1. The Uses and Gratification Theory (Bulmer & Katz, 1974)
The ‘Uses and Gratification Theory’ is an explanation to why people choose certain areas of
media and its content for gratification purposes. The theory suggests that the target
audience of a specific media genre take an active role in relating the media to their own
lives. Therefore, the user seeks out a form of media that best fulfils their needs.
It is understood that the user four basic needs:
Diversion – Using the media form to take the pressure away from everyday life.
Personal Relationships – To identify with certain groups and using the media form to
fulfil needs for companionship.
Personal Identity – Using the media to see relatable people, which may reflect the
user’s life.
Surveillance – Using the media form to find out news and current events.
Diversion: By reading the ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine, the target
audience can stop worrying about all the stressors of everyday
life, and find out about their favourite artists and get all the
latest news. The reader is using escapism by reading the
magazine.
Personal Relationships: After reading the ‘Rolling Stone’
magazine, the reader can talk to other people with the same
music interests about the latest news that they read in the
magazine.
Personal Identity: The readers can look up to the people that
are in the magazine and style themselves on them. As a result,
they will begin to become parts of certain social groups and
trends that are distinguished by their preferred genre/style of
music.
Surveillance: The reader can use ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine to
find out about celebrities lives and what is happening with
them. As a result, the reader will feel as if they know the
celebrity and be able to relate to them