REPRESENTATION
Above is a Youtube link of media-know-it-all, cultural theorist and sociologist, Stuart Hall during a discussion of the key concept of 'Representation'. Hall's take on the double meaning of the word 'Represenation' and the ambiguity of 'giving' image through different media texts; moving image, words, etc.
AUDIENCE
The Robert Smyth School Media Studies Site provides a very detailed explanation into the key concept of audience - the most important people to be involved in the media.
From the aforementioned source, is a list which breaks down the main audience groups:
From the aforementioned source, is a list which breaks down the main audience groups:
- Self
- Gender
- Age group
- Family
- Class
- Nation
- Ethnicity
This list was added to by John Fiske thus:
- Education
- Religion
- Political allegiance
- Region
- Urban v. rural background.
Theory now focuses much more on how audiences use texts, often referred to as ‘uses and gratifications’. According to earlier thinking, audiences were considered too susceptible to ‘preferred’ readings, interpretations in line with the producers’ intentions. Now there is plenty of theoretical room for ‘negotiated’ readings when part only of an intended meaning is accepted and ‘oppositional’ readings when a counter-interpretation (sometimes called an ‘abberant’ reading) is formed.
Visit this Wikipedia Demographic Link to find out more about audience grouping.
The Hypodermic Needle Theory of Representation and Audience.
