Uses and Gratifications

The audience is active and uses or buys the text for their own gratification/pleasure. In this model the audience holds the power as it is up to them whether they buy the text or not. Therefore it is vital the producers meet the needs of the intended audience. In this model the audience holds the power as it is up to them whether they buy the text or not. Therefore it is vital the producers meet the needs of the intended audience. The uses and gratifications model demonstrates that consumers have wants and desires and consume the types of chosen media for individual needs.



Researchers Blulmer and Katz expanded on the Uses and gratifications theory and published their own in 1974, stating that individuals might choose and use a text for the following purposes

•Diversion - escape from everyday problems and routine.
•Personal Relationships - using the media for emotional and other interaction, eg) substituting soap operas for family life

•Personal Identity - finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behaviour and values from texts
•Surveillance - Information which could be useful for living eg) weather reports, financial news, holiday bargains

Since then, the list of Uses and Gratifications has been extended, particularly as new media forms have come along (eg video games, the internet)