1 Lesson 8

Starter 2 RESEARCH ACTIVITY On the 30 th October 1938, H G Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds was broadcast on the radio. What happened as a result of this?

Starter 3 (2 mins) Short intro as to what happened This is the full radio broadcast Play (3:15 to 5:30) M

Starter Why do mass hysteria situations like this occur? DISCUSS 4

Audience theories: the hypodermic needle model Psychological theories can be applied to explain why an audience would act as they did in The best one which seems to fit The War of the Worlds ‘mass hysteria’ situation is the Hypodermic Needle Model. If you missed the introduction to the radio broadcast, you could quite easily assume that something catastrophic had happened. 5

Audience theories: the hypodermic needle model This theory states that people listen/watch/read media texts and believe every part of every media message they are told. They consume it like a drug straight into the brain. It is the effect of brainwashing someone. If the Hypodermic Needle model is to be believed, then audiences are passive. 6 Copy these notes:

Audience theories: uses and gratifications Jay Blumler and Elihu Katz developed an audience theory that allows us to see what people ‘do’ with their media rather than what the media does to them.  Entertainment – diversion or escape from day-to-day routines.  Relationships – where they use the ‘text’ to form relationships with others, e.g. online communities, discussion with friends.  Information – learning about the world, learning new things.  Identity – where the ‘text’ helps you to identify with something and to reinforce your own values. Remember ‘text’ can be any type of media, such as a book, image, film, audio, music or a video game. 7 Ensure you have copied these notes

Audience theories: uses and gratifications  Entertainment – diversion or escape from day-to-day routines.  Relationships – where they use the ‘text’ to form relationships with others, e.g. online communities, discussion with friends.  Information – learning about the world, learning new things.  Identity – where the ‘text’ helps you to identify with something and to reinforce your own values. 8 Science fiction filmHow it links to specific Uses and Gratifications Back to the Future Attack the Block Star Trek

What have audiences said about the uses and gratifications they have enjoyed from watching specific films – copy and paste select quotes as evidence. 9 Science fiction filmHow it links to specific Uses and Gratifications Back to the Future Attack the Block Star Trek

Applying the uses and gratifications theory 10 Complete the worksheet

Individual task Are aliens good or bad? Your homework is to research aliens in science fiction films. Find some images of good aliens and bad aliens. Create a chart that illustrates images for both sides, making clear which films they List the characteristics, which represent that alien. 11