Audience Theories - Uses and Gratifications Theory

The Uses and Gratifications theory is a popular approach to understanding mass communication. It states that individuals might use and consume media for the following purposes:

- Diversion: to escape from everyday problems and routine.

- Personal Relationships: using the media for emotional and other interaction, for example substituting soaps for family life.

- Personal Identity: finding yourself reflected in texts, and learning behaviour and values from texts.

- Surveillance: information that could be useful for living, e.g. weather reports, financial news, holiday bargains. 

The theory focuses on "what people do with media" rather than "what the media does to people". It implies that members of the audience take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their lives and are responsible for choosing specific media to meet their needs.

This theory then implies that media sources compete against other information sources for viewers gratification, and individuals are usually more dependent on available media if their access to media alternatives is limited.