theory of media

1. Uses and Gratification
Theory
MUHAMMAD DAWOOD
REG# 652-FSS/BSMC/S14
BS MEDIA & MASS COMMUNICATION
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD

2. Uses and Gratification Theory
Definition: “The Uses and Gratification theory explains why and on what basis select
the media. It states that people have certain predefined needs and in order to fulfill
those needs, they seek gratification from media. Media caters to the information and
entertainment requirements of the audiences. The theory assumes that the audience
is proactive while making a search for any specific media be it television, radio,
internet, newspapers or any other media form”.

3. Uses and Gratification Theory
UGT argues that people actively seek out specific media and specific content to
obtain specific gratifications or results.
1. UGT views people as active because they are able to
examine and evaluate various types of media to
accomplish communication goals.
2. UGT researchers ask “What do people do with
media?’ instead of “What do media do to people?”

4. Uses and Gratification Theory
It was further developed by Katz, Blumler and Gurevitch in the 1970s.
According to Katz, Blumler and Gurevitch's research there were some
components comprising the Uses and Gratifications Model including active
audience, audience initiated media choices and media competing with other
sources of satisfaction. They also proposed several needs for media
consumption which are classified into following five categories:
1. Cognitive Needs: Media is used by people for acquiring information and
knowledge. It is also used to develop better understanding of various
concepts and issues, for example people watching documentaries, news
analysis reports on current affairs etc.

5. Uses and Gratification Theory
2. Affective Needs: People use media for seeking pleasure or to satisfy emotional needs, for
example, watching music videos, movies, soap operas etc.
3. Personal Integrative Needs: Sometimes we use media to acquire credibility and reassure
our status. This is the self-esteem need, for example people get to improve their status by
watching media advertisements and buy products to change their life style and media helps
them to do so.
4. Social Integrative Needs: Internet and social media are normally used to satisfy this need
which is to integrate and connect with family or friends, for example, using e-mails, chat rooms
or Facebook to link up and socialize.
5. Tension Release Needs: Media is used for catharsis i.e., for the release of pent-up emotions
as this provides some relief and relaxation. It is also used as a medium of diversion from the
routine life and for escapism, for example, watching comedy movies, reading novels, comics
etc.

6. Comparison of UGT with other theories
UGT can be distinguished from other theories such as Agenda setting or Bullet
theory on the basis of following points:
1. In UGT the audience remains active, while other theories considers the
audience passive.
2. In UGT the audience comes first, while according to other theories the media
comes first.
3. UGT provides for the choices of audience, while other theories gives priority to
media where the audiences remain secondary.

7. Opinion
In nutshell, from the above discussion I would like to suggest that UGT is the best
theory both in its content and form. Because it fulfill all the essential purposes of
media research and observations. I choose to prefer the UGT on the basis of the
reason that, it is more fruitful than other theories, as it seeks to gather information
from the audience which are the real sources of data. It directly goes to the roots of
the media, because without audience media has no importance. It is the audience
which can guide media and media persons to formulate new policies. Nevertheless,
other theories are also relevant in this context, but UGT according to my viewpoint is
the best.

8. Priming Theory
Introduction
Media effects refer to how mass media affects its audience in decision making.
Priming is considered as the predecessor of agenda setting, one of the theories of
media effects. Priming has its base in cognitive psychology which relates to
associative network model of human memory. This concept details how one thought
may generate associated thoughts.

9. Priming Theory
Priming is a concept through which the media effects among the people are
enhanced by providing a basic perception human minds take decisions based on the
preconceptions that are already been stored in our memory. The memories are
stored as a form of nodes and they are interconnected effectively and mostly act as a
frame of reference to the decisions that we make. Priming enables the audience to
evaluate the situation and to conclude how effective the media have been in order to
make a decision by providing a frame of reference. Thus media creates an influence
among people to make judgment or a decision.

10. References
http://mymediaproject.wikispaces.com/Uses+and+Gratification+Theory
http://communicationtheory.org/priming/
https://commconcepts.wikispaces.com/priming

11. Questions Are Welcome

12. THANK YOU