Audience Theory - Uses and Gratification

Learning objectives: 
To apply Uses and Gratification theory to 

Key words: 
Diversion, Information, social interaction, Personal identity.

Uses and Gratification Theory. Blulmer and Katz.

Uses and gratifications theory (UGT) is an approach to understanding why and how people actively seek out specific media to satisfy specific needs. UGT is an audience-centered approach to understanding mass communication. Diverging from other media effect theories that question "what does media do to people?", UGT focuses on "what do people do with media?"

• Diversion (escape from everyday problems - emotional release, relaxing, filling time etc.)

• Personal relationships (using the media for emotional and other interactions e.g. substitution soap opera for family life OR using the cinema as a social event).

• Personal identity (constructing their own identity from characters in media texts, and learning behaviour and values – useful if trying to fit into a new country/culture)

• Surveillance (information gathering e.g. news, educational programming, weather reports, financial news, holiday bargains etc).



Task 1:
How could you apply Uses and Gratification theory to the feature film Harry Brown?

Task 2: Apply Uses and Gratification theory to the text in your own coursework investigation.