Hall's reception Theory

The theory suggests that media texts contain a variety of messages that are encoded by producers and then decoded by the audience. We see as an audience a simple “re-presentation” of what producers want us to see.

Dominant reading - the meaning the producer wants the audience to see.

Negotiated reading - a compromise between dominant and oppositional readings. The audience takes part of what the producer wants them to see, but have their own opinions as well

Oppositional reading - the audience rejects the preferred meaning and comes up with their own.