Uses and Gratification Theory

Uses and Gratification theory is a popular approach to mass communication, it originated in the 1940's but did not expand till the late 70's by Blumler and Katz. There were 4 purposes for why individuals might use the consumer media:

Diversion- Escape from everyday problems

Personal Relationships- Using the media for emotional and other interaction, e.g substituting soap operas for family life.

Personal Identity- Finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behavior and values from texts.

Surveillance- Information that could be useful for living e.g weather reports, financial news and holiday bargains.

The theory assumes that members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives and also suggests that the consumer is also the one who choses which media is to suit their own needs. ( Such as the above)

When an audience actively seeks out media, they are looking for it in order to fulfill a need. For example, in social situations, people may feel more confident when they have specific facts and stories from media to add to conversation. By looking for information from the media, a person fulfills a need to be informed.