The Hypodermic Needle theory was thought up in the 1920s to 30s in Frankfurt, Germany. It was in response to Hitler Propaganda posters which were heavily influencing the public. The theory said that the media is powerful and controlling and the audience is basically passive and allows ideas and beliefs to be injected into them. The theory can be linked to moral panics as it suggests that the audience will immediately believe that what they are seeing / hearing is true and that the answers to societies problems lie within the text or film. When applied to my film, it would suggest that audiences of our production would believe that violence is the answer to people who oppose your world view. Our antagonist is Russian and audiences could therefore believe that all Russians are evil.
A second theory is the Two Step Theory created by Lazarsfeld and Katz in 1944. The two step theory is based on having a middleman between the mass media and the mass audience. The middle man or the Opinion Leaders dissect the news from the media and present it to the mass audience in a way that is humorous or easier to understand. When applied to my film, it would suggest that if an influential leader or blogger such as Mark Kermode (Film expert) said that our film was good and worth watching, then the audience will be inclined to go because they look up to that person and believe that what he's saying is the truth.
George Gerbner (1980) came up with a theory based on the massive influence of television on the public. He argued that it was gradual long term effects rather that immediate effects (like in the hypodermic needle theory). He also argued that television reinforced ideas rather than changed peoples perceptions. When relating this to my film, I can understand the importance of promoting the film to the right group of people.
STUART HALL
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