Reception Theory

Reception theory focuses on what people see in the media, on the meanings they produce when they interpret media texts.

• individual responses
• decode meanings
• context
• gender
• social status
• how does it fit with everyday life
• how do you watch/share music videos (and all other media)
• mood

David Morley 1980 explored the ''Politics of the living room''
How does the media fit in with the pattern of your day?
Media can be a symbol of power in the family
E.g. who hold the tv remote
No phones at the dinner table

David Morley discovered 3 main types of reading for any media text

1. Dominant (or hegemonic) reading. The reader shares the programmes code (its meaning system of values, attitudes, beliefs and assumptions) and accepts the preferred reading
2. Negotiated reading. The reader partly shares the programmes code but modifies it in a way which reflects their position and interests
3. Oppositional (counter-hegemonic) reader does not share the programmes code and rejects the preferred reading, bringing to bear an alternative frame of interpretation (E.g feminist reading of a 'Lads Mag'