Motivation and

reward for media

consumption
 U&G

 Arose originally in the 1940s and underwent a revival in the 1970s & 1980s
 Most of the theories on media explained about the effects media had on
people. It is the theory which explains of how people use media for their
need and gratification.
 In other words we can say this theory states what people do with media
rather than what media does to people. Also this theory is contradictory to
the magic bullet theory which states the audience is passive.
 This theory has a user/audience-centered approach .Even for
communication (say inter-personal) people refer to the media for the topic
they discuss with themselves.

U&G
The uses and gratifications theory suggests four ways in which
audiences use any other media texts.
the text provides pleasure for the audience, this is often characterized
as being 'escapist'.
films, the news or last night's television programs are common topics of
discussion; we use the media to feed this social interaction.
 We may identify with particular film stars, who we may even use as
role models.

the media are full of information which we are at liberty to use.

The theory denies that the texts can affect individuals unless he or she
wants it to.
Example watching movies
Most films are produced as entertainment for this is what audiences
most want and therefore the film is most likely to make money.
Any film that becomes much talked about can be considered an 'event
movie'.
If you have not seen the 'event movie' then you are likely to be left out
of conversations.
Hollywood's box office suffered in 2000 through the lack of an 'event
movie';

in 1999 the Star Wars prequel, The Sixth Sense and The Blair Witch
Project were all films that generated buzz
Most films do not set out to provide information (documentaries aside),
though they may do so as a 'side-effect‘
For example, in Britain people most often see North American society
represented in films, which is physically distant to them
They see their own country represented less frequently; for Anglo-
Asians the absence is much greater.
Five types of gratification
There are several needs and gratification for people they are
categorized into five categories.
Cognitive needs
Affective needs
Personal Integrative needs
Social Integrative needs
Tension free needs
Cognitive needs:

People use media for acquiring knowledge, information etc.

Among the audience some of them have intellectual needs to acquire
knowledge for e.g. quiz programs on TV, in order to acquire knowledge
and information you will watch news to satisfy the need, search engines
in the internet.
Affective needs:

It includes all kinds of emotions, pleasure and other moods of the

people.
People use media like television to satisfy their emotional needs
The best example is people watch serials and if there is any emotional
or sad scene means people used to cry.
Personal Integrative
needs:

This is the self-esteem need. People use media to reassure their status,
gain credibility and stabilization.

Thus, people watch TV and assure themselves that they have a status in
society.
For e.g. people get to improve their status by watching media
advertisements like jewelry ad , furniture’s ad and buy products, so the
people change their life style and media helps them to do so.
Social Integrative needs:

It encompasses the need to socialize with family, friends and relations

in the society.

For social interaction now a days people do not seems to have social
gathering in weekend, instead they do such social interaction using
media like the social networking sites such as facebook, Instagram,
twitter etc to satisfy their need.
Another example is you may not watch the particular serial regularly
but because your friend watching, you also start watching so that you
have common topics for discussion.

Pop culture?
Tension free needs:

People sometimes use the media as a means of escapism and to relieve

from tension

For e.g. People tend to relax watching TV, listening to songs and for
satisfying their need and relaxing from all the tension.
PS: The needs are individual in nature, and how u satisfies the need is
individualistic.

E.g.: That’s why some watch news to relax and some get more tension
by watching news. Program is same but people use it for different
needs.
Why do people watch reality
shows?
Taking TV today, most people watch reality shows because
It is more realistic
For entertainment
Interesting
New concepts (different from other programs)
In a way you can participate
Controversy, people crying
Sensationalism

The above reasons is why we watch and how we use not because it’s
popular.
ASSUMPTIONS
Gives the consumer power to discern what media they consume

The assumption that the consumer has a clear intent and use

Contradicts previous theories such as mass society theory.

Mass society theory
It states that people are helpless victims of mass media produced by
media gaints.

Media affects the audience like bullets.

Contrary to this, U&G is unique in its assumptions

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

People have enough self-awareness of their media use, interests, and

motives

Value judgments of media content can only be assessed by the

audience
Media dependency Theory
It is an extension of or an addition to the Uses and Gratifications
Approach, though there is an indirect difference between the two
theories

Media Dependency looks at audience goals as the origin of the

dependency while the Uses and Gratifications approach emphasizes
audience needs
Both, however, are in agreement that media use can lead to media
dependency

This theory states that the more dependent an individual is on the

media for having his or her needs fulfilled, the more important the
media will be to that person. media
 DeFleur and Ball-Rokeach (1976) described dependency as the
correlating relationship between media content, the nature of society,
and the behavior of audiences.
Criticism of Uses and
gratification theory :

The uses and gratification theory does not consider the power of media

More audience-centered

Positive point of the uses and gratification theory is it focuses attention

on individuals in the mass communication process.