Reception theory

1) What is the preferred reading of a media text?

The preferred reading of a media text is the meaning the producers intended for.

2) What is the oppositional reading of a media text?

The oppositional reading of a media text is an opinion that opposes the meaning producers intended for. This can be due to a consumer's prior beliefs, values, etc.

3) How does the Harry Brown trailer position the audience to respond to the teenage characters in the  film?

The Harry Brown trailer positions the audience to view the teenage characters in a negative light by focusing on 'socially unacceptable' behaviour, such as: lighting fires; breaking car windows; owning guns; rioting; etc. It communicates to the audience that these teenagers are criminals and unlawful people who should be looked down upon.

 4) Why might young people reject this reading and construct an oppositional reading of the trailer?

Young people themselves may construct an oppositional reading of the trailer as some may indulge in this type of behaviour. For example, some young people in the UK may have been involved in the anti-immigration riots during the summer of 2024. In being somewhat similar to them, these young people may approve of their actions, which would mean that they respond positively to the teenage characters. This would wholly reject the preferred reading of them being 'degenerates' or 'rule-breakers'. Furthermore, some may believe that young people in general do not act that way at all. Some may believe that in reality, young people are all very nuanced and different, and only a select few behave violently.

 5) Write a 150+ word analysis of the McDonald's advert using   preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings.

The preferred reading would be that the Big Mac is filling and a hearty meal, which would make it more desirable, as shown by the slogan, "A meal disguised as a sandwich". It also shown repeatedly in the text underneath: "It's as good as it is big"; "bring us your bigger than average appetite". The fact that the Big Mac itself is made to look large would also support this. In the advert, the sandwich itself is also  made to look (somewhat unrealistically) perfect and appetising, potentially persuading people into buying it. The text underneath additionally describes the Big Mac as "melty", "fresh", "crisp", "crunchy", etc, showing that McDonalds wants consumers to view their product as delicious and worth buying.

The oppositional reading would be held by people who have already tried the Big Mac and disliked it. Therefore, they would most likely hold the view that the advert is incredibly unrealistic as the sandwich wasn't "good" at all. After looking at the Big Mac in real life, they would also certainly see that the Big Mac looks completely different, further supporting this view. Additionally, some consumers may have had negative experiences at McDonalds which would cause them to hold a bias against the company and therefore dislike the advert. Some might even be vegan or vegetarian and have an aversion towards anything involving meat.

The negotiated reading would be a combination of both readings. 

 Grade 8/9 extension tasks: 

 Find your own advertisement and write a 150+ word analysis using preferred, negotiated and   oppositional readings. 

The preferred reading for this advertisement would be that it is humorous and clever, as the 'ketchup smile' not only alludes to the idea that 'ketchup makes you smile', but also to the Joker - a character that some consumers may be fans of. This would encourage them to view Heinz in a positive light and buy the product.

The oppositional reading is surprisingly the mainstream one. This advertisement was called out as racist by most influencers as it seemed to be a recreation of blackface, a racist practice where make-up is used to mock/ridicule black people. This was because the 'ketchup smile' seemed to mirror make-up used in the past to imitate black people's lips. After influencers and critics gave their opinion, this advertisement became extremely controversial and Heinz were forced to take it down and apologise. Other than that, some people may dislike the Joker or be afraid of the advert, as the smile could be considered 'creepy'.

The negotiated reading would be a combination of both readings, however, consumers who believe that the ad is blackface would be unlikely to accept any other parts of it.