Reception Theory (25 marker)

Reception theory (25 marker)

According to reception theory, ‘the media attempts to transmit specific messages to audiences, but audiences are free to interpret these messages in a variety of ways – or even reject them’.

How valid are reception theory’s claims about audience responses?

The media always tries to portray a specific message to their audiences and yes, people are free to interpret this message in any way they choose to whether it be negative or positive or if they even accept it at all.

The media will use either icons, indexes, symbols or a mix of the listed to create a meaning for the audience to understand, however, this meaning is not always crystal clear. The medias' intentions will be specific but if audiences interpret the media in a different way that doesn't match what it is supposed to show, it is completely legal and fine. For example, when Nivea came out with their 'white is purity' advert, it caused huge uproars of racism as people believed that they were trying to say that if you were not white, you were dirt and filth whereas white people are pure and flawless. Because the audience interpreted the message a different way, it cause alot of controversy and many negative comments were made towards Nivea.

Since the media has a message they are trying to convey, so the audience should understand that their intentions may not always be what the audience have interpreted from the media text. That is why symbols, icons or indexes can be risky as to different people, they may suggest different things. For bigger brands, they would rather choose not to make the audience be able to interpret their own meanings. They make their point very clear in order to prevent any negative news or comments aimed at them.

In conclusion, yes people are free to internet the media text in any way they wish. If they decide to talk about their interpretation, justification will be needed. Even though whoever put up their adverts or articles had initial intentions on what the message to the world was supposed to be, it doesn't stop people from seeing it in a different way. If this does happen, maybe it shows that the company or brand needs to rethink on the way they put our their ideas.