Audience Theories

The hypodermic syringe theory
The hypodermic syringe theory suggests that we as the public are easily sucked into the media and media devices. It states that when we watch things on the news/ TV/ films, or play video games, they can take an effect on us and make us act differently according to this. The idea of it being a 'syringe' theory is that it suggests the media topic is injected into us and takes immediate effect in our minds, then continues to play in our minds afterwards.

Two-step flow
The two-step flow theory suggests that media can be spread to the audience by word of mouth and advertising. Once someone has seen/used/watched some kind of media, they will continue to talk about it and tell people about what they have seen, the people they tell will then want to watch/play/see it and it will continue so on. It also suggests that once one person has seen an advert of any kind, they will then tell friends and family about what they have seen, and people will then want to see it for themselves. This is how some forms of media are spread and known to the public.

Uses and gratifications
Uses and Gratifications Theory is a popular approach to understanding mass communication. The theory places more focus on the consumer, or audience, instead of the actual message itself by asking “what people do with media” rather than “what media does to people.It assumes that members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. The theory also holds that audiences are responsible for choosing media to meet their needs. The approach suggests that people use the media to fulfill specific gratifications.