Pluralism

Opposite to Marxism/hegemony in that there is no mass culture. Control of the media is said to be in the hands of the elite but they allow a considerable degree of flexibility in production choices. As a growing media literate audience we are able to choose selectively what we consume thus it is an active audience theory. It also acts as a fourth estate by safegaurding the public for example, exposing corruption.

Effects theory

This theory was created by the Frankfurt School at the height of Nazi Germany when the media was often used to advocate propoganda. For these reasons they believe the audience is injected by ideology to suit the capitalist system for example, buying clothes which we believe are a fashion statement. A dominant culture is also produced by the media itself to maintain social control. An example of how the media has the ability to inject ideologies into a passive audience is Triumph of the Will by Leni Reifenstahl.
'Cultivation theory' repetiton of a genre or conventions cause audiences to become 'desensitised' especially as social attitudes and expectations change so rapidly.

Reception theory

This theory concentrates on how we attach different meanings to different texts depending on context such the mood someone is in. We decode texts and interpret them in different ways. David Morley discusses how the media is all around us - 'the politics of the media.'

Whereas Pluralism looks at why we consume the media we do, reception theory looks at how we do this. Nevertheless, they are still both active audience theories by giving power to the audiences, whereas effects theory denies this due to the sheer power the media has over us.