The Structured Interpretation model

• Structured Interpretation

  David Morley

  builds on the interpretative model - agrees that the audience can interpret media messages in different ways but suggests there is a 'preferred reading'
• Structured Interpretation preferred reading

  Stuart Hall

  argues media texts such as TV contain dominant ideological discourse due to media producer's own professional routine and practices that contain certain assumptions about how programmes should be made

  draw agendas and meanings from wider society
• Structured Interpretation ideological role of press

  Curran

  notes the ideological role of the press particularly within entertainment sections

  Marxists believe the long term effects of the preferred reading is that the values of the rich and powerful unconsciously become shared by all

  audiences interpret media in different ways but within certain boundaries
• Structured Interpretation opposition reading

  Philo

  research indicates that various audiences do have a clear understanding of the intended ideological message within content

  research around the 1984 Miners strike and gave small groups photos and asked them to write a news story to accompany it:

  • the sample spotted ideological messages within the photos - strike was violent and miners to blame
  • people who were sympathetic towards the miners were weakened in support after seeing coverage in the news
  • majority of sample who had not experienced the strike interpreted it as 'wrong'
  • however some rejected the ideological message - minority
• Structured Interpretation

  Morley 1980

  investigated how different audience groups, based on social class, decoded the current affairs magazine programme Nationwide

  early attempt to establish how meanings of TV differed according to the characteristics of the audience
• Structured Interpretation

  Morley - 3 readings of media

  • Oppositional reading: a minority may oppose the views expressed in the media - people who are anti monarchy may be critical of stories around the monarch
  • Negotiated readings: the media audience may reinterpret media content to fit in with their own opinions and values - they may not have strong opinions on the royal family but enjoy reading about the lives of celebs
  • Dominant readings: most common reading, it is based on consensus i.e most people go along with it as the subject is widely accepted