The Reception Theory

The reception theory , developed by Stuart Hall asserts that media texts are encoded and decoded. The producer encodes messages and values into their media which are then decoded by the audience , However different audience members will decode the media in different ways and not in the way the producer intended.

Stuart Hall states that audience members adopt one of the following three positions when they decode.

Dominant, or Preferred Reading – how the producer wants the audience to view the media text. Audience members will take this position if the messages are clear and if the audience member is the same age and culture; if it has an easy to follow narrative and if it deals with themes that are relevant to the audience.

Oppositional Reading – when the audience rejects the preferred reading, and creates their own meaning for the text. This can happen if the media contains controversial themes that the audience member disagrees with. It can also arise when the media has a complex narrative structure perhaps not dealing with themes in modern society. Oppositional reading can also occur if the audience member has different beliefs or is of a different age or a different culture.

Negotiated Reading – a compromise between the dominant and oppositional readings, where the audience accepts parts of the producer’s views, but has their own views on parts as well. This can occur if there is a combination of some of the above e.g. audience member likes the media, is of the same age as you and understands some of the messages, but the narrative is complex and this inhibits full understanding.

With this theory in mind , I can take from this that when producing and making documentaries , often people decode the media in different ways than the producer intended them too. In terms of applying this theory to my documentary , I feel as though my target audience will adopt to the dominant / preferred reading method when watching the documentary. My factual piece is about careers within the fashion industry , I want my audience to take from my documentary that although the fashion industry is ridiculously competitive you can make it if you work hard. It will give them an insight as to how competitive it is and what it is like being a small business amongst others and wanting to grow. I want my target audience to view my factual piece in this way and this will happen if my messages are clear , if the narrative is easy to follow and the themes are relevant. Once I have completed my documentary, I am going to conduct some primary research and ask the audience what they thought and whether they had taken from it what I intended them too.

Here are some factors that affect whether the audience take the dominant , oppositonal or negotiated reading.

• Age
• Beliefs
• Culture
• Gender
• Life experience
• Mood at the time of viewing