1. Uses and
gratifications model
Hannah Costello, Jacob
Gould & Loran Quinn

2. Definition
 Uses and Gratifications Theory is an approach to
understanding why people actively seek out specific
media outlets and content for gratification purposes.
The theory discusses how users proactively search for
media that will not only meet a given need but enhance
knowledge, social interactions and diversion.
 It assumes that members of the audience are not
passive but take an active role in interpreting and
integrating media into their own lives. The approach
suggests that people use the media to fulfill specific
gratifications/needs. This would imply that the media
compete against other information sources for viewers'
gratification.

3. Theory
 Blumler and Katz suggested in 1974 that television audiences
had 4 main needs:
 Diversion (a form of escaping from the pressures of every day)
 Personal Relationships (where the viewer gains companionship,
either with the television characters, or through conversations with
others about television)
 Personal Identity (where the viewer is able to compare their life
with the lives of characters and situations on television, to explore,
re-affirm or question their personal identity)
 Surveillance (where the media are looked upon for a supply of
information about what is happening in the world).

4. Limitations
 While acknowledging that the audience are active and choose
what to watch, the Uses and Gratifications model also has its
limitations. The model still implies that messages are packages of
information that all the audience will read as the same. It does
not consider how the messages are interpreted or any other
factors affecting the audience’s interpretation.
 The Uses and Gratification model assumes that the audience’s
wish for satisfaction results in a media output to fulfil their
desire, rather than acknowledging that audiences have to enjoy
whatever is produced by the media.