Saturday 16 October 2010

McQuail and Katz

McQuail and Katz came up with the theory of Uses and Gratification this explains how everybody uses media for different purposes and at different intervals of the day. For example you may watch an information programme on TV like the news in the morning and switch to an entertainment programme later on it the day. This shows that the individual has power over choosing media texts suiting to their needs and attempting to satisfy them.

The psychological basis for this is the hierarchy identified by Maslow.

Main areas identified:

1. A need for information, geographic and the social world for an individual would by satisfied by watching a programme like the news or a TV drama.

2. A need for identity, the individual would watch a film or a celebrity programme to satisfy this because of the use of characters and personalities featured, we are able to define our sense of self and social behaviour.

3. A need for social interactions and relationships, the individual would watch a soap opera and perhaps a sitcom.

4. A need for diversion by using media for play and entertainment can be satified by watching a game show and quiz programme.

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