The document discusses uses and gratifications theory, which suggests that audiences actively choose media to fulfill certain needs. Lasswell identified 4 functions of media: surveillance, correlation, entertainment, and cultural transmission. Blumer and Katz stated that users choose media for diversion, personal relationships, personal identity, or surveillance. Over time, the internet has expanded opportunities for identification, education, and socialization through search engines, wikis, streaming services, and social media. However, critics argue that the theory overlooks media's unconscious influence and ability to manipulate through news coverage.

1. USES AND
GRATIFICATIONS
THEORY
Media Coursework- G321

2. Lasswell
• When adults growing up in the 1960’s began to frequently watch
TV it became apparent that the audience did have a choice
when choosing what to watch.
• Far from being a passive mass, audiences were made up of
individuals who actively consumed texts for different reasons
and in different ways.
• Lasswell suggested four different functions that media texts
played within influencing individuals in society. They included:
• Surveillance
• Correlation
• Entertainment
• Cultural transmission
•

3. Blumer & Katz
• They created a theory that suggested that media users play an active
role in choosing and using the media.
• The user seeks out a media source that fulfils their needs to the best it
possibly can, comparing it to other providers.
• They stated that the audience will choose a media due to one of the
following reasons:
• Diversion - escape from everyday problems and routine.
• Personal Relationships - using the media for emotional and other
interaction.
• Personal Identity - finding yourself reflected in texts, learning
behaviour and values from texts.
• Surveillance - Information which could be useful for living.

4. How the theory has changed
• Over the past 10 years the internet has played a large part in the
way the uses and gratifications theory is perceived
• The internet allows us to identify more products and people, due to
search engines like Google we can search for anything, it enables
the audience to come closer to their role models
• Wikipedia and other factual websites enables us to learn whenever
we like, it may be argued that the internet has developed our
education massively in the last 10 years.
• YouTube, ITunes, BBC iPlayer etc are just a few of the websites that
give us an opportunity to be entertained whenever we please
• Facebook, blogs and other social websites enable us to socialise
while online

5. Criticisms
• The public has no control over the media and what it
produces.
• It can be argued that there is no real consequence if the
media produces something inappropriate and to some
extent “let off the hook”.
• It takes out the possibility that the media can have an
unconscious influence over our lives and how we view
the world.
• ‘Media consumers have a free will to decide how they will
use the media and how it will effect them.’ This may
seen incorrect as media can be manipulative through
means such as the news in its use of hegemony.
•

6. Criticisms
• The public has no control over the media and what it
produces.
• It can be argued that there is no real consequence if the
media produces something inappropriate and to some
extent “let off the hook”.
• It takes out the possibility that the media can have an
unconscious influence over our lives and how we view
the world.
• ‘Media consumers have a free will to decide how they will
use the media and how it will effect them.’ This may
seen incorrect as media can be manipulative through
means such as the news in its use of hegemony.
•