Effects Debate

The effects debate says what effect media has on its audience and how it can influence readers. This is why there is media regulation because media has the potential to influence people in negative ways so there is a need to 'protect' audiences from some of the content that media carries. There tend to be three voices in this debate:

- Those who articulate their concerns about the effects of the media without any actual evidence.

- Those who have conducted research into media effects and whether the effects are positive and negative.

- Those who are subject to the debate, usually children or teenagers consuming new forms of media which the 'adult culture' are worrying about.

This theory is widely taken on board and is shown by media being given ratings to describe what audiences are suitable to view the different texts that are available to society. The biggest form of this is age ratings which are seen in everyday life. Censorship is also a big part of the media that restricts the content being shown to audiences. This theory is backed up strongly because of the laws that have been put in place that follow the morals of this theory.


This is the What it Feels Like for a Girl music video by Madonna. Throughout the video Madonna is seen to be doing things that are stereotypical of a "Bad Boy" image. This goes against conventions and gives the audience of the video different ideas and perspectives of the conventions that it represents and makes people think differently as opposed to living by stereotypes.