Reception Theory is when producers or directors construct a text encoded with a hidden message or meaning that the producers or directors want to convey to the audience. If done correctly the audience will be able to pick up the meaning or message straight away, but the audience will need to be reminded of the message through out the media text. This could be done through actions within the text or with dialogue if appropriate for that form of media text.
Stuart Hall identified three types of audiences reading messages.
1) Dominant
2) Negotiated
3) Oppositional
Dominant is about what the audience wants to hear from people and agreeing, but with limited knowledge on the subject.
Negotiated is when the audience agrees, disagrees or questions a political speech or news broadcast due to perviously held news, as many people in America question FOX news as it has been seen in the past as a biased news outlet who support the Republican party.
Oppositional is when the audience recognises the Dominant message but rejects it due to culture or political opinion, as people actively rejects any political speech from a party on any subject and acts as the opposition. When the audience is in this state you can’t get any message across to them, as they have already made up their mind on a person or subject.
In Halsey's music video, she is trying to put across an important yet 'controversial' message; that homosexual couples are the same as heterosexual couples and should be portrayed the same instead of the former being more sexualised than the latter. they have arguments and issues in the relationship just like any other couple and should be represented the same and represented more in the media. I can imagine that the majority of reading messages will be either dominant or oppositional. Many will love the message and agree, especially the LGBTQ community as they want to be represented more. People want to see more variations of people represented in the media, people they can relate to and who are just like them, portrayed in a positive light.
On the other hand, many will take offense to the video. Particularly people that live in much less tolerant places or people with a strict religion where any type of relationship other than a heterosexual one is forbidden and in some places, punishable. It is hard to change the minds of these people after they have it ingrained in their mind that a homosexual relationship is disgusting or a sin. They would immediately reject the music video's message and even Halsey and her music for condoning 'that behaviour.' Halsey responded when she heard that her music video was gaining controversy:
Blumler and Katz Uses And Gratifications Theory
Uses and Gratifications Theory is a popular approach to understanding mass communication. The theory places more focus on the consumer, or audience, instead of the actual message itself by asking “what people do with media” rather than “what media does to people." It assumes that members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. The theory also holds that audiences are responsible for choosing media to meet their needs. The approach suggests that people use the media to fulfil specific gratifications. This theory would then imply that the media compete against other information sources for viewers' gratification.
