Reception Theory & Audience Readings

Reception Theory

In the 1980’s Hall and Morley suggested that audience make sense of the media according to their backgrounds, including their gender, age, their life experiences and ethnicity. All these aspects affects audiences responses to text.  For example Geordie Shore follows several 20-somethings from Newcastle as they party and have sex. If the audience are of a similar age or have had similar experiences with the characters from show, this will encourage them to watch this programme and others like it.

Preferred Audience Readings 

In the 1980’s Stuart Hall et al suggested that media texts are open to receive in a number of different ways, that is depended on the audience social and background. But the creators of the texts want the audience to accept the ‘preferred’ readings. For example Geordie Shaw Tv programme targets teenagers and young adults, some teenagers would take the preferred readings that going out partying and having sex nearly every night  with many of people is an positive thing to do.

Negotiated Reading

This theory is when the reader accepts both sides of the argument, they acknowledges the legitimacy but adapts according to their own social condition. Many audiences believe that Geordie Shaw is just a bunch of young adults going out drinking and having sex every night and find that the show is a bad example for teens and young adults. Although they can also whats highly entertaining about watch the characters in the show, and accept that the people in the show are making money from it, as its their career.

Oppositional Reading

This theory takes an alternative view from the preferred reading. From an adults point Geordie Shaw is highly inappropriate, and can show people get exploitation as sex objects, the programme is degrading and the characters are extremely negative role models for young adults.

Quality and Standards

Quality and Standard is a term critics and broadcasting companies use to describe a television programme that they argue is of a high quality. In 1988 the campaign for Quality Television Ltd was set up in the UK. It was set up to promote more choice and quality for the viewers and create programmes that informs and educates for all types of people around the UK.

Geordie Shaw is a  british reality television series broadcast on MTV.  Many people believe that the show is of low quality and is dumbing down audiences. They find that the series is just a bunch of young adults going out drinking and having sex every night. The programme has a warning that states ‘contains strong language, sexual scenes and references from the outset throughout,’ nevertheless people still believe that shows like this shouldn’t be broadcast on TV. In my opinion Geordie Shaw does not count as quality television as al it includes is endless drinking, bad behaviour, searing and fighting.  The show offers over the top stereotypical characterisation of people from the Tyneside region North East England and it fails inform or educate audiences.

Between 2008 and 2012 the digital switchover occurred, this was when TV’s are converted to digital, as the old analogue system was switched off. This upgrade allowed extra channels to be broadcasted, it also allowed subscription channels, better quality pictures and more on-screen listening’s and interactivity. Although with a lot more channels, TV companies had to produce a lot more programmes that cost less to make. Because of this ,there are many programmes that don’t meet the quality and standards demand.