uses and gratifications

Uses and gratifications
This theory is the opposite of “range of audience theories”
The main difference is that it assumes that the audience is active, which means we choose the texts consumed and how we all consume the texts.

Uses and gratifications theory
1960’s- it became apparent that the audience made their own choices about how and when they consumes media texts.
Blumer and Katz expanded on this theory in 1974 suggesting a serious of reasons why audience members might consume a media text.
Diversion- escape of everyday problems
Personal relationships- Using the media for emotional and other interation
Personal identity- constructing their own identity from characters in media texts
Surveillance- information gathering

Denis McQuail suggests a more detailed breakdown of the audience:
Information
..finding out about relevant events and conditions
..seeking advise
..satisfying curiosity and general interest
Learning
..self-education
..confidence through gaining knowledge
Personal identity
..finding reinforcement for personal values
..finding models of behaviour
identifying with ‘celebrities’
..gaining incite into oneself
Intergration and social interaction
..gaining insight to circumstances of others
..identifying with others
..finding a basis for conversation and social interaction
..having a substitute for real life companionship
..helping to carry out social roles
..enabling once to connect with family, friends and society
Entertainment
.. escaping, pr being diverted from problems
..relaxing
..getting intrinsic cultural or aesthetic enjoyment
..filling time
..emotional release
..sexual arousal

Watching TV Soap operas
Richard Kilborn suggests that:
.. a regular routing and a reward for work
..social and personal interaction
..fulilling indicvidual needs
..identification with characters
..fantasy to escape
..focus on a topic
..appreciation of genre conventions

a recent model argues that th individual has the power to controll the media texts that we select and we select the ones which best suit our needs

Critisisms of uses and gratification theory
can be simplistic, hrad to explain why we like something. from what is consimed n the media we choose from what is available.

Entertainment
My form of entertainment would be to watch comedies/ sitcomes such as Friends, My wife and kids as the programmes help divert myself away from problems, it also alows u to escape as you can identify with other character roles.