This suggests that people can be persuaded. The testability aspect seems somewhat unreliable. The way that the theories were primarily tested were through sampling the audience viewers. The results could possibly be biased because individuals may not realize the power that the media has over them.
In essence, the sampling was one sided. Finally, when one looks at the simplicity of the theories, they seem to pass.
Both of the theories are extremely easy to understand and comprehend. In addition, they link together, which helps the perception of them become more explicit. With every theory, some criticism must be expected. One main criticism is based on the idea that the audience is completely active.
It seems as though the theorists feel that there is not room for any middle ground. In many cases people turn to viewing the media as a result of habit. This factor is not mention in their theory. Other critics argue that the broader public does not effect individual decisions regarding the media.
This is simply stating that the reason why most people view media or read newspapers is to gain societal information. Mass Communication has come a very long way over the last thirty years. Many different perspectives have been brought forth and analyzed in terms of effectiveness. The Uses and Gratifications Approach and The Dependency Theory were two theories that brought forth a new genre of ideas and aspects of cognition to mass communication.
The Use of Mass Communication. Beverly Hills, California: Sage, Davidson and Fredrick Yu. New York: Praeger, Littlejohn, Stephen. Theories of Human Communication: Seventh Edition. Albuquerque, New Mexico: Wadsworth, Rice, Ronald.
Esurance was able to captivate the attention of a generation heavily involved in social media engagement. Thousands of people took to Twitter following the advertisement, using the hashtag provided. The hashtag also trended nationally on Twitter for about 15 minutes Johnson, Esurance knew a large percentage of Super Bowl audience members at home would watch their advertisement, despite the fact that it was not aired during the game. Companies can use social media as a platform to their advantage in order to gain exposure, while still meeting the needs of their target audience.
The uses and gratifications theory focuses on an active audience and what people do with media, rather than the effect media has on people. The theory originated in the s as a reaction to traditional mass communication research emphasizing the sender and the message.
It is less concerned with media content itself, but more on media audience behaviors. Katz and Blumler introduced several reasons as to why people use media including diversion or escapism, exploring personal identity, cognitive needs, and affective needs. Uses and gratifications can be applied to the public relations field in regards to how public relations practitioners can effectively target an audience based on their needs. Numerous companies, including Esurance, have effectively used the theory in their advantage to provide an audience with something beneficial, while gaining widespread attention.
Johnson, L. Katz, E. Uses and Gratifications Research. The Public Opinion Quarterly , 37 4 , — Matei, S.
What can uses and gratifications theory tell us about social media? Oliver, M. Peirce, K. Uses and Gratifications Theory. Perse, E. Uses and Gratifications assume that the user has alternate choices to satisfy their need.
Uses and Gratifications theory takes a more humanistic approach to looking at media use. Blumler and Katz believe that there is not merely one way that the populace uses media. Instead, they believe there are as many reasons for using the media, as there are media users. According to the theory, media consumers have a free will to decide how they will use the media and how it will affect them.
Blumler and Katz values are clearly seen by the fact that they believe that media consumers can choose the influence media has on them as well as the idea that users choose media alternatives merely as a means to an end. The theory takes out the possibility that the media can have an unconscious influence over our lives and how we view the world.
Uses and Gratification theory can be seen in cases such as personal music selection. We select music not only to fit a particular mood but also in attempts to show empowerment or other socially conscience motives. There are many different types of music and we choose from them to fulfill a particular need. Uses and Gratifications approach is an influential tradition in media research.
The original conception of the approach was based on the research for explaining the great appeal of certain media contents. The core question of such research is: Why do people use media and what do they use them for? McQuail, There exists a basic idea in this approach: audience members know media content and which media they can use to meet their needs. In the mass communication process, Uses and Gratifications approach puts the function of linking need gratifications and media choice clearly on the side of audience members.
This approach differs from other theoretical perspectives in that it regards audiences as active media users as opposed to passive receivers of information. It allows audiences personal needs to use media and respond to the media, which is determined by their social and psychological background.
As a broader perspective among communication researches, it provides a framework for understanding the processes by which media participants seek information or content selectively, commensurate with their needs and interests Katz et al, Audience members then incorporate the content to fulfill their needs or to satisfy their interests Lowery, Origin of Uses and Gratification Theory.
Functional theory influenced studies on communication from the s to the s. After that, a shift which rediscovered the relationship between media and people occurred and led to establishment of Uses and Gratifications approach.
The exploration of gratifications that motivate people to be attracted to certain media is almost as old as empirical mass communication research itself McQuail, In these studies, researchers discovered a list of functions served either by some specific content or by the medium itself Katz et al.
For instance, radio soap operas were found to satisfy their listeners with advice, support, or occasions for emotional release Herzog, ; Warner and Henry, ; rather than just offering information, newspaper was also discovered to be important to give readers a sense of security, shared topics of conversation and a structure to the daily routine Berelson, Uses and Gratifications approach became prevailing in the late s till s when television had advanced.
0コメント