…Uses and Gratifications Theory…

Summary

- States that the audience is active
- The audience has the ultimate choice
- The way audience uses the media
- Blumber and Katz (1974) suggested a series of possible reasons why audience members might consume a media text.
- The four motivations for choosing a text are:

Ø Diversion
Ø Personal relationships
Ø Personal Identity
Ø Surveillance

- Dennis McQuail suggests a more detailed breakdown of audience motivation:

Ø Information linking to Surveillance
Ø Learning linking to Personal Identity
Ø Personal Identity linking to Personal relationships and Personal Identity
Ø Integration and social interaction
Ø Entertainment linking to Diversion

- Maslow’s Motivation theory:
Ø Basic
Ø Belonging needs
Ø Self esteem
Ø Self actualisation