Media Theories

The Hypodermic Needle: Direct influence under mass media. It implies that mass media had a direct immediate and powerful effect on its audiences. The media 'injects' this with appropriate messages designed to trigger a desired response.

Drip Drip Drip effect/ Cultivation effect: if the message is repeated enough, it will eventually have an effect on the audience, e.g. The news reporting crime, making us fear more - known as the cultivation differential.

Two- step- flow: idea that the media introduces us into ideas in which we discuss to form an opinion to.

Limited effect: belief that all are media illiterate and sophisticated readers of texts who are capable of making decsions and opinions on things.

Obstinate Audience Theory: Focusses on how the audience pick and chose what messages they want to see and hear from the media.

The Hypodermic Needle theory:
The idea that the media injects a mass audience with an idea designed to trigger a desired response has become a bit outdated. The two step flow is a modern version of the hypodermic needle theory, a more accepted theory.