Audience Theory

What is audience theory?

Audience theory is an element of thinking that developed within academic literary theory and cultural studies. Some suggest that audience is constructed by the rhetoric and the rhetorical situation being addressed. Others believe that writers and speakers can specifically target their communication to address a particular audience. Others try to combine these two approaches and this would make the audience 'fictionalized'.

There is a wide range of media theories about the audience's role in any kind of situation to do with the media.

The Hypdermic Syringe model:

This is also known as the hypodermic needle model and is a model of communcations which can also be referred to as the "magic bullet" perspective. This model is an intended message is directly received and accepted by the receiver. This model came about in the 1930's.

The theory implied that the mass media had a powerful and direct effect on its audience. The mass media in the 1940's and 1950's were perceived as a powerful influence on behaviour change. Various factors contributed to the strong effect theory of communication. This includes:

- The rapid rise and popularization of radio and television
- The emergence of persuasian industries, i.e. Advertising and propaganda.
- Hitler's manipulation of the media during WWII to brainwash the German public and gain their support for the Nazi Party.