Yr 10 Radio and Audience Theory

Uses and Gratification Theory  

Uses and Gratifications theory as developed by Blulmer and Katz suggests that media users play an active role in choosing and using the media. Blulmer and Katz believed that the user seeks out the media source that best fulfils their needs.

The uses and gratifications theory assumes the audience chooses what it wants to watch for five different reasons.

Information and Education – the viewer wants to acquire information, knowledge and understanding by watching programmes like The News or Documentaries.

Entertainment – Viewers watch programmes for enjoyment.

Personal Identity - Viewers can recognise a person or product, role models that reflect similar values to themselves and mimic or copy some of their characteristics.

Integration and social interaction – the ability for media products to produce a topic of conversation between people. For example who is the best contestant on The X-factor who which was the best goal shown on Match of the day.

Escapism – Computer games and action films let viewers escape their real lives and imagine themselves in those situations

Example Radio Questions:


Explain some reasons why people might listen to the radio? Refer to the Uses and Gratification theory in your answer.(8)

Some people may listen to the radio because they want entertainment, in the sense that listening to music would bring them enjoyment. Others may listen to the radio for information and education, the listener wants to acquire information, knowledge and understanding on various topics by listening to radio that shares the News or some other form of information. While other listeners may listen to the radio because they wish for integration and social interaction, so they can use the radio to produce a topic for conversation between people.

Explain some of the threats facing the radio industry and how the industry is responding to these threats.(12)

One of the threats facing the radio industry is the T.V industry. Not only can you get news from the TV, you can also listen to music, two things that the radio is most used for. The radio industry is responding to this threat by expanding their target audience to younger people by using things such as Live Lounge to attract more listeners, as the target audience used to be about 35 - 70 year olds. Another threat would be the online music streaming industry, as it is easier and more popular than radio music. The radio industry is responding to this by using Live Lounge to get artists play live for the listeners, this supports risig artists while also bringing in people that are already fans of the artists.

Richard Dyer's Utopian Solutions

Dyer suggested that the media fufils our needs and compensates for what we are lacking in our own lives.

There are 5 solutions that consuming media texts can offer us:

• Transparency - Finding out what is really happening, seeing behind the scenes, seeing into hidden or private places.
• Energy - Seeing people involved in energetic activities, including sports.
• Intensity - The emotional drama and exitement of conflict; arguments, tension & suspense, life & death situations
• Community - Working as a team, having a group of friends; 'people' who need you.
• Abundance -  The plentiful supply of money or material goods like clothes, technology etc

Richard Dyer's Utopian Solutions Theory Table

Inadequacy: Isolation
Solution: Community - Playing online multiplayer games

Inadequacy: Confusion
Solution: Clarity - Looking at a documentary or at the news

Inadequacy: Boredom
Solution: Exitement - Computer games and action films

Inadequacy: Loneliness
Solution: Social Networking - Message and talk to someone online


 Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs


Questions

Q1) What does radio as a media form offer audiences?

It offers audiences News and Music

Q2) What did Radio 1 in 1967 offer it's audience?

24 hour broadcasting music for the target audience of 15-29 year olds

Q3) What does Apple Beats Radio offer its audience?

Music

Q4) How has technology changed the gratifications on offer to audiences?

Technology has made it easier to connect to people, so people feel less isolated when alone, for example someone could have an internet friend who lives far away but they could still comunicate regularly.

Q5) Do you think that radio will still exist in 10 years time? Explain why.

I personally do not think that radio will still exist in 10 years time, or at the very most it will be significantly smaller and less popular. I think this because Modern technology, such as music streaming and viewing news articles online are becoming bigger and more popular. And as tecchnology advances, radio will become less used.