Auidence theories

The Hypodermic Needle Theory suggest that the mass media could influence a  very large group of people directly or uniformly by 'shooting' or 'injecting' messages which are designed to receive a desired response. It suggests that we're all the same and we all respond in the same way.

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The Effects Model on the other hand is a theory which explores how media can affect society and how society can affect the media. The consumption of certain media texts show that they can have certain negative/ implications on audiences. The effects model is known to be on often visited as evidence of the dangers of violence in TV media.

 
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This Two Step-Flow Model suggests that information from the media moves in two distinctive stages. It assumes that information does not flow directly from the media texts straight into our mind sets of our audiences not processed. But, however it is filtered through 'opinion leaders' who then communicate it to their less active associates in which they have influence over.


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 The Uses and Gratifications Model shows an approach and understanding of why audiences specifically seek out specific media texts to specifically satisfy them. UTG is an audiences approach to understanding mass communication. In 1984 Laswell suggests that media texts had the following needs to satisfy audiences.

-Surveillance.

- Correlation

-Entertainment

- Cultural Transmission.

However, in 1974, Blumer and Katz decided to expand this theory, assuming that audiences might choose a text for a following purpose.

-Surveillance- using the media to find out information that is happening around us.

-Personal Relationships- using the media to fulfil their need of companionship and to form relationships with others.

-Personal Identity- using the media to find out about ourselves, some people within the media may reflect on ourselves.

-Diversion- using the media to escape from everyday life and to relax.