How far do you agree with the comment that mass audiences are still passive recipients of media texts?

Firstly what is a 'passive audience'?
A passive audience is an audience that does not actively engage with the media text. A passive audience unconsciously learns from the media.

I believe that mass audiences are still passive recipients of media text as the audience are constantly being told or injected with thoughts and ideas that we should believe. The audience do not realise they have these different thoughts and ideas as the media has told us to believe and we have become desensitised  to certain subject matters. This means that the audience do not get effected by certain aspects we see on television or in magazines. Such as, violence. The audience have gotten used to the scene of violence and fighting, that they do not get effected or offended by it. On the other hand this was extremely different in the 1920's.

The Hays code: 
In the 1920's they had stricter views on showing different content and certain things were forbidden to be shown. Certain aspects were considered not to be suitable for film audiences. Such as: White slavery, ridicule of the clergy, scenes of childbirth, misusing the American flag, using word such as Christ, Lord and God in a rude way and even showing a woman's leg above the knee was considered unsuitable for the audiences. If these scenes had been shown in the 1920's it would offend the audiences and may have causes conflict. This shows how media has transformed and changed over time as in modern day these examples are considered suitable and the audience are not effected by the scenes they see. This suggests that the mass audiences are still passive recipients of media text as they believe these scenes are ok to watch as the media has shown them or told them.

In modern day, genders have been represented in media to look in a certain way. For example, men have been represented to have six packs and muscles and women are represented to be slim and have large breasts. Both genders have been made to think that to have these qualities is the way they should be. This is why i believe that mass audiences today are still passive recipients of media texts.

Overall, I strongly agree with the comment that mass audiences are still passive recipients of media texts as the media has presented and injected them with different information to believe.