Audience Theories

"Audiences are not blank sheets of paper on which media messages can be written; members of an audience will have prior attitudes and beliefs which will determine how effective media messages are." - Abercrombie 1996, 140

1. Dominant reading: 

Dominant reading is where the reader shares the programme's code (its meaning system of values, attitudes, beliefs and assumptions). It fully accepts the preferred reading, a reading which may not have been the result of any conscious idea on the part of the programme creators. 

2. Negotiated reading:

When a reader partly shares the programme's code and broadly accepts the preferred reading but modifies it to reflect their position and interests, this is called negotiated reading. 

"No audience member will interpret the media message in the same way..."

3. Oppositional reading:

The reader doesn't share the code and rejects the preferred reading, offering an alternative interpretation. 

Learning these above theories, I will make sure to include recognised codes in my music magazine to grab the audience and reader's attention. I am now aware that codes are all interpreted differently so I can consider this when my product is completed and expect a mixture of views and opinions.