Institutional Models

There are three main "Institutional Models", these models illustrate the relationship between institutions and audience. The model is a (theoretical) set of ideas which attempts to explain events that we perceive in the real world. 

Manipulative Model

The most common theoretical idea is the manipulative model, which sees the audiences as passive whose thinks and thoughts are easily changed and manipulated by the media products that consume. The audiences is defined by there gender, class, ages and race, which powerful media groups construct there products around. This ensure that the media groups own ideas and values widely believed or accepted. This is a conscious process which the media institutions (News International Corporation) being the puppet masters and manipulating their audiences. This suggests that when media material is presented as 'news' the audience is led to believe that it is real and that the representations are truthful. The success of media institutions is down to how convincing hat can pass their  viewpoints as facts. This is how the institutions 'interests and viewpoints' are the most likely to be accepted by the audience.

Pluralist or The Market Model

Other models argue that the manipulative model does not take into account the choices which audiences have in their media consumption. The manipulative model rest upon media products concerned with articulating a very similar set of ideas. Whereas, in fact, there are many different views on offer in many different products. This way of thinking is called the pluralist model or the market model. Pluralistic theory believe different groups and interests within society are constantly competing for audiences. The most successful are ones that are able to appeal to the biggest audiences. Pluralists believe that audiences decide in a very active way which they choose and consume their media. If media institutions don't follow this model thay risk losing a large proportion of its audience unless they change in response to there readers.

Hegemonic Model

The hegemonic model rests between the above models, offering a way of thinking about institutions and audiences where both have control over each other. This model acknowledges that media are controlled relatively small group of people and there viewpoints become embedded in the products that they produce, though the promotion of these views is rarely conscious (similar to the manipulative model). Dominant views are seen as 'normal' or 'common-sense' and are given greater emphasis in order to build up a consensus or agreement among the audience. However some members will change the process and resist by making choices about their purchase and consumption of products challenging the idea of consensus (similar to the pluralist or the market model)