STUART HALL - RECEPTION THEORY

Stuart Hall's Reception theory states that we are as an audience are an ACTIVE audience which means we are actively engaged in the interpretation. The theory also states that even though one messages is sent out, not one understanding is made. The theory works on the basis of encoding and decoding.

• Encoding : The producer creates a text with a meaning or a message.
• Decoding: Is how the audience interpret the text.

The theory states that there are three audience types,

• Dominant or preferred, this type of audience decode the encoded message of the text.
• Negotiated, this type of audience partially agree with the encoded message however not fully.
• Oppositional , this type of audience have a completely different interpretation to the encoded message.

The audience may have different interpretations due to several factors which may determine their understanding, these factors are: life experience, mood at the time of decoding, age, culture, beliefs and gender. However, by using codes and conventions genre can still be created.



In relation to my media text, when watching my music video the audience will be an active audience therefore their interpretation of my media text could possibly be totally different to my encoded message. A dominant audience would understand my encoded message however, a negotiated or oppositional audience may not, being aware of this make me worry as to what people may interpret from my music video. The encoded message shows how in society today, many things go on behind closed doors that peers may not view however still continue to judge others. Based on the original video of breezeblocks there is violence involved when a relationship falls apart in split seconds, this then shows how individuals act in a split second and the consequences of personalities with short fuses. However a negotiated audience may understand my message partially but not fully, along with an oppositional audience that may totally disagree with my message when decoded. This for me is a problem as I do not want any audience to think I am exploiting domestic violence in any way, my music video is based solely on the breezeblocks video as I feel it works effectively in reflecting the lyrics and the 'behind closed doors' aspect of real life.