Determining interpretation : audience or textual power? : a study of the factors that influence media reception and a challenge to Stuart Hall's (1973a) Three hypothetical readings, using MEP election bill boards (2009) as a primary text

Abstract

This study strives to further understand the relationship between 'text' and 'audiences' and challenges Stuart Hall's (1973a) Encoding and Decoding model, and his three hypothetical readings. This study utilizes Political Bill Boards from the 2009 MEP Maltese Election as primary text. Observation is carried out with the use of two focus groups, with participants of different ages, political ideologies, social backgrounds and education, who discuss the Bill Boards as Active Audiences. This study urges to seek the factors which influence media reception and whether it is the active audience or the text which carries the ultimate determining power. The findings of this dissertation show that although it is important to consider the influence of social, economic and cultural variables on message interpretation, the determining power of a text should never be taken for granted. It was also found that one's interpretation of a message can be predisposed by his/her upbringing and social background, but this is not always the case, as the research conducted showed that individuals coming from different political backgrounds and social upbringing interpreted messages similarly to one another. Other emerging themes where the importance of the emotive pull in a message and the significance of colour. Minor themes include the manipulation of text and reader by the media producer and the use of open and closed texts.