Active audiences

• How do active audiences see the media ?

  • media is less influential
  • audiences are not homogenous - they vary in social characteristics
• What are the two main steps in the two-step flow model?

  1. Opinion leaders select, interpret and filter media
  2. Opinion leaders selectively pass on these messages (which obtain their own opinions and interpretations) to others in their social groups

  = audiences receive and are influenced by mediated messages
• What are some criticisms of the two-step flow model?

  • It relies on the assumption that media audiences are still just victims of media content
  • the rise of new media may mean opinion leaders are less influential or replaced by diverse opinions
• What is the cultural effects model?

  The “drip-drip” effect

  • media gradually influences the audience over time
  • Subtle, ever-present process of brainwashing which gradually shapes peoples common sense of ideas and assumptions
  • Media audiences come to accept the dominant ideology is common sense= establishes and maintains cultural hegemony
• What is the Uses & Gratification Model ?

  Emphasises the role of active audiences in selecting and using media to fulfil their personal needs and desires.

  Focuses on how individuals use media for various purposes such as entertainment, identity exploration, forming relationships and gathering information.
• McQuail and Lull : Uses of the media

  1. Personal identity
  2. Diversion
  3. Surveillance
  4. Personal Relationships
  5. Background wallpaper
• How do people use the media for personal identity ?

  To explore and confirm identity, align with trends and understand social values
• How do people use the media for diversion ?

  For leisure, entertainment, relaxation and escaping daily routines
• How do people use the media for surveillance?

  To gather news and information to understand the world and make informed decisions
• How do people use the media for personal relationships?

  To connect with others, build a sense for community and share experiences
• How do people use the media as a background wallpaper ?

  To have something running in the background while doing other tasks
• Application of the uses and gratification model using facebook (Park et al.)

  Park et al. found that Facebook groups fulfilled multiple needs:

  • Entertainment (Diversion): Users engaged in activities for fun and leisure.

  • Community (Personal Relationships): Groups facilitated communication, strengthened connections, and supported group belonging.

  • Identity (Personal Identity): Users maintained and expressed their individual and social identities.

  • Information (Surveillance): Groups provided updates and relevant information about ongoing events.
• What does this model tell us about generalising media affects on audiences?

  This model highlights that media effects cannot be generalized because individuals use media differently based on their unique needs, social characteristics (e.g., age, gender), and interpretations.

  Media content is consumed and understood selectively, making broad assumptions about its impact unreliable.
• What does the uses and gratification model tell us about audience power?

  Supports the power of audiences in media consumption.

  Audiences actively choose, interpret and respond to media content in ways that align with their needs.

  If needs are not met they can disengage, which directly effects media companies profitability and influence
• What does the uses and gratification model overestimate?

  The power of audiences to influence media content
• What does the uses and gratification model underestimate?

  The power and influence of the media
• How does the uses and gratification model differ from the two-step model and cultural effects model?

  It focuses too much on individual media use
• What do the two-step model and cultural effects model recognize about media consumption?

  People often relate to media in social groups
• What wider social factors does the uses and gratification model ignore?

  Factors affecting how audiences respond to media
• How do common experiences and values affect audience responses to media content?

  They may lead to similar responses among audiences