The viewers or listeners of an event are called
audience but when media is concerned the word event translates to media hence,
audience are the viewers or listeners of media. Mass media divides its viewers
into two parts namely: active and passive. The viewers that do not question the
content of media and readily accept it as the truth are considered passive
audience. Active audience on the other hand have a different perception as they
question the content that the media presents and believe according to their observation.
The different interpretation of the audience is the factor that separates them.
The hypodermic needle theory sees viewers as passive
audience. It states that through media any message can be injected in to people
in order to create a certain response. This theory was stated in the early
times of media where mass media such as print and radio were at their topmost
level and television being the newly released source of information. This
theory accurately described the effects of media at that time hence declaring
the mass as passive. Another theory shares a similar concept which is known as
Agenda Setting theory which states that media has large amount of influence in
the thinking and interaction of people and can set any agenda it desires. But as
time passed these theories could not keep up with the changes. Henceforth the
idea of active audience came into life.
Many theorists even in the past supported the idea
that audiences are active rather than passive and that media is not as influential
as they once believed. This idea is mostly true when new media is concerned but
mass media also shares a comparable notion. The two-step flow theory stress
that media by itself does not have a strong influence on masses. The theorist
believed that people are more likely to be influenced by opinion leaders rather
than media even if the opinion leader presents media itself. The opinion
leaders maybe members of family, friends or role models etc. Uses and
gratifications theory speaks against the hypodermic needle theory and does not
label audiences as passive people who absorb the content that they are delivered.
It gives the idea that people use media to get gratification and fulfil their
desires. Which marks them active as they actively choose the content which they
accept.
Most people neglect the audiences of mass media when
talking about new media. They believe that with new media there is a new
audience. New media does not believe that audience can be passive and assumes that
all of its users are active. But in some case traditional media theories are applicable
to new media such as in entertainment where audience is assumed to be passive. So
generally, it can be said that the idea of new audience is taken from active
audience from mass media. One of the main difference in new media is that it
gives its audience a platform to interact and communicate while the only interaction
mass media allows its audience is in choosing the channel. New media supports
the Media Equation theory which states that masses treat media like people and
interact with them as if they are actual people.
Therefore, audiences can be divided into three or two categories
active, passive and new or just passive and active and new audience being a
part of active audience. Mass media theories maybe replaced by new media
theories completely but the relationship between these two media will still exist
and in some cases they might even be valid.
Careerride.com. (2016). Mass communication theory.
[online] Available at: http://www.careerride.com/Mass-communication-theory.aspx
[Accessed 30 Jan. 2017].
General, A. (2015). New Media Theory. [online]
prezi.com. Available at: https://prezi.com/az2z5w2634du/new-media-theory/
[Accessed 30 Jan. 2017].
The WritePass Journal. (2015). New Media Audiences and
Technologies. [online] Available at:
https://writepass.com/journal/2015/04/new-media-audiences-and-technologies/
[Accessed 30 Jan. 2017].
Williams, K. (2003). Understanding media theory. 1st
ed. London: Arnold.
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