Uses and gratifications theory

Sees the audience as active
Suggests that the audience use the media to satisfy certain needs
The audience actively consume a media text in order to get someting out of it
In 1974, two media theorists Blumer and Katz suggested that there are four reasons why audiences may chose a particular text

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1. Diversion

Also known as escapism - it suggests that we use the media in order to escape from the routine and stress of our daily lives
Can work for positive texts such as a happy film ending which cheers us up and helps us to forget our problems
Can work for negative texts such as tragic situations in soap operas which helps us to put our problems into perspective
The diversion model also accounts for relaxation - we slump in front of the tv and don't really care what's on

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Also known as social interaction
We form a relationship with the media by using it as companionship - according to many theorists, we tend to know more about the characters we see than we do about our own neighbours
We can use the media to form relationships with other people by using it as a form of communication (e.g. Social networking) - this includes using the media as a talking point or stimulus for conversation

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Suggests we use the media to find out who we are and to position ourselves in society
Many media texts use a variety of characters that we can relate to and aspire to be like or unlike
Characters in the media help an audiene to express their own feelings and opinions more easily

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Based on the idea that people feel better by knowing what is going on in the world around us
The surveillence model is about awareness - we use the media to be more aware of the world by gratifying a desire for knowledge

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The theory suggests that the media producers hold no responsibility for the effect their products have on an audience - the effect is dependent on the reciever rather than the intended message
The theory doesn't account for the fact that different cultures will use the media differently
The theory ignores the fact that the media can have an unconscious effect on our lives and behaviour
Suggests that the audience have a free will to decide how they will use the media and therefore how it will effect them

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