1. MEDIA STUDIES A2 Everything we know so far…
Blessing, Lizzy & Ella

2. MEDIA THEORIES
Effects Model | The Hypodermic Model | The Uses and Gratifications Theory | Reception Theory | The Long Tail Theory | Wikinomics | We Think | Web 2.0

3. Effects Model
This theory focuses on how media affects society, and how society affects the media. Negative implications of this theory are when people carry out ‘copycat murders’. For example, in 2004, a teenage boy murdered his best friend and this led to the game ‘Manhunt’ being banned in the UK – as the murder was styled upon a murder within the game. This theory also proposes that the audiences are passive and powerless to prevent the influence.
The effects on the consumer:
The consumer is heavily influenced by the media, and therefore sometimes may do things that they have seen being done in several types of media (i.e. video games and television shows)
The effects on the producer:
The producer(s) of the media needs to be aware of the impact that their piece of media can have on a audience, and therefore needs to ensure that it can only be accessed by the right people. (i.e. age restrictions and filters)

4. The Hypodermic Model
This model suggests that the audience passively accepts the message that is ‘injected’ into them by the mass media.
The effects on the consumer:
This theory paints the audience/consumer as being completely powerless.
The effects on the producer:
This theory paints the producer(s) as having all of the power, and being able to ‘inject’ anything into the audience’s minds.

5. THE USES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORY
Uses and gratifications theory (UGT) is an approach to understanding why and how people actively seek out specific media to satisfy specific needs. UGT is an audience-centered approach to understanding mass communication. Diverging from other media effect theories that question "what does media do to people?", UGT focuses on "what do people do with media?"
It is suggested that the uses and gratifications theory has to fulfil one the following when we choose a form of media:
Identify
Educate
Entertain
Social Interaction

6. RECEPTION THEORY
The reception theory suggests that when a producer constructs a piece of media, it is encoded with a meaning or message that the producer wishes to send out to their audience.
Sometimes, the audiences will correctly decode the message, and will understand.
However, sometimes, the audience may fail to decode the message – and will therefore reject it.

7. THE LONG TAIL THEORY
In 2006, Chris Anderson, editor of ‘Wired’ magazine published his theory – a description of the way the the internet has transformed economics, commerce and consumption.
He argues that pre-broadband era, companies and distributors were interested in blockbuster hits and best-selling products, now there is a realisation that adding up all the niche consumption might amount to as much revenue (profit) as units sold of the peak material.
A prime example to apply to this theory, is Amazon.

8. WIKINOMICS
Wikinomics is the idea that through the web, the audience is increasingly in command. They have an abundance of choice and have more power in the marketplace.
Anybody has the ability to upload user generated content, so the market place becomes more democratic- it gives everyone equal say.
Anyone can produce their own media and share it online. Thanks to the internet, we as an audience become a prosumer of information.
Wikinomics supports the idea that the internet has profoundly changed the way media companies do businesses. Wikinomics is the idea that through the web, the audience is increasingly in command. They have an abundance of choice and have more power in the marketplace. Anybody has the ability to upload user generated content, so the market place becomes more democratic. Media is now more democratic because it gives everyone equal say. Everyone can now produce their own media video, share it with others and leave comments. Thanks to the internet, we as an audience become a prosumer of information.
As a result of the creation of the internet, media productions were able to express their creative side. Free creativity is a natural and positive outcome of the free market (internet), so attempting to regulate and control online creativity is extremely difficult. This is achieved by a service such as creative commons, which provides licences which protect intellectual property. While at the same time allowing others to change your material within limits.

9. WE THINK – CHARLES LEADBEATER
‘We Think’ explains how digital technologies are enabling new forms of collaborative creativity and innovation.
We Think explores how the web is changing our world, creating a culture in which more people than ever can participate, share and collaborate, ideas and information.
'We Think' states that the way we think and make sense of 'knowledge' is fundamentally shifting in the online age.
One of the main examples is social networking – sites such as Facebook and Twitter, have become a hugely important part of our everyday lives. The way we think and see things now partially depends on what happens on those sites and the actions that people do.

10. WEB 2.0
Web 2.0 describes World Wide Web sites that emphasize user-generated content, usability, and interoperability.
A Web 2.0 site may allow users to interact and collaborate with each other in a social media dialogue as creators of user-generated content in a virtual community, in contrast to Web sites where people are limited to the passive viewing of content.
Examples of Web 2.0 include social networking sites, blogs, wikis, and video sharing sites.