging a lifestyle of crime. Furthermore, some might feel that they are endorsing gun violence because the filled-in o's and 0 might symbolises how 50 penny was shot in the past, leading them to conclude that the company encourages shootings.

2) What are the preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings for the advert of your own choice that you analysed for last week's work?

Remember to highlight or bold any media terminology you are using.

Part 2) Reception theory factsheet #218

Use our extremely useful A Level Media Factsheet archive to find Factsheet #218 Spotlight on Stuart Hall: Encoding, Decoding and Reception Theory. Read the factsheet and complete the following tasks and questions:

1) Complete Activity 1 on page 2 of the factsheet. Choose a media text you have enjoyed and apply the sender-message-channel-receiver model to the text. There is an example of how to do this in the factsheet (the freediving YouTube video).

2) What are the definitions of 'encoding' and 'decoding'?

Encoding-the initial process of compressing RAW video or to the process of re-encoding a video into a different format.

Decoding-how an audience member is able to understand, and interpret the message.

3) Why did Stuart Hall criticise the sender-message-channel-receiver model?

He thought that the meaning was being created dynamically, changing based on the individual receiving the information. He believed that there was more than one meaning even if the producers didn't intend to (polysemic).Also the producers of the work and the cultural product. 

4) What was Hall's circuit of communication model?

Production comprises the technical know-how and production techniques, target audience market research, and text consumption assumptions.

Circulation: The reading and interpretation of texts by audiences, as well as media technologies, services, and audience outreach methods. A text that effectively reaches its intended audience has been distributed.

Distribution and Consumption: The readers receive the text, and "interpret" it and "use" the concepts they see. The author needs to  make sense to the audience based on prior knowledge. Examples of this include using genre codes or making references to actual events.

Reproduction-The ways in which media and culture can influence how ideas are communicated by audiences.

5) What does the factsheet say about Hall's Reception theory?

It suggests that encoding and decoding are essential components of reception theory, which highlights the possibility of audience interpretation variance. This suggests that all media is polysemic, and each individual having unique worldviews shaped by their experiences.

6) Look at the final page. How does it suggest Reception theory could be criticised?

It's possible that some people won't be able to recognise the reading as people have there own way of interpreting things.