EVALUATION - Uses and Gratification Theory

This theory suggests that the audience chooses what, how and when they consume media texts. They can actively consume text for different reasons in different ways. Blumer and Katz expanded this theory saying why the audience may consume texts. Their reasons include:

• diversion- to escape from their everyday troubles and woes.


• personal relationships- using the media for emotional interaction


• personal identity- constructing their own identity within the characters and learning from their behaviour and values


• surveillance- to gather information such as, educational values, weather, news etc.

They believe that the audience watches these texts to learn information and use it as escapism from their real lives to make them feel better. It can give them social interaction with others and give them a sense of identity if they relate to the characters onscreen. More recently there is a new argument that people watch texts to fulfill their hierarchy of needs, which was created by Maslow.

However, there have been criticisms of this uses and gratification theory. Some argue that it is too simplistic. Everyone is unique and watches media texts for different reasons and react to them in different ways, so it is impossible to analyse everyone's view, about why they decide to watch certain texts at certain times. Also, it may not be a direct need/ desire to watch certain texts. The consumers may be tired at the end of the day and just decide to passively watch what is available on television. Advertisements are slotted in the middle of the television programmes and most of the consumers may not want to consume these adverts, but have no choice as it disrupts the programme they are watching.

Nikki Stock