USES AND GRATIFICATION THEORY

Audiences were made up of individuals who actively consumed texts for different reasons and in different ways.

Blulmer and Katz expanded this theory in 1974, suggesting a series possible reasons why audience members might consume a media text.

• Diversion- escape from everyday problems and routines
• Personal relationships- using the media for emotional and other interaction, eg. substituting soap operas for family life
• Personal identity- constructing their own identity from characters in media texts, and learning behaviour and values.
• Surveillance- Information gathering, eg. educational programmes, weather reports, financial news, holiday bargains

Dennis McQuail suggests a more detailed breakdown of audience motivation:

Information

• finding out about relevant events and conditions
• seeking advice
• satisfying curiosity and general interest

Learning

• self- education
• confidence thorough gaining knowledge

Personal identity

• finding reinforcement for personal values
• finding models of behaviour
• identifying with "celebrities" - eg. Beckham
• gaining insight into oneself

Integration and social interaction

• gaining insight into circumstances of others
• identifying with others- a sense of belonging
• finding a basis for conversation and social interaction
• having a substitute for real life companionship
• helping to carry out social roles
• enabling one to connect with family, friends and society

Entertainment

• escaping, or being diverted, from problems
• relaxing
• getting intrinsic cultural or aesthetic enjoyment
• filling time
• emotional release
• sexual arousal

MY VIEW...

I think that the audience view texts in their own way and consume them the way they want. Different people respond to different texts, and that includes whether they find the text interesting or not. I think that this also applies to why they want to watch it, and the idea of genders and ages is also important. A child would want to watch something for a different purpose to why an adult or teenager would. It all depnds on audience interests and the way they want to consume the text.