Active Audiences

    Within the theories of mass communication, lies the idea that an audience can never be completely powerful. The closest the audience gets to being powerful is in the Limited Effect Theories, The Cultural Theory, and the Critical Culture Theory. These theories don't exlusivley give power to the audience, the audiences power is shared with the media. In the Limited Effects Theory, which was held from 1938-1960's, the media was regarded as not being extremely powerful. This was because theorists believed that the media only reinforced the status quo. They believed that the media reinforced existing knowledge and that the people had the power to manipulate the media. This idea is visualized in the FOX Network. Fox presses its extremely conservative views, but according to this theory, only people who already side with those views will be influenced.
     In the Cultural Theory, beginning in 1980, it is believed that people themselves give meaning to things and that people influence behavior. People are responsible for their actions and the media has no power over the people. This theory also states that television cultivates the reality of the world. In other words, people behave the way they do because they were influenced by parents or caretakers. The media only has the ability to capture the actions of people and broadcast them around the world. This idea can be visualized in reality shows, such as The Real World. In this show people aren't given a script, they are told to behave as they normally would and to ignore the cameras. The show has gotten so advanced that they don't really need physical camera men in the room. They have hidden cameras all over the house.
     In the Critical Culture Theory, beginning in 1980, it is believed that the media operates to maintain the status quo. It also states that the media pacifies people and is comprised of the corruption and debasement of culture. This theory only gives power to the most influential portion of the audience, which leaves the majority of people on the outside looking in. With this theory the audience is only allowed to be active if they have influence in the first place, whereas, most people don't. This theory is somewhat depressing but is definitely true in some facets. Think of how corporate leaders have the power to limit the news that pertains to them. Think about the Enron scandal and how the wrong-doing was scaled over the whole company and not on the few who did the most harm.