Uses and Gratifications Theory

The Uses and Gratifications Theory, which originally came about in the 1940’s, is a traditional method used within media research that takes the needs, motives and gratifications of people in the center of interest and takes an active role in the media intake process.

Through the use of different types of media such as newspapers or radio, the media industry is able to access millions of people. Without these different types of media the content produce would not effect anyone, events and actors would only be seen be the immediate audience.

Researchers have approached the subject from the angle of how it is going to affect the audience and send out specific messages. The Uses and Gratifications model created a change in thinking as the media industry began to take the audiences point of view and put it into perspective. The model looks at the motives of the audience as to why the audience read newspapers, listen to the radio and watch tv. The underlying idea behind the Uses and Gratifications model is so that the audience are able to fulfill certain needs such as keeping up to date with their favourite reality TV show. So instead of the media using their target market or audience to create media the model shows how the audience creates media.

The model is split into four different categories.

1. Surveillance

2. Personal Identity

3. Personal relationships

4. Relationships with the media

This links with my music magazine, as I will need to consider the model when creating my front page, contents page and double page spread and I will also need to consider the type of audience that my magazine is aimed towards.