The document summarizes Katz and Bulmer's Uses and Gratification Theory, which explains that media consumers seek to fulfill their needs through media. The theory argues that audiences are not passive, but actively select media to fulfill five needs: entertainment, personal identity, surveillance, diversion, and social interaction. The document then provides examples of how a fictional rap magazine might fulfill these needs for its target 18-24 year old audience through its cover design, interviews, and discussion of artists.
2. Users & Gratification Theory – Bulmer & Katz
• The users of gratification theory is a theory where Bulmer & Katz try to explain why consumers try
to fulfil their needs via the media. It’s how the audience use the media for mass worldwide
communication .
• The theory suggests that the audience aren’t passive consumers however they’re who essentially
controls the media and have power in which direction it can be steered towards
• Bulmer & Katz said that the media is used for the following reasons
Entertainment , Personal Identity , Surveillance , Diversion and Social Interaction
3. Entertainment
• The media is used to entertain people for example womens gossip
magazine , football news and anything in general it essentially meets
peoples demands and what they want. If enough people are
entertained by certain things then they’ll be shown in the media.
4. Personal Identity
• The media can be used to find a group in which you can relate
yourself to and feel a part of by reading for example say Soulja in turn
you will address the dress code the views etc of that group and think
like them.
5. Surveillance
• The media can be used essentially to gather information from a
potential audience , you can know their contact details , addresses
and things like date of birth etc.
• It can be used to contact them for upcoming deals etc.
6. Diversion
• The media can be used for the audience to escape the problems
which they’re facing in their lives. It can be a scapegoat for them to
forget their problems even for a moment or two.
• For example my magazine is aimed at young people aged around 18-
24 years . So , they could be having problems regarding social groups ,
friendships , relationships , politics , news and see what else is going
on in the world.
7. Social Interaction
• By using the media people have something to talk about for example
they could talk about an article they read with another person who
has also read that article and discuss their viewpoints on it.
• In my magazines case it would be the audience would talk about rap
and what’s going on in the rap community
8. My front cover has an main cover line and 4 other normal cover
lines ensuring it aims at the entertainment aspects of things.
Because , the masthead used and the language used makes it
clear what the magazine is going to be about.
The front cover also helps distract the reader from what is going
on in their lives , you could even say it makes them feel better
about themselves for example an exclusive interview with Dr.Duke
who is a motivational figure and the events going on in Ferguson
about innocent people dying . Helps people appreciate their lives
more.
The cover lines are also a source of information giving an idea of
what the magazine is about this information can be taken in from
the coverlines the masthead and even the image used itself.
You could even say the front cover of the magazine is a source of
personal identity as only people who could relate themselves or
looking for a new identity would use it.
9. My magazine mentions many rappers such as Lucky Luciano
, Dr Duke , Lil Chad and Yizzy-J . This is a source of social
interaction it gives people who read the magazine
something to talk about with family and friends . In addition
if they choose to follow us on our social media sites then
they can have communication through the social media
sites.
In my regulars and contents you could say that all my cover
lines are diversions because they talk about something
different.
The images used are a source of personal identity an
audience could relate to and embrace by following the
fashion and the speech codes etc
10. The interview with Dr.Duke gives the reader a
diversion and let them look into someone
else’s life and see what they’re going through.
In return enabling them to compare and
contrast with their own lives. It also is a source
of learning how they could mould themselves
into the identity in which they want to be a
part of if they choose to.