In this assignment, you will choose a current commercial and apply Stuart Hall\'
ID: 3491503 • Letter: I
Question
In this assignment, you will choose a current commercial and apply Stuart Hall's reception theory in an attempt to understand how three different generations would interpret the media text based on their specific audience characteristics.
Instructions:
· Using a platform like youtube, select a current commercial to deconstruct. The commercial can be for any brand or product you like.
o Provide the link to the commercial and briefly describe what is happening in the commercial. Be explicit in your description. Include what visual elements as well as audio/text elements are included in the commercial.
· Briefly define Stuart Hall’s reception theory using your own words. Be sure to include the three different ways an audience can interpret a media message in your definition.
· Select three different generations discussed in this unit and apply reception theory to their understanding of the media message (commercial). For each generation, please answer the following:
-Describe the generation and its key characteristics.
- View the commercial through the lens of that generation. How would this generation interpret the media message based on their characteristics? Would they accept, negotiate, or reject the message? Why?
Explanation / Answer
Stuart Hall's "Encoding-Decoding" model of communication essentially states that meaning is encoded by the sender and decoded by the receiver and that these encoded meanings may be decoded to mean something else. That is to mean, the senders encode meaning in their messages according to their ideals and views and the messages are decoded by the receivers according to their own ideals and views, which may lead to miscommunication or to the receiver understanding something very different from what the sender intended. (Hall 1993, 91)
Hall says that there are three different positions audiences (receivers) take in order to decode the meanings within cultural texts, particularly televisual discourses. They are the dominant-hegemonic position, the negotiated position and the oppositional position. (Hall 1993, 101)
The dominant-hegemonic position is when the viewer, or audience member, is located within the dominant point of view. (Hall 1993, 101) Within this position, there is little misunderstanding and miscommunication, as both sender and receiver are working under the same rule set, assumptions and cultural biases. It is this position that will allow the transmission of ideas to be understood the best, despite certain frictions that may occur due to issues of class structure and power, specifically between the elites who are able to dictate the rule set and the non-elites who must adopt the elite's rules as dominant. (Hall 1993, 101)
The negotiated position is when the audience member, or receiver, is able to decode the sender's message within the context of the dominant cultural and societal views. (Hall 1993, 102) The messages are largely understood, but in a different sense than the dominanthegemonic position. The receivers in the negotiated position are not necessarily working within the hegemonic viewpoint, but are familiar enough with dominant society to be able to adequately decode cultural texts in an abstract sense. (Hall 1993, 102) However, it is entirely possible for the audience member to decipher the message as a more personal message, which is when their own biases and viewpoints muddy the decoding process. This "near view" of the message usually occurs in certain situations that are close to the audience member, as opposed to the general "long view" they take of cultural texts in the abstract. (Hall 1993, 102)
The oppositional view is when the audience member is capable of decoding the message in the way it was intended to be decoded, but based on their own societal beliefs, often sees another, unintended meaning within the message. (Hall 1993, 103)
LOOKING THROUGH THE LENS OF AUDIENCE
Advertisement link- https://youtu.be/Z5ZAr7Pl8Tc
Description of the advertisment: This add. projects a girl of this generation in her teens who is desperate to get "likes" in her facebook profile. She tries various poses to impress people with her expressions, fashionable dress, postures. many people pass by but is was not noticed. All her efforts went in vain as no one notices her nor impressed. She feels frustrated and vexed and feels bad for herself for not getting any positive comments.
Tata Docomo, one of the mobile 4g network advertisement comes with a message saying more data pack can be utilized to express your thoughts to others openly by facebook/watsapp. We need not be conscious upon usage of data as it is unlimited.
Elements present: A selfie frame, few passer by, a girl in wwestern wear. The backdrop is college stairs/entrance.
low music is played at the background for the advertisement.
Looking through the lens of first type o audience:
The message is very much apt for the present generation teenagers who are very much fond of clicking selfies and posting it in social media to get likes and approval from their peers. They get easily connected with sch advertisment and agrees with the advertisment. In fact they empathise with the girl in the adertisement and pity her. These type of audience are easily convinced and are easily switched over to new network.
Second type of audience: From parents point of view:
Parents agree with the advertisement message or whatsoever, but critically think about the cost of the network price and the strategy the network company plays to catch the attention of the audience. They clearly understand that their kids are in situation of falling in prey of the commercials.
Third type of audience: The psychologists:
Psychologists who understands the possible reactions and response of the teenagers and their parents critically analyse the advertisement. They express their views about the impact of social media-facebook and selfie likes/approval of the teens. They argue that such advertisments affect the students/adolescents level of self esteem if their profile pic is not commented positively or not being appreciated by others.