Two Step Flow Theory.

This theory is a further extension of the Effects/ Hypodermic Model. This theory suggest however that instead of direct influence there are two steps in which the text takes to affect the audience. It states that the media effects are indirectly established through the personal influence of opinion leaders. Opinion leaders are normally famous people which people follow and listen to what they say. An example of this is Stephan Fry using twitter to voice his opinion on gay rights in Russia and how the prime minister should boycott the Winter Olympics in Sochi. This lead to none of the British government appearing at the opening ceremony of the Winter games. This shows how powerful twitter is as people who follow Stephan Fry on twitter will have seen this tweet and been influenced to back his opinion making the government boycott the opening ceremony to please the public.

This theory also suggests that the majority of people receive their information and are influenced by the media second hand, through the personal influence of opinion leaders that the follow. As this picture on the left shows. This picture shows the mass media being received by the opinion leaders and then the leaders passing it on to the followers.