This document summarizes Blumler and Katz's uses and gratifications theory, which proposes that people use media to fulfill certain needs. The theory identifies four main needs: escape and diversion from daily life through becoming engrossed in music magazines or websites; surveillance and information gathering about music, celebrities, and the industry; developing personal relationships by discussing articles with others; and exploring personal identity by comparing oneself to people in stories or identifying with a music genre.

1. USES AND
GRATIFICATIONS

2. BLUMLER AND KATZ (1974)
• Blumler and katz suggested that the public use
media to satisfy their needs. This theory is called The
Four Needs Theory which has four main parts which
are as followed:
• Escape and diversion from every day life
• Surveillance and information
• Personal relationships
• Person identity

3. ESCAPE AND DIVERSION.
• Reading music magazines or visiting their online
websites can provide an escape route from every
day life.
• The audience feels like they are apart of the
different stories and often get carried away and
excited and therefore can forget about their own
life and worries for the time being.

4. SURVEILLANCE AND INFORMATION.
• Music magazines and website often provide the
world with a wide variety of information about
music, celebrities, artists and information about the
music industry itself.
• The audience are left feeling well informed about
what’s happening with the music industry.

5. PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP.
• After reading the magazine the audience then
tend to go on to talk to each other at social
conventions about the articles featured in the
magazine as well as sharing their opinion on the
subject.
• Music magazines provide an excellent opportunity
for social interactions.

6. PERSON IDENTITY.
• Many readers like to compare themselves with the
people in the stories and articles. They like to
imagine how they would have reacted if they were
in a similar situation.
• Some people even use magazines to help them
identify what genre of music they belong to.
Claiming themselves to be a “rock fan” or a “indie
fan”