Uses and Gratifications Theory
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What have you done today ?
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Transcript of Uses and Gratifications Theory
Whathaveyou
donetoday?
Watched T.V.?
Driven by a billboard?Read a magazine?
Gone to a sporting event?
Checked your Facebook notifications?
What ever it is you have probably come in
contact with some form of media
Which brings me to my point…
Since the media is everywhere shouldn’t there be a theory about it?
There is!!!
It’s known as the uses and
gratifications theory.
The uses and gratifications theory focuses on the consumer rather than focusing on the message by asking “what people do with media” rather than “what media does to
people”.
In other words, the audience uses media to meet their needs and to fulfill specific gratifications*.
*Gratifications are sources of pleasure or satisfaction.
Blumler and Katz first began studying this theory in the 1940’s.
and it’s still used by scholars today!
Since then, the theory has been criticized by many.
It’s too hard to determine the gratification of needs.
All research is based on surveys!It will not succeed in “contributing substantially” to the field of communication.
The criticism has not deterred scholars, and research continues.
Just remember…
The uses and gratifications theory looks at what people do with media.
Questions? Just ask…
