Audience theory

This theory was the first attempt at an explanation for how an audience will react to the media. It suggests that the audience will passively receive the information present in a media text, without challenging the data. This theory was developed whilst media was still quite new - radio and cinema had only been introduced less than 2 decades prior to the development of this theory. Governments were beginning to use advertising to communicate a message, and produced propaganda used in forms of media such as newspapers, cinema, radio and posters. It injects ideas in to the target audience.

The theory suggests that the experience, intelligence and opinion of an individual are not relevant to the reception of the information within the media text. It suggests that, as an audience, we are manipulated by the creators of media texts, and that our behaviour and thinking might be easily changed by media-makers.

Uses and Gratifications in the Horror Genre

The Uses and Gratifications Theory is a way of explaining the ways in which audiences are motivated to consume forms of media. It states that all media is consumed to fulfil a need.

These needs include:

Surveillance
This need involves people feeling safer and more secure knowing what things are going on around them.

Horror Genre Example: If a viewer watches a film in which a killer is present in an ordinary town, then they will feel safer as they will feel that they would be able to deal with the situation better if it happened to them.

Personal IdentityThis is the need for the viewer to develop their identity through the characters in the media. This is to help them become a better person through adopting desirable characteristics.

Horror Genre Example: When a character shows bravery in dealing with a scary situation, the viewer may seek to replicate this bravery in their own life.
Personal RelationshipsTelevision and Cinema are just two of the media types that could be consumed as part of a social activity, ie. with others present whilst watching. This fills a need in that people who have watched an event together have bonded as it seems like they have been through the experience together.
Horror Genre Example: In a Horror, at least one character is conventionally killed, which would allow viewers to emotionally share the traumatic experience.
This may also relate to the use of the media as a conversation point, to further develop personal relationships.Horror Genre Example: Conversations may take place in which people debate the scariness of the horror film, thus developing the relationships with each other through conversation.
EscapismThis need is probably the most common, and involves the viewer 'escaping' from their normal life by putting themselves in the position of the characters. This helps the viewer to forget the stress, boredom, or sadness in their lives and at least momentarily be happy.Horror Genre Example: Viewers can put themselves in the position of a killer, for example. This is something that members of the audience are unlikely to experience in their normal lives.

 

 

Desensitisation

 

Suggesting that constant exposure to such accessible violence on a regular basis within the media no longer makes such a strong emotional impact upon the audience, possible causing them to also be insensitive towards violence in everyday life. According to the American Academy of Paediatrics, "Extensive research evidence indicates that media violence can contribute to aggressive behaviour, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed." Children become immune to the horror of violence, gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems, imitate violence they observe on TV, and identify with characters (victims or victimisers) they see on TV.

 

Horror movies are prime examples of violence in media texts since they depict gruesome death scenes. But as time went on horror films became more and more violent rather than focusing on atmosphere and tension but there days we’ve seen so much violence in horror films that it no longer shocks us. There have been many horror films that are dedicated to being as grotesque as possible like Saw. Other examples include Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13^th.