Media Effects Models - Encoding and Decoding Model

• Production
• Content – typology genre
• Reception – impact on audience

Encoder – anyone who produces a media text
Decoder – the target audience, the person who uncovers the meaning of the text

Stuart Hall arrived at the conclusion that we can decode texts in 3 ways:

Hegemonic / Preferred / Dominant
The decoder takes the meaning from the text and does not question it at all

Negotiated
The decoder understands the meaning but has an issue with certain aspects

Oppositional
The decoder understands the text but does not accept the message

* Aberrant – the decoder does not understand the text at all

Double Page Spread

Anchorage, Gender and Typology

- Anchorage – anchoring the meaning of an image (telling the viewer what is is/means)

- If something is well anchored, it is described as didactic – the meaning is explained obviously to the viewer/reader

- Sex – what you are born as (male or female)

- Gender – a constructed concept. Men’s masculinity and women’s femininity. The way you behave and compose yourself.

- Intertextuality – making references to previous texts

- ALL representations are intertextually linked

- Some representations are common, while others are rare

- Typology – labelling a group of people by what they are expected to act like e.g. how women are represented in music videos:

· Decorative
· Patronising
· Victims
· Independent

E.g. black people:
Native – simple
Slave – happy to serve
Entertaining