Applying Blumler and Katz Theory

By Daniel Bruce

Introduction0Uses and gratifications theory (UGT) is an approach to

understanding why and how people actively seek out specific media to satisfy specific needs. UGT is an audience-centered approach to understanding mass communication. Diverging from other media effect theories that question "what does media do to people?", UGT focuses on "what do people do with media?

About The Theory0This communication theory is positivistic in its approach,

based in the socio-psychological communication tradition, and focuses on communication at the mass media scale. The driving question of UGT is: Why do people use media and what do they use them for? UGT discusses how users deliberately choose media that will satisfy given needs and allow one to enhance knowledge, relaxation, social interactions/companionship, diversion, or escape

Audience Theory 0 It assumes that audience members are not passive

consumers of media. Rather, the audience has power over their media consumption and assumes an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. Unlike other theoretical perspectives, UGT holds that audiences are responsible for choosing media to meet their desires and needs to achieve gratification. This theory would then imply that the media compete against other information sources for viewers' gratification

UGT AssumptionsGiven these differing theories, UGT is unique in its assumptions:

0 The audience is active and its media use is goal oriented

0 The initiative in linking need gratification to a specific medium choice rests with the audience member

0 The media compete with other resources for need satisfaction

0 People have enough self-awareness of their media use, interests, and motives to be able to provide researchers with an accurate picture of that use.

0 Value judgments of media content can only be assessed by the audience.

The Active Audience0 Jay Blumler presented a number of interesting points, as to why Uses and

Gratifications cannot measure an active audience. He stated, "The issue to be considered here is whether what has been thought about Uses and Gratifications Theory has been an article of faith and if it could now be converted into a question such as: How to measure an active audience?" (Blumler, 1979). Blumler then offered suggestions about the kinds of activity the audiences were engaging with in the different types of media.

0 Utility : "Using the media to accomplish specific tasks”

0 Intentionality: "Occurs when people's prior motive determine use of media”

0 Selectivity: "Audience members' use of media reflect their existing interests”

0 Imperviousness to Influence: "Refers to audience members' constructing their own meaning from media content

Continued25 years later, in 1972, Blumler, McQuail and Brown extended Lasswell's four groups. These included four primary factors for which one may use the media:0Diversion: Escape from routine and problems; an emotional

release

0 Personal Relationships: Social utility of information in conversation; substitution of media for companionship

0 Personal Identity or Individual Psychology: Value reinforcement or reassurance; self-understanding, reality exploration

0 Surveillance: Information about factors which might affect one or will help one do or accomplish something

Modern Day Needs0 Katz, Gurevitch and Haas (1973) saw mass media as a means by

which individuals connect or disconnect themselves with others. They developed 35 needs taken from the largely speculative literature on the social and psychological functions of the mass media and put them into five categories:

0Cognitive Needs: Acquiring information, knowledge and understanding

0Affective Needs: Emotion, pleasure, feelings

0 Personal Integrative Needs: Credibility, stability, status

0 Social Integrative Needs: Family and friends

0 Tension Release Needs: Escape and diversion