The hypodermic needle model suggests that media messages are directly injected into passive audiences, immediately influencing them without their ability to resist. This theory was exemplified by the 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast causing a wave of panic. The uses and gratifications model counters this by focusing on how audiences actively use media to fulfill cognitive needs for knowledge, affective needs for emotions, personal integrative needs for self-esteem, social integrative needs for social interaction, and tension-free needs for escapism.

1. Hypodermic Needle Model
(Magic Bullet Theory)
Uses and Gratifications Model

2. Hypodermic Needle Model
(Magic Bullet Theory)
 The hypodermic needle model is the theory that
the mass media could influence a large group of
people directly by ‘injecting’ them with
appropriate messages designed to trigger a
response.
 Both images used to express this theory (a bullet
and a needle) suggest a powerful and direct flow
of information from the sender to the receiver.
The bullet theory graphically suggests that the
message is a bullet, fired from the "media gun"
into the viewer's "head".
 In the 1940’s and 50’s factors such as the rise and
popularization of radio and television, also
advertising and propaganda contributed to those
two decades being perceived as a powerful
influence on behaviour change.

3.  With similarly emotive imagery the hypodermic needle
model suggests that media messages are injected straight
into a passive audience which is immediately
influenced by the message. They express the view that the
media is a dangerous means of communicating an idea
because the receiver or audience is powerless to resist
the impact of the message. There is no escape from the
effect of the message in these models. The population is
seen as a sitting duck. People end up thinking what they
are told because there is no other source of information.

4.  This theory was tested on 30th
October 1938 when a radio
broadcast of ‘War of the Worlds’
was interrupted with a "news
bulletin“ claiming that
Earth, specifically New Jersey, was
being invaded by aliens.
 It became known as the "Panic
Broadcast" and changed broadcast
history, social psychology, civil
defence and set a standard for
provocative entertainment.
Approximately 12 million people in
the United States heard the
broadcast and about one million of
those actually believed that a
serious alien invasion was
underway. There was a wave of
mass as the nation was in a state of
chaos, and this broadcast was the
cause of it.

5. Uses and Gratifications Model
 This theory contradicts the Hypodermic Needle theory
and focuses on how the media can be used by the
population and not the other way around.
 There are several needs and gratification for people
they are categorized into five categories:
•Cognitive Needs
•Affective Needs
•Personal Integrative Needs
•Social Integrative Needs
•Tension Free Needs

6. Cognitive Needs
 People use the media for acquiring knowledge and
information. Some people will watch quiz shows or
news programmes on T.V. to gain knowledge and
information while others will turn to the internet and
search engines.

7. Affective Needs
 This need is in
order to satisfy
peoples emotional
needs. For example
if you are sad you
would watch or
read something
that would make
you cry. Or if you
were happy you
would look for
something to make
you laugh.

8. Personal Integrative Needs
 This is a self-esteem need. People would use the media to
reassure their status and gain credibility. They would assure
themselves that they have a status in society for e.g. people
get to improve their status by watching media
advertisements for jewellery and furniture and buy
products, so the people change their life style and media
helps them to do so.

9. Social Integrative Needs
 Using the media for social purposes. In modern times
people are using the media for social interaction by
using social networking sites such as Facebook and
Twitter, satisfying their social needs.

10. Tension Free Needs
 People sometimes use the media as a means of
escapism and as a relief from tension. Each need is
different per individual for example some will relax
and escape through television or radio whilst others
will prefer to immerse themselves in films or reading.

11. References
 Hypodermic Needle Model
 Uses and Gratifications Model