Media Theorists

• Stuart Hall - Encoding/Decoding:

From Encoding and Decoding in the Television Discourse in 1973

Hall suggested that texts were encoded by the producers of the texts to have certain meanings that related to social or cultural background of the creator. Once the text had then been decoded by the viewer that text may have a different meaning, one that wasn't intended by the producer. He went on to explain three main perspectives of readings:

Preferred of dominant readings: 
This is where the audience interprets the text as closely to the way the producer of the  text had intended. If the social and cultural experience of the audience and reader is close to that of the producer, then there is little for them to challenge.

Negotiated Readings: 
This is where the audience goes through some sort of negotiation with themselves in order to allow the way in which the text is presented. Possibly agreeing with some elements but not with others. It may be needed to adjust your viewpoint in order to get the most out of the viewing.

Oppositional or resistant readings:
This is where the user of the text finds themselves in complete conflict with the text due to their beliefs of experiences.

• Richard Dyer - Stereotypes

Dyer suggested that stereotypes are always about power and those who have a higher level of power generally tend to stereotype those with less power. He then recognised that there were more obvious stereotypes towards gay men, non white's, the working class and women. It's not so easy to point to media stereotypes of white, middle class, heterosexual men.

Stereotyping can be seen to exaggerate difference and in doing so may increase friction between groups. The media tends to be very selective with it's stereotyping and it may help construct the audiences perception of the world and thus forth maybe their behaviour. It does not however invent stereotypes, just repeats them.

• The Hypodermic Model

This old and fairly outdated theory (like explained in the video above) is when the messages in media texts are believed to be injected into the audience by the powerful 'syringe' that is the media. Thus, the audience is powerless to resist and the media is believed to work like a drug and the audience is then placed in a position of addiction.