audience agency

Audience agency refers to the capacity of viewers, listeners, or readers to interpret, engage with, and influence the media content they consume. It recognizes that audiences are not passive recipients but active participants who make meaning based on their own experiences, beliefs, and contexts. This concept highlights how individuals or groups can shape how media messages are understood and responded to, sometimes even altering or resisting the intended messages of creators. In essence, audience agency emphasizes the power and responsibility of audiences to interact with media in personal and meaningful ways.