Magic Bullet Theory

MAGIC BULLET THEORY
1. Raja Umer (Slides/MS Word)

2. Irtza Qureshi (Theoretical Framework)
3. Abdul Samad (Research Material)
4. Ibtasam Khan (Research Material)
History:
In mid-1930's media researchers discovered the first theory on Media Effects and
the Media Behaviors. During second world wars media assumes an indispensable
part in both United States and Germany to made impact in the individuals' psyche.
The Germany Hitler's Nazi utilized entertainment world for Propaganda and they
created heaps of films about their accomplishments which had an incredible effect
in Germans mind. Later the United States likewise utilized its own Hollywood and
delivered films like "It’s Happened one evening", "It's a brilliant life" and Mr.
Smith goes to Washington" to picture Germany as Evil power which additionally
had effect in Americans Mind. Here media crowd acknowledges the messages
straightforwardly with no dismissal.
Theory:
The media (magic gun) fired the message directly into audience head without their
own knowledge. The message causes the instant reaction from the audience mind
without any hesitation is called “Magic Bullet Theory”. The media (needle) injects
the message into audience mind and it cause changes in audience behavior and
psyche towards the message. Audience are passive and they can’t resist the media
message is called “Hypodermic Needle Theory”.
Both theories deal with impact of media messages in audience mind and how
audience react towards the message without any hesitation.
Page | 1
Concept:
 The advocacy of broad communications alongside the expansion in

promoting industry or publicity have influenced, both decidedly or
contrarily, on audience. It is hazardous, as an enormous mass is affected
straightforwardly and simultaneously. Messages infused can have the ideal
reaction which can cause issues and decimation or rule and consistency.
 Audience can't avoid the got message from media and it makes a uniform
speculation among individuals. A fixed attitude and discernment is made.
Indeed, even a solitary snippet of data can cause many cerebrum
modifications and change conclusions subliminally.
 Public is taken to be powerless as message is constantly injected and media
is colossally solid. The theory accepts that there are no different wellsprings
of media or option media to contrast the media's message with. Media is the
most grounded at the hour of emergency and in the hour of war when
individuals rely upon media for all the data. The hypothesis was supposed to
be utilized in Second World War by Germany and US.
 The theory is supposed to be founded on suppositions and not observational
discoveries. It depends on speculation of human instinct or organic nature.
Outside improvements are considered to support senses and responses.
"People’s Choice" is an examination led in 1940 by Lazarsfeld about the
political race of Franklin D. Roosevelt, which found that solitary few
explicit messages are infused to the crowd by media. Individuals are more
affected by relational correspondence.
Assumptions:
Magic Bullet Theory promotes a few basic assumptions:
1. Humans react uniformly to stimuli.

2. The media’s message is directly “injected” into the “bloodstream” of a
population like fluid from a syringe.
3. Messages are strategically created to achieve desired responses.
4. The effects of the media’s messages are immediate and powerful, capable of
causing significant behavioral change in humans.
5. The public is powerless to escape the media’s influence
Page | 2
Features/Significance of Hypodermic Needle Theory:
 Humans are believed to act uniformly to their stimuli and instincts.
 Media injects or inserts messages into the people’s brain as propaganda and
manipulation like that by a bullet or syringe.
 Messages have their own intention and are sent to get desired outcomes.
 The effect of messages is supposed to be encompassing, strong, immediate
and dangerous.
 Messages are supposed to create public opinion and change behavior of the
audiences.
 Mass of people is made to think in a similar way by the media.
 The audience is always thought to be vulnerable and passive.
Example:
1. Panic broadcast" was when radio transformation of H. G. Wells' play "Battle
of the Worlds" was being communicated as radio show in 1938 as a
Halloween scene which was coordinated by Orson Welles. The play was
introduced as news releases. Residents comprehended the play as individuals
of other planet assaulting a spot in New Jersey. An enormous gathering of
populace accepted the transmission and the message of outsider attack made
a mass frenzy a great many individuals.
2. Additionally, in Second World War, the German chiefs utilized film industry
to show their capacity on the planet and bind together the individuals for
battle in 1940s. Afterward, U.S. likewise utilized their own film industry to
make negative picture of the Germans and depict them as shrewd. They
supported their activities to their own kin with the assistance of media. News
is regularly predisposition and misrepresenting as well.
3. Recent example of magic bullet theory is Pakistani political trend like most
popular “GO NAWAZ GO” policy politician said on TV write go Nawaz go
everywhere like walls, bills specially on currency etc. and people started
write it everywhere.
Theoretical Framework:
Page | 3
Portrayal of Muslims in the media
Mass communication, mass media or communication-related theories are used to
simplify understanding of the communication process, pattern, activity or effects
on the audience and society. Mass communication theories come in different
categories. One of such categories is Media Effects Theories. These are theories
that explain how the mass media can influence people’s attitude and behaviour,
including how audience members are likely to react to mass media messages.
Among the media effects theories is the Magic Bullet Theory also known as the
Hypodermic Needle theory which we have selected as basis of our theoretical
framework. The bullet theory, magic bullet theory or hypodermic needle theory
sees the mass media as having a direct, immediate and powerful effect on its
audiences. Theory is one of the earliest theories in the field of mass
communication. It basically says that an intended message is directly received and
wholly accepted by the receiver.
We have selected this theory because it relates to the effects media has on the
general public and how it inserts messages into the minds of the passive audience.
The media in the West has always tried to portray Muslims in a negative manner
where Islam has publicly been associated with terrorism, and Muslims as terrorists.
There are several television movies, drama serials, talk shows, cartoons, and news
coverage, where Muslims are portrayed as uncivilized, anti-modern, anti-
democratic, and terrorists, fundamentalists, radicals, militants, barbaric, and anti-
western. Individual violent incident or any extremist movement in Islamic
countries is attributed to Islam by the western media. The continuous negative
portrayal of Muslims by the Western media has led people to believe that every
Muslim is a terrorist and as a result Muslims and Arabs have been severely
affected in their daily lives. Westerners have started fearing Muslims thus creating
discrimination between them and associating a negative image with them all with
the help of media.
CONCLUSION:
After these examples Its proved that mass media has play a role of magic gun
which fired content through its different medium and these contents are inject in
Page | 4
human brain as a magic bullet. And it also proves that media has an immediate,
direct, and power full attack on its audience.it doesn't matter that the effect is
positive or negative
Page | 5

Magic Bullet Theory

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Magic Bullet Theory

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Magic Bullet Theory

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What are the assumptions of the Magic Bullet Theory?

What is an example used to illustrate the Magic Bullet Theory?

MAGIC BULLET THEORY

1. Raja Umer (Slides/MS Word)

 The advocacy of broad communications alongside the expansion in

1. Humans react uniformly to stimuli.

You might also like