TV NEWS : AUDIENCE THEORY

WHY DO PEOPLE WATCH SOAPS?

WHY DO PEOPLE WATCH THE NEWS?

WHY DO AUDIENCES USE SOCIAL MEDIA?

USES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORY

Two very clever people, Blumler and Katz created a theory that lets us see what

people do with their media texts, rather

than what media texts do to them. They believed audiences used media texts to gratify themselves.

Gratifications - pleasures or fulfilling emotions

Media text – any media product – film, tv programme, app, newspaper, magazine, website etc.

Not what media does to audiences

But what audiences do with their media

1) ENTERTAINMENT

Use a media text to escape or divert from day-to-day routines

2) RELATIONSHIPS

Where audiences use a media text to form relationships with others, .i.e. friends, relatives, online communities etc.

3) INFORMATION

Audiences use a media text to learn about the world or learn new things.

4) IDENTITY

Audiences use a media text to identify with something and to reinforce their values or ideas