Tuesday 30 August 2016

Uses and Gratification's Theory

WHAT WE DID: LET OUR AUDIENCE IDENTIFY WITH THE ROLE MODEL BY MAKING HER BE LESS SEXUALLY OBJECTIFIED/ ALSO LETTING THEM IDENTIFY WITH THE BREAK-UP

WE HOPE WE CREATED A WAY TO ENTERTAIN OUR AUDIENCE, WHICH ALLOWS THEM A FORM OF "ESCAPISM"

The uses and gratification's theory explains what people do with media and what they use it for rather than what media does to people. The theory assumes that the audience is not passive but takes an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. Furthermore, the theory says that audiences are responsible for choosing the media that meets their specific needs and interests. 

The uses and gratifications theory has to fulfill one of the following when we choose a form of media: 
  1. Educate - That the audience is able to acquire information, knowledge and understanding.
  2. Identify - That the audience identifies with a role model that has similar values to your own.
  3. Social interaction - That the media product can produce a topic for a conversation between other people (for example the X-Factor programme).  
  4. Entertain - The ability for the media product to let the audience enjoy it and create a form of "escapism", where the audience can forget the worries they have temporarily through the media product. 

It is simple to apply the uses and gratification's theory to the music industry. New songs and music videos are a great example of entertainment and social interaction. The lyrics for example allow the audience to relate to the artists suffering, happiness, anger or whichever emotion he/she is feeling. Whereas watching a music video that follows a linear narrative also allows the audience to relate and empathise with the artist. 

The song Who You Are by Jessie J is a great example of a song that has inspired many to stand up for themselves against bullying. 


In interviews, Jessie J has talked about how she was bullied and how that has built her up and helped her to become famous and not give up. Many young girls have been inspired by her and particularly this song and have therefore also been able to identify with the artist. A good example and proof of someone who has identified herself with Jessie J is a girl called Jillian, who auditioned with Who You Are at the X Factor 2012. 

2 comments:

  1. You should find this a very useful one for exam prep, and Eval work - so don't be afraid to keep referencing/applying it to multiple posts

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  2. You could extend your point here too - just google 'Who You Are by Jessie J twitter​' and among top hits is this: https://twitter.com/shawnmendes/status/683679227636400128 (look at the retweet data!). Combining U+G with web 2.0 theory will be helpful later.

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