The Philippine Women’s University

And its’ affiliate for Men And Women

1743 Taft Ave, Malate, Manila, 1004 Metro Manila

Active Audiences and the Construction of

Meaning

Submitted by:

Zapanta, Jhon Roy

Submitted to:

Dr. Marianita Laura D. Mombay

 We spend most of our time in using media products, to the moment we open our eyes we initially find
our phone to check the update on our social media account. As we stand and go downstairs, we watch tv
or movies for we are fascinated on the story we watch on these media. Entertainment and Information
aspects are mainly provided by either newspaper or magazine so our lives revolves on consuming media
products. We live through media and media lives through us. Understanding the media we have today is
essential in understanding the kind of society and world we have today. Media literacy is one great factor
in understanding the concept of Active audience So we must have a recap about it

Media Literacy

Media literacy - refers to the people's understanding of what media are how they operate, what
messages they are delivering ,what roles they play in the society and how audience members respond to
media messages. According to James Potter, high level of media literacy have a great deal of control
over the vision of the world they see through media and can themselves what the messages mean. In
contrary, low level of media literacy can develop exaggeration of of impression of problems society There
are dimensions of Media Literacy that we must look to further understand what media literacy really
pertains. These are Cognitive, Emotional, Aesthetic, and Moral Dimension

Cognitive Dimension- deals with the ability to intellectually process information communicated by media.
This can involve interpreting the meaning of words on a printed page, appreciating the implications of a
ominous music in a movie or understanding that a well- dressed character in the tv show is wealthy.

Emotional Dimension- are feelings created by media messages. Sometimes emotion can be
overwhelming. Example: the fear of young child watching a news story about ghost or scary film.

Aesthetic Dimension- involves interpreting media content from an artistic or critical point of view. How
media artifact is produce what skills were used in producing it.

Moral Dimension- examining the values of the medium or the message

For example: The moral message of most advertisement is that problems can be solved by purchasing
something.

So after the review media literacy let us view first the theories of mass media that are related to audience

Hypodermic Needle Theory (1920 )- First attempt to explain how audience react to media. Also it states
that people absorb media messages passively for they believed that all of the media contents were true
without even challenging its credibility.
Two- Step Flow Theory - States that people did not get information directly media source but instead to
prominent and opinion leaders who got it from a media source .

Uses and Gratification Theory- "Why people use media". Looks at how audiences are active rather than
passive in choosing what media they need for their own specific reason.

Reception Theory - "How audience interpret media message" It has three phase:

1. Dominant preferred - media producers and the audiences agreed on the meaning of media product

2. Negotiated- media producers and audiences have a little discrepancy on the meaning but eventually
link with one another

3. Oppositional - Media producers and audiences have opposite view on the meaning pertained by the
media products

Active audience -Associated with the intelligence and autonomy of an individual and an expression of
faith in the power of people. There are four basic ways in which media audiences have been seen active:
Individual Interpretation, Collective Interpretation Collective Political Action and Audiences as Media
Producer.

Interpretation- The meaning of media are not fixed. We, the audiences are the own who give meaning
to it. It does not require a specific special skill for it is innate in human to give meanings on a specific
object or concept. Media are interpreted based on personal context. It could based on past experiences,
interest, and other aspect also it can vary based on culture, religion and education.

Social Interpretation- Audiences do not only interpret media on personal basis. They interpret media
messages socially. For example after reading a novel, finding people who finished reading it and have a
fruitful discussion. After reading an article share it to social media accounts and it is now seen by other
people that might or might noy give an insight about the shared article.

Collective Action- audiences agreed and collectively made a formal demand on media producers or
regulators. For example when they saw racism or abuse on a specific film they will make a demand or
complaint about the mentioned issue. It may include public protest, boycotting, online petitions and many
more collective effort to respond a specific media messages.
Audiences as Media Producers- Active members can produce and distribute their own media. There
are two main reason why people create their own media. First is to criticize the major media and the other
one is to provide alternative perspective that are rarely available from national media aspect. Examples
are blogging, tweeting, posting photos and videos and doing reviews and commentary.

Polysemy as Nature of Media Messages

Media message are described by scholars as polysemy for it can be interpreted in numerous ways. Active
audiences have the capability give meaning to media products. These meaning are not fixed for some
media are open-ended and have double or even numerous meaning based on the its audiences. Some
people have the idea of social validation meaning, the meaning of a specific media product becomes valid
if the masses agree to it also there are aspects that affects the assignation of meaning to media
messages these are: Social position, Gender, Socio-economic class, Culture and Race

Social Position- meaning of media messages is related to social position . The variation between social
position affects the meaning making of message delivered by media. The interest also varies for example
the kids are interested in cartoons, the teens are for entertainment such as showbiz and the adults are for
information sections mostly news, sports and lottery.

Socio- economic Status- This also affects the meaning making for it has something to do with the
privilege gained enjoyed by a specific individual. An upper class person takes the media on a way that is
anchored on his privilege-- luxuries thing like shopping and other stuffs also their interest is about
economics and information. They highly understand the media messages because some or most of them
are familiar with the terminologies or the jargons that media company uses. Working class people is more
interested on the educational messages of media for they also understand fully ( sometimes much more
than the upper class men do) and lastly the lower class men always look on the entertainment aspect of
media messages

Gender - Messages in media varies when it comes to gender. Audiences are sometimes separated by
this aspect for example the girls in the family wants to watch the shopping and fashion channel while the
boys watch to turn the tv on the sports and action channel. But not in all cases because of the innovation
on media content the media messages we have today is gender- neutral

Race and Culture - These two aspects affect the media meaning in a vast manner. The meaning may
vary based on the culture (for example liberated and conservative) of a specific audience. Some media
messages are acceptable on a specific culture some are not.