1. 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.
2. The 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’
3. 2. PERSONAL IDENTITY
The 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 RELATIONSHIPS
This 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.
4. 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. DIVERSION
The 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
