Gratification theory is the use of media as a form of socialization. The, therefore, focuses on what people do with their as oppose to what media does to people. It is an audience-centered theory and thus is based on the activity of people based on what people intend to use it for. The communication theory and researches drove the use of this theory, and its foundation was led by JeyBlumler and Denis McQuail in 1969. This discussion, therefore, provides a literature review on the gratification theory based on the past researches on its influence on the people as they use the media in their daily activities.
The use of this theory differs from other media theories since it is based on the fact that individuals have control over their media usage. The understanding of the use of media to affect the only watching is based on the ability to explore the communication theories that are presented. An in-depth analysis is based on the concept of the understanding of what people do with their media reveal an idea of socialization that does not me reflect what media do to them.
Most individuals, therefore, use media when the motive of the use presents itself, especially in terms of entertainment. The primary role of the press is to enlighten the society and inform them about the happening around the world. Moreover, the media has been used to create cultural uniformity that is meant to expose the world to a different concept. This research, however, reveals that the motive is rarely met especially when individuals start controlling the combated they watch in media.It creates a system where the media has no control over the lives of society, and instead, it gives an opportunity for the individual to control the media.
The primary use of media today is to entertainment. The gratification theory explains that for a channel to prosper or to have the view that is required, it must present a high tech of entertainment.Thecontent must, therefore, involve the concept of wishful thinking, learningand emotional. This model, therefore, took account of the all to contribute foundations developedfrom the idea of gratification. in his case, an individual, thus, gets on the specific form of media and employ some efforts to ensure that the desire for satisfaction from the content is met.
There are specific ways regard determine how individuals contribute to the foundation for the model to develop this theory. Ittook into account the d degree of gratification of an individual who is determined to select the contemptfive significant needs drive the gratitude theory. The first one involves cognitive needs. Thisrefers to the desire of an individual to acquire a piece of new information or knowledge. The use of TV for knowledge, facts, and information contributes to the trend in the use of Medias. Some people are media for intellectual gains. It is a phenomenon which is not so much common. This is because of the different need of the people and the desire to achieve individual interest that varies across the viewers. Knowing the current affair require people to watch the news regularly, search engines, therefore, become regular ways of accessing information for cognitive gain. It is one of the critical aspects of the media, and it makes a component of the gratification theory of media use.
A compelling need to satisfy human needs becomes the second component of media use. Itinvolves all kinds of emotions mood and pleasures of people. It is the use of television and othermedia platforms to meet their emotional needs.One of the bestdemonstrationsis whenindividuals get emotional when they watch something touchy and hence may make them cry. It feels the need of individuals ofan emotional satisfaction and therefore defines the nature of the use of media bythe human in many setups.
The personalintegrative need is also another attribute of gratificationof media. Itinvolveself-esteem needs. It confirms the fact that people review their status in the press for reassurance that they have a respectable status in the society. An example is w when people watch advertisements in the media likethe jewelry, the current phones and other commodities used by most individuals with high status in the society. This comparison concept, therefore, becomes the core reason for the use of s media. Itboosts the morale of the individual and ensures that he or she meets the status of the average individuals in society.
Social integrative needs also becomea significant factor in the definition of the gratification theory. This involves the concept of the desire to socialize with families’ friends and relatives. People do not seem to be together in a weekend. This makes them use social me4dia media such as Facebook, tweeter, and others to tumble their needs; this need become a significant factor of the definition of the principle of the use of the social media among individuals. This implies that the press satisfies social needs.
Another example is the tenancy of individuals to watch particular shoes or programs in televisions as a means ofsatisfying their social needs. It is not because of t their self-interest but rather because of every one watches it. Failing to observe it, males, an individual socially outclassed.The concept of tension-free needs that makes one have a desire to moveaway from the stress of the real world becomes the fifth component of the gratification of the media.This, therefore, implies that the balance between the press and the real world is created by the desire of individuals to v be in a world of fantasythat works bestfor him or her.
Furtheranalysis of the gratification concept reveals that there are different types of audiences to s media. Theuse of mass society theory becomes aconcept that is used in the evaluation of the principlesof massmedia and the changing characters of the audience. With an understanding of the gratifications, paying attention to the demands of the audience becomes the order of the day. In this case, the media responds to the needs of the audience especially based on the lifestyle and the possible ways if fitting into the lifestyle of differentindividuals in the industry. Further analysis of the article reveals that the dynamics in the change of the media depends on the ability to attract the attention of the audience. It shows the reversed roles that are currently present in society
One of the main assumptions that have been set for the gratification theory is the audients are active seekers of contents that give them the highest level of satisfaction. Unlike the old period where the media was the controller of the materials, today the audience controls the content of the press.The press has to meet its audience demand for it to be wanting;it shows a reversed role and the concept of change in society.The morean individual drive a feeling of satisfaction from the media content, the more likely that he will accept the material.Theability to keep the audience active is the leadingconcept ofensuring thatthe media contents are to the standard of the audients requirement.
An analysis of the use of gratification in the 21st century reveals that the increasing use of mass media such as television and radio. It the theory of satisfaction has not been seen to hold since there is a general change of the content and the drivers of the audience. Withthe excess access to information and the development ofsocial media, several principleshave been used to explain to analyzethe concept. Among them is the use of cell phones to access information and the ability to ensure that such devices met the specific demands of the customers. It, therefore, takes away the audience from the mass media and thus rendering the mass media ineffectivein all the ways possible.The emergence of communication technology, however, has made this theory more relevant. In this case, there is full freedom on the content to watch that satisfies the needs of the audience.The cell phones and the internet are the accomplishment of the attitude theory that has made the media so volatile and detail oriented based on the meeting the audience needs and ensuring that they deliver the highest level ofcontent.
The gratification theory does not only apply to media alone. Thereat other ventures that make serious use. Among them include the selection of books, theses, library among others are becoming increasingly crucial for the gratification theory. With the increased exposure to various contents, people have to be selective in selecting information. Eventhing for the past years, the library was used as a storage house for information;there has been a gritchange since there has been a takeover bythe technology takeover. It gives an opportunity for the audience to search data from other devices, the organic content is based on the fact that each platform must target specific customers who help to assure the improvedcontent to be watched. The review between the five library rules creates a strong link between the library and the information science. The role of m the gratification theory can, therefore, beseen from the various perspective of understanding of the media y use. Consequently, the ability of the media to draw the audience from the multiple aspects of the views on the driving factors is one of the most critical factors that shape media operations in the modern world.
Reflections on the use of gratification theory
The purpose of gratification theory that explains the control that theaudience uses the media to solve their personal need is one of the concepts that are profoundly taking root in the current world. It is based on the factthe t there is a variety of media platforms, and there are diversified contents. It is for this reason that the media industry is becoming concerns with the needs of the audience andthe desire to satisfy their requirements. Withthe availability of technology, the role of media has drasticallychanged, and the use of the gratification theory has been evident in all aspects. The criticism of the development of the concept in the media industry is to the opinion that the contents are created and are based on the social theory if communication. However, social media and other modern platforms give individual a choice of the material based on the level of satisfaction they want to draw.
In conclusion, the use of gratification theory is becoming a significant aspect of modern society. It c explains the use of media to satisfy individual needs. Different motives make social media attractive. Therefore the major concepts that are o be driven from the media platforms are based on the ability of individuals to meet their personal needs and the desire to be relevant in the society. It is for this reason that the media has to stop being the custodian of information to being the competitor for the attention of the audience who have a variety of choices to make on the content matter and another aspect of the media needs.
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