- The uses and Gratifications theory represented a change in thinking, as researchers began to describe the effect of the media from the point of view of audiences.
- The model looks looks at the motives of people who use the media.
- The theory makes the audience active as they choose what they want to consume.
- The theory argued that audience needs have social and physiological needs which generate certain expectations about the mass media and what they are exposed to.
- The audience is the active participant it a;lows us to make choices about what we consume in the media.
The four needs;
- Surveillance
- Personal Relationships
- Diversion
- Personal Identity
- People feel better when they have a feeling that they know what is going on in the world around them.
- We watch the news as we feel that it is a reliable source of information and makes us feel secure.
- The model is all about awareness.
- The mass media is more aware of the world, gratifying a desire for knowledge and security.
- We use the media to be helpful in our daily activities such as the news or weather forecast.
- The social media can affect this concept as fake stories are created meaning that we get a false sense of security.
Personal Relationships
- This section comes in two parts: Relationships with the Media & Using the Media Within Relationships.
- We can form a relationship with the media, and also use the media to form relationships with others.
- Many people use television to form a companionship. This may seem sad but you can never have arguments with a television and it will never let you down something you want to watch will always be on.
- They appeal to a mass audience.
- They make us able to relate to the characters and the narrative.
- It helps us to understand social issues and issues we have encountered to help us deal with emotional times.
- Media is there to support the audience.
- We can use the media as a springboard to to form and build on relationships with real people.
- Having a favourite t.v programme in common can offen start a conversation and help bond with strangers.
- Sometimes watching t.v with family can help stimulate conversation with each other as seen on t.v show gogglebox.
Diversion
- Watching the t.v so that we can forget about problems in our lives because we are distracted and thinking about something else.
- We watch films and movies to take our minds off our everyday lives.
- We want to watch people with the same feelings as we do and forget about our own problems because we are focussing on their problems.
- How being a subject of the media allows us to confirm the identity and positioning of ourselves within society.
- The use of the media for forming personal identity can be seen in music videos/films.
- Pop stars can often become big role models, inspiring young children everywhere (which is why there's such an outcry when one of them does something wrong).
- It allows us to associate and relate to the product directly making us feel gratified in one way or another making us understand that we share our identities making us feel ‘normal/ and accepted.
- Different genres allow people to identify in different ways to different elements.
When putting the theory against the video: The Fray- Save a life;
What features allow an audience to personally identify with it?
- Cinematography: Close ups of crying
- Lyrics: Singing about death
- That people blame themselves
- Feelings written on screen through out the video
Does it appeal to one age?
- No, because it affects people of all ages
- Its relatable to the audience
- Older teens in video
Does it only appeal to one gender?
- No, it appeals to both genders
- It affects both genders
How does it address issues that all members of society can associate to? Why does it make the product successful?
- Makes us feel that we are normal
- Time is healing
- Process of life
- Successful because its relatable
Did you identify with it?
- Death
- Upset
- Can be consumed
When putting the theory against the video: The Script - Breakeven;
What features allow an audience to personally identify with it?
- Its about a couple which people can relate to
- Cinematography: Memory flashbacks
- Lyrics: Break ups and broken hearts: people can relate
- Challenges gender stereotypes: male was heart broken and woman was okay
Does it appeal to one age?
- Teenagers and older: Anyone of an age who can associate to a break up
- Mainly teenagers because for adults it is more likely a divorce
Does it appeal to one gender?
- More to males because its from a male perspective
How does it address issues that all members of society can associate to? Why does it make the product successful?
- All associate to breakups
- Successful because it is relatable
Use's and gratifications essay
When looking at the uses and gratifications theory and putting it into context with the music video "Come and get it" by John Newman we can link it with three out of four points in the theory for example when we look at personal relationships with the media. The narrative to the music video being a relationship story is something which people will want to watch because they could have been through a break up or could just be going through a time where they feel as if watching something about someone trying to get out of a relationship and hiding another one so it is something they can relate to.
People who are in relationships like this will feel that they can relate and if they see what happens in the video they may feel that it has influenced to do the same which is why people watch music video because the lyrics and narrative can sometimes be something which they can understand through their experience or what they have been through.
In this case I find that the personal relationships point would more likely be towards women because the music video is about a women stuck in a relationship and secretly having another one meaning that the age range for the video would be around eighteen years old and over because thats when things like abusive or rough relationships begin to happen because the relationships people have become more serious the older they get.
The video can be personally identified with through the use of closeups when the women is with John Newman which is showing her to be happy and smiling.
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However there is use of an over the shoulder shot when she is with the other man and it is showing her at a lower angle therefore showing him to be more dominant and her to be weak also she isn't happy in this shot she is upset and looks scared which is what is showing the audience the narrative through the cinematography used.
(image from the video which needs to be put in)
We can also link the music video to diversion while the audience are focusing on the problem that the people in the music video are having they are not focusing on their own. If someone is having relationship problems they may watch the video in order to try and forget theirs because the problem in the narrative for the video is about a relationship and hiding another however there is a happy ending which if someone is in the same position as the girl in the video then it may reassure them that things will get better for them and what they could do in their own situation.
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There is multiple ways in the video where people can personally identify with the music video for example through the lyrics people can see that the song is about a relationship and that if you want a chance then you need to take it because you wont get another one.
It challenges gender stereotypes when we see a close up of John Newman crying because he thinks that she has gone back to the guy which she was with before therefore we think that the video could now be aimed towards men as well as women showing that en can be hurt to and that women arent so innocent.
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