Reception Theory

This theory suggests that texts are coded with a meaning, and it is up to the audience to decode the text and understand it.
Stuart Hall identified three ways in which the audience would decode the text.
Dominant or preffered reading
This is where the audience decodes/ understand the text and the meaning the producer created. For example if a person was to create a documentary of the effects of dog fighting, the message would be to dissuade people of the sport.
Oppositional
This is where the message is decoded correctly, however the audience choses to reject it due to political, cultural or ethical reasoning.  For example, if an audience watches a documentary on dog fighting, the message that is trying to be portrayed is that it is wrong however the audiences is opposed to this as they have had experience with the sport and believe it is good fun.
Negotiated
This is where the message is decoded however the audience has no particular view on the subject and is disinterested.

An example of this theory is seen in the song Born In The USA by Bruce Springsteen. The song is an upbeat ballad and could be interpreted to be an American anthem with the repetition on "born in the USA" and the upbeat tone. However the lyrics differ and tell the story of the struggle of Americans.