Analysis

After finishing my Music Video I was interested to know how my audience would analyse it. During my research I read a media text by theorist Stuart Hall who suggests there are three ways an audience can analyse and interpret a media text. These are:

Preferred Reading

Negotiated Reading

Oppositional Reading

Preferred Reading is when the audience agrees with my piece and shares its views. It is the most dominant reading and would be expected of my target audience who understand the political context of my video yet enjoy the humours twist.

Negotiated Reading is when the audience partly agrees with me but sometimes resists and modifies. These people may enjoy my video and appreciate the humour, but possibly the political aspects may not apply. For example, a man from France would probably not be too bothered which political party runs Britain. Although, Ted Flew's theory of media globalisation states the barriers and distances felt between nations around the world have broken down; and as an example we get news on our televisions reporting from all over the world such as BBC News reporting on the Libya situation. Therefore Flew may argue that my 'man from France' would understand the political system in Britain, but I still argue he may not be that interested until it is something that will affect his personal life.

Oppositional Reading is when the media consumer understands my text but does not agree. They may not feel the humour element of my video compliments the serous message or may not think we were clear enough with our contrast of mise en scene.

I think it is important to understand how my audience will analyse my work as I then have a good idea on how to present it to them. I think most of my audience will read my work though 'Negotiated Reading' as it is political and topical; which should encourage people to have their own views and discuss. There is music and music videos for all types of different people, and Britain’s political situation can have an effect on all of our lives- so there is plenty to debate on how my video should be presented and how the messages can be interpreted.

David Morley on the other hand wrote: 'audiences, like producers of messages, must also undertake a specific kind of "work" in order to read meaningfully what is transmitted' in his 1980 text 'The Nationwide Audience'. Morley suggests that the audience will not just initially analyse a media text in one of three ways as Stuart Hall suggests, but "work" through it to make their own decision. They may watch my video, go away and talk to friends via the 'Two Step Flow' theory and reach a new point of view.

I believe how a media consumer analyses a text depends on the individual- but I will take all varieties of feedback in and improve my work accordingly.