Reception theory

Reception theory focuses on what people see in the media, on the meanings they produce when they interpret media texts:

• Individual response
• decode meanings
• context
• gender
• social status
• how does it fit with every day life?
• how do you watch/ share music video (and all other media)
• mood you are in when you consume the media

David morely (1980) explored the "politics of the living room" how does the media fit in with the pattern of your day?
Media can be a symbol of power in the family: E.G who holds the tv remote, no phones at the dinner table.

David morely discovered 3 main types of reading for any media text:

1.  Dominant (or hegemonic) reading. the reader shares the programmes code (It's meaning system of values , attitudes, beliefs + assumptions) and accepts the prefered reading.
2. negotiated reading. The reader partly shares the programmes code but modifies it in a way which reflects their position and intressts
3. oppositional (counter hegemonic) reader doesn't share the programmes code + rejects the preferred reading, bringing to bear an alternative frame of interpretation (e.g Feminist reading of a 'lads mag')