Andy Raynes

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LO3 How Media Audiences Respond to
Media Products

Task 3a and 3b)

Hypodermic Needle Effect

The hypodermic needle is a very powerful technique which can make people believe something
and act upon it, because of the way that it was put across in the media. This could be by using
emotive techniques such as photos, and then using manipulative writing that makes the
consumer give the desired response by injecting it into the media product. The newspapers and
news stations have power when using these techniques, because they are trusted source of
information and a lot of people dont have any other source to turn too; so end up believing
everything that they are told by the trusted source. I believe that the effect of this theory is
very true, and serves as propaganda towards the audience.



If this was put into the context of gaming, it is known that violence in video games can affect
ones perception of reality. For instance Rockstars Grand Theft Auto V was released late last
year in September, which plummeted to 1 billion sales into its first two days. There have been
many other articles on the subject with headlines such as NRA Blames GTA 5 for D.C.
Shooting, where 12 people were killed in a mass shooting (article can be read here
http://www.newslo.com/nra-blames-gta-5-for-d-c-shooting/). The hypodermic needle model
suggests that an audience is helpless to the effects and messages of a medium, and will absorb
all of the intended information this seems to be a seemingly accurate representation of what is
going on.

GTA has been a target of controversy and criticism since its inception, due to its graphic
portrayal of the criminal underworld and violent gameplay, including the ability to murder and
carjack civilians, as well as police at will. This can give a completely negative view on the game,
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of course. According to Guinness World Records, it is the most controversial video game series
of all-time. In Japan, they have even censored the Violence and Sex Scenes
(http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/129063-Japanese-Version-of-GTA-V-Censors-
Violence-And-Sex-Scenes).

But just how is GTA to blame exactly? When players play the game, they may gradually accept
the fact that killing people and committing violence is just a normal thing to do, and start being
more careless in reality. This can be a form of passive consumption in which players are easily
manipulated and controlled. I, for one, do not think that the game developers should be to
blame developers only create the content of games and deal with PR. However distributors
who sell the games should be responsible ensuring the correct content goes to the correct
audience; whether it is to teenagers or those who are under-aged. I also think parents take a
huge responsibility, seeing as they are the ones managing their kids on what they do.



Uses and Gratifications Theory

Uses and gratifications approach is an influential tradition in media research. The original
conception of the approach was based on the research for explaining the great appeal of certain
media contents (in our case, GTA 5). The core question of such research is: Why do people use
media and what do they use them for?
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications_theory). There exists a basic idea in this
approach: the audience are fully aware of the media content, and which media they can use to
meet their needs.

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This approach differs from other theoretical perspectives in that it regards audiences as active
media users as opposed to passive receivers of information. In contrast to traditional media
effects theories such as the Hypodermic Needle, which focuses on what media do to people,
and assumes audiences are brainwashed; uses and gratifications approach is more concerned
with what people do with media. It allows audiences personal needs to use media and respond
to the media, which is determined by their social and psychological background.

If GTA is to be used for self-gratification for example, players wouldnt consider the
brainwashing of the gameplay, but just to play the game as a method of relaxing; putting aside
problems; playing with friends; and putting time to good use.

A review from the Telegraph states Grand Theft Auto V is still an extraordinary technical
achievement and a fabulous piece of entertainment. Im not sure every aspect is an unqualified
success, and its violent bitterness can be a little wearying, but this is a bold and scintillating full-
stop to an explosive generation of video games
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/10312515/GTA-5-review.html).
This supports the concept of the game being used for entertainment purposes, and that the
violent content of the game is considered (as an active member of the audience); however it is a
completely new experience and gap in the market, therefore should be a success.

I also support this theory, as I do play GTA for the enjoyment of having the freedom to do
whatever I want in a virtual game, without any realistic consequences. But as an active member
of the audience, I do consider the fact that it can be brainwashing in terms of making people
more used to violence, as stated in the Hypodermic Needle Effect.

Reception Study

Reception theory focuses on the role of the audience in the interpretation of a text, instead of on
the text itself. In other words, the theory suggests that audiences play an active role in reading
texts, that each person has the ability to interpret the same text differently, and that a text by
itself i.e. without a reader has no specific meaning. The audience usually interprets this in
three ways:

1. The Preferred Reading - Audience understands and accepts the ideology offered.

For instance, like the Hypodermic Needle Effect, players of GTA will come to accept the ideology
that car-jacking; swearing; killing etc. are normal everyday things to do, and effect their
perception of daily life.

2. The Negotiated Reading - Audience understands the ideology offered, accepts some aspects of
it but rejects other aspects.

The audience may play a partially active role and understand the negative aspects of the game
in relation to real-life regulations. They may also take for granted the Uses and Gratification
theory, and want to use the game for entertainment purposes.

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3. The Oppositional Reading - Audience interprets the ideology offered in the opposite way than
it is intended.

In this case, the player would take an extreme active view on the game, and wouldnt play it at
all; possible due to its bad influence on people. The game itself would not provide any
entertainment to the player, therefore the Uses and Gratifications theory would not follow. In
addition, whole countries may even take action on the game and ban it, including in Brazil,
Malaysia and Saudi Arabia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banned_video_games).

Overall, since this theory is a combination of the Hypodermic Needle Effect, Uses and
Gratification Theory and Active or Passive Consumption, I would say it really can depend on
which member the audience it is that is targeted by the media, and not just everyone following
the effect of one theory alone.
Active or Passive Consumption

An active consumption is when the audience will engage and discuss media messages that
comes across to them and sometimes question the media messages through life experiences.
Others may go against the message in a different way or question it.

An example of active consumption could be the case in the Reception Study; The Oppositional
Reading. The audience could be aware that GTA promotes realistic violence, drug-use and theft,
in a manner that can get players to act in that way; and therefore not play the game at all or the
game itself could get a ban by the government.

Passive consumption is when the audience doesnt engage or question the media message but
just accepts it, this what media outlets want to achieve when making a film or show as they
want to view to except and not question. This means that members of the audience are very
easily brainwashed. To get the audience into this state, the story has to be believable, which is
just like in the Hypodermic Needle Effect example, where GTA is blamed for causes of real-life
mass shooting, due to the realistic and believable objectives in the game.

In my opinion, I think that active and passive consumption shares itself into each of the tree
theories, and I do believe that each one can be true, for instance:

Hypodermic Needle Effect = Passive Consumption
Uses and Gratification Theory = Active Consumption
Reception Study = Passive and Active Consumption

However, everyone is different and are subject to interpreting a message in many different
ways, which is why I believe Reception Study is the appropriate theory.