Uses and gratifications theory

Blumler & Katz

The 'Uses and Gratifications' model represented a change in thinking, as researchers began to describe the effects of the media from the point of view of audiences. The model looks at the motives of the people who use the media, asking why we watch the television programmes that we do, why we bother to read newspapers, why we find ourselves so compelled to keep up to date with our favourite soap, or consume films. The theory makes the audience active as they choose what they want to consume, they are not forced in to consumption for e.g. you only watch the films you want as you are in control of your choices. The media simply creates the product.

The theory argued that audience needs have social and psychological needs which generate certain expectations about the mass media and what they are exposed to. As the audience is the active participant it allows them to make choices in relation to what they consume making ones self in control of what they consume. This does assume an active audience making motivated choices making the audience in control of their own consumerism.

THE 4 NEEDSThe underlying idea behind the model is that people are motivated by a desire to fulfil, or gratify certain needs. So rather than asking how the media uses us, the model asks how we use the media.

The model is broken down into four different needs: -Surveillance -Personal Identity -Personal Relationships -Diversion

1. SURVEILLANCE The surveillance need is based around the idea that people feel better having the feeling that they know what is going on in the world around them. (we watch the news as we feel it is a reliable source of information and it makes us feel secure that we know what is happening around us)

The surveillance model is all about awareness. We use the mass media to be more aware of the world, gratifying a desire for knowledge and security.

E.g. green days music video ‘wake me up when September ends’

2. PERSONAL IDENTITYThe personal identity need explains how being a subject of the media allows us to confirm the identity and positioning of ourselves within society.

The use of the media for forming personal identity can be seen in music videos/films. Pop stars can often become big role models, inspiring young children everywhere (which is why there's such an outcry when one of them does something wrong).

Music videos and songs such as Meghan Trainors ‘All About That Bass’ and Christina Aguilera's ‘You Are Beautiful’ allow us to connect with such identities and help us ‘fit’ in to society.

3. PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPSThis section comes in two parts: Relationships with the Media, Using the Media Within Relationships.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE MEDIA

We can form a relationship with the media, and also use the media to form a relationship with others.

Many people use the television as a form of companionship. This may seem sad, but think about how many times you've watched the TV on your own, or with other people but sitting in silence. The television is often quite an intimate experience, and by watching the same people on a regular basis we can often feel very close to them, as if we even know them. When presenters or characters in a soap die, those who have watched that person a lot often grieve for the character, as if they have lost a friend.

Using the media within relationships

Another aspect to the personal relationships model is how we can sometimes use the media as a springboard to form and build upon relationships with real people.

Having a favourite TV programme in common can often be the start of a conversation, and can even make talking to strangers that much easier.

Some studies suggest that some families use sitting around watching the television as a stimulus for conversation, talking to each other about the programme or related anecdotes while it is on. (take gogglebox for example)

4. DIVERSIONThe diversion need describes what's commonly termed as escapism - watching the television so we can forget about our own lives and problems for a while and think about something else.

We watch music videos to take our mind off our every day lives, we want to distract our self from the problems we are experiencing. We want to see that people experience the same feelings as we do and want to forget about our own problems and focus on some one else's. For example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPj6CMjUrDU Leona Lewis - Happy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHp2KgyQUFk Beyoncé- Best thing you ever had