Uses and Gratifications...

The uses and gratifications theroy assumes a more active audience which chooses the texts it consumes. Therefore individuals will have different reasons for consuming these texts.

• Blulmer and Katz expanded this theory in 1974 suggesting a series of different reasons why certain audience members might consume a media text.
• Diversion- escape from every day problems and routine: I use the media in this way by watching soaps and films to take my mind of things. Media texts such as soaps also contain everyday realistic problems that different audience members like me can identify with. Films can also help me escape from every day problems and routines because films gradually engage the audience throughout, where everyday issues and forgotten about.
• Personal relationships- Using the media for emotional and other interaction: I regularly watch different soaps on televison such as Eastenders and Hollyoaks as a form of escapism. These soaps as I said before contain different realistic situations and also realistic characters that i can interact with. Certain issues are also depicted in these soaps that occur in real life that can also be interacted with.
• Personal identity- Constructing their own identity from characters in media texts and learning behaviour and values:

  I don't really aspire to be like characters in films that I watch or in soaps. However I can identify with the characters being portrayed in soaps as they are situated in real life situtations and in this way i can feel the emotions the character on screen is feeling. I can also identify with females that are shown in magazines(popstars) or different print texts as they are portrayed to be living great lifestyles making me want to live in a similar way.
• Surveillance- Information gathering: I watch the news on a regular basis to see whats happening in the world. I also watch educationsl programmes such as documentaries based on different issues as I find them interesting and informative to watch.

Denis McQuail suggests a more detailed breakdown of audience motivation:

• Information- finding out about relevent events and conditions:
• I use the media in an informative way as I watch the news on a regular basis to find out the latest on goings world wide. I also have a genereal interest in watching different documentaries that have a key purpose in informing the audience. This increases my knowledge on different issues and also educates me in a way.
• Learning- self education:
• I feel that if I watch the news and different types of documentaires my knowledge is increasing and I am educating myslef. I also consume the Guardian newspaper on a regular basis which also helps me keep on track with different issues and debates that are going on in the media industry. Therefore in a way I am educating myslef and also gaining knowledge if I am consuming these media texts.
• Personal identity- finding reinforcement for personal values:
• As i metioned before i watch different soaps that help me to identify with different characters as i can feel the emotions that certain characters are feeling. In the magazines i consume on a weekly basis certain "rich celebrities" are featured that makes me want to aspire to live a lifestyle like them.
• Intergration and social intergration- gaining insight into circumstances of others:
• This can be applied to reality television. I tend to watch alot of reality tv when I get the chance to. This applies to my media consumption as I can gain an insight on the way others are living. I also watch the news and other documentaires that gives me the chance to socially intergrate with others on different issues that are occuring in the world.
• Entertainment- escaping, or being diverted, from problems:
• I consume mass media texts such as magazines and newspapers and watch soaps and films on televison as a form of escapism from every day problems. In this way this type of entertainment helps me to relax and also helps with filling my spare time that I have.