Passive/ Active audience theory LO6

The main point of the article is that the bbfc has incorrectly given the Dark Night Rises a 12A film certificate apposed to a 15.
I agree with this as within the film there is heavy use of dark themes which are not seen to be suitable for younger audiences in addition to the sadistic nature of the protagonist portrayed in the film.

Passive audience theory
Hypodermic syringe theory - implies that media has a negative impact. Mass audiences  believe everything they see/hear (Adorno and Horkheimer). Started the rise of consumerism.
The model does not hold much positivity for the audience, however its is a good method for media producer, politicians and also towards the use of marketing.
1957 vance packard 'hidden pursuaders' book

When the 'mass media' demonise groups, people or products that they believe become a threat to society, values and interests it is called a 'moral panic' (Stanley Cohen 1972)
The group/ products are refereed to as 'folk devils'

Violence in the media?
Anderson (2007) that high exposure to fast paced violent games can lead to changes in brain function when processing violent images, including dampening of emotional responses to violence. This is known as desensitisation.
Ferguson (2012) showed no long term link over three years.

Media which affects society
Facebook results in:

Comparing yourself to your Facebook friends is depressing

Your mood is affected by what your Facebook friends post 

Lurking or feeling ostracized on Facebook hurts your self esteem 

Breaking Bad - Blamed for drug use and anti social behaviour
GTA 5 -  Banned in thailand/ violent attacks.
Marlyn Manson - Violent music inspired violent attacks/ blamed for social deviance.

Representation
Who is being represented?
All representations are mediated (Hall, 1980)

Is there use of stereotypes/ counter types (perkins, 1979) Not all stereotypes are negative.
Representations of women - Are they objectified (Mulvey 1975)
Representations of men ( Earp and Katz, 1999)
Representations of gay people (Butler, 1993) - are they stereotypical.

Alvardo (1987,  Hall (1995) - ethnicity, exotic, dangerous, humorous pited.
Turton (2014) - Youth are seen as hooligans, trouble causers, black and Asian boys.
Llyod (1995) girls as double deviant- trouble causers but shouldn't be because they are women.



Kingsman - The film was criticised for the church fight scene which featured a large amount of senseless violence.

So perhaps you did have fun seeing Colin Firth dispatch a church full of racist, anti-semitic, abortion-damning, atheist-scorning, potentially inbred humans who just happened to be Christians too. And perhaps you felt wrong about feeling that way when the last body hit the floor. (http://www.flicks.co.nz/blog/a-man-of-100-words/does-the-church-scene-in-kingsman-cross-the-line)

Active Audiance theory
Other school of thought - we are able to filter and adapt to content in media (Gauntlett, 1995)
We have uses and gratifications(McQuai, 1972) theory - people use media for their own purposes?
Provides a more positive outlook on the effects of media.

Hall (1980) encoding/ decoding model
Preferred reading - by audience depending on their background but accepts the dominant viewpoint/ story.
Negotiated reading - partially agrees with meaning
Oppositional reading - meaning understood but don't agree and think opposite.
Aberrant - gets the completely wrong meaning entirely.

https://yougov.co.uk/opi/browse/Kingsman_The_Secret_Service