Friday, 3 October 2014

More on Uses and Gratifications


About Uses and Gratification

Blumler and Katz’s uses and gratification theory suggests that media users play an important part in choosing and using the different aspects of media. This theory suggests that a media user seeks a source which meets both the wants and needs of the user.
We are becoming more active media users (surround sound and 3D effects help)

The needs that have to be met:

-Diversion – when a user wants to escape from everyday life and relax. It also provides society and culture with unique and inspirational perspectives. This can create new ideas and changes that can be beneficial to a society, or even the world.

-Personal Relationships – people use the media to fulfil their need for companionship and to form a relationship with others (to be part of a social group within society).  The big thing with music magazines is the ‘Festival Scene’.

-Surveillance – where the media is used to find out what is happening in society around us. (E.g. a music magazine can be used to find out the latest charts and about the social life of different celebrities).

-Personal Identity – sometimes members of society can use the media to find out about themselves. Sometimes the way people are presented can reflect ourselves.
How Blumler & Katz' theory is shown in magazines:



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