Active and Passive Audience

There is a theory that argues that audiences with a background don't just absorb information but get activeley involved unconsciously because they can apply the message from the article to their real life. So the decoding of the message that is trying to be portrayed an be influenced by family background, beliefs, education, experience etc...
Other Theories:

• Encoding/ Decoding Model of communication: a four stage model of communication that takes into account the production, circulation, use and reproduction of media messages. In contrast to the traditional approach of the sender and receiver, each of these steps are interdependent. "Each stage will affect the message (or ”product”) being conveyed as a result of this. This implies that, for example, the sender of information can never be sure that it will be perceived by the target audience in the way that was intended, because of this chain of discourse."

• Gratifications Theory: places more focus on the consumer/ audience rather than the actual message it is conveying. It assumes that members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in understanding and intergrating the media into their own lives.