Audience Theory

5 key theorists to learn:

1] Bandura

 2] Gerbner

 3] Jenkins

4] Shirky 

5] Hall

Theories of audience:

• Bandura and Gerbner will be relevant to any discussion
of media effects.
• Hall will be relevant to any discussion of decoding.
• Jenkins and Shirky will be relevant to any online

‘participatory culture’ with ‘amateur producers

1] Bandura

5] Hall - key quotations

There is an encoding/decoding model of the relationship between text and audience - the text is encoded by the producer, and decoded by the reader.

By using recognised codes and conventions, and by drawing upon audience expectations relating to aspects such as genre and use of stars, the producers can position the audience and thus create a certain amount of agreement on what the code means.

This is known as a preferred reading.