Audience Theory - Uses and Gratifications



Audience Theory - Uses and Gratifications

The Uses and Gratifications theory was developed by Bulmer and Katz, it suggests that 'Media users play an active role in choosing and using the media'. Bulmer and Katz believed that user seeks out the media source that best fulfils their needs. (1974)

The theory assumes the audience chooses what they want to watch for five different reasons. 

Information and Education - The viewer wants to gain information, knowledge and understanding by watching programmes like Documentaries.

Entertainment - The viewer watch programmes for the enjoyment of it.

Personal Identity - Viewers watch for the recognition of a person or product and role models that reflects similar values to themselves.

Integration and Social Interaction - The ability for media products to create a top of conversation. Such as the results of Strictly Come Dancing.

Escapism - Computer games and action films that let the viewers escape their real lives and imagine themselves in those situations.

The theory suggests that people use media products to fulfils specific gratifications, and so this implies that media "compete against other information sources for viewers gratification"


This theory has received much criticism and the public believe they have no control over the media and what it produces. They also believe that this is this is them blaming the media so that they do not have to be responsible for what they produce. However, the theory could be more relevant nowadays due to the internet and satellite TV. This is because TV such as Sky and Virgin Media enables us to have more freedom over what we consume. 


- Hypodermic Needle Model:
The earliest and most basic idea was that media was that media products were taken straight in by audiences in a passive way. This disregarded any intelligence or experience of the audience and is rather insulting. It is at the root of all the panic stories that watching or playing violent media will make you violent. 

- Two-Step Flow Model:
A slight evolution of the way an audience consumes media. And analysis from Paul Lazar, Bernard Berelson and Hazel Gaudet concluded that audiences don't make an opinion until someone respected makes a comment.


















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