AUDIENCE: U+G Theory

WHAT I CAN APPLY
I believe that the my music video that I will create will fulfil the 3 gratifications - personal identity, personal relationships and escapism. People in the audience (mainly females aged 15-24) will be able to relate and identify with the main female protagonist on the screen. People (males and females aged 15-24) will be able to relate to the actions of the couple characters in the video for example going to fast food restaurant together, kissing, touching each other, it will be a talking point. They would relate to the kinds of things shared and done in the relationship on screen.  

The Uses and Gratifications theory is the idea that the members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. The theory approaches why people actively seek out specific media forms to fulfil their needs. The audience choose the media to meet/fulfil their needs. These needs can also be described as specific gratifications. There are 4 gratifications. 

These gratifications are:

1. Escapism/Diversion - Escape from everyday tasks/problems.
2. Personal Identity - This means self understanding and trying to relate to people in the media (characters/actors).
3. Personal Relationships - A talking point. The audience relate with the kinds of relationships shown in the media e.g. by relating to the issues risen in the relationships shown or the kinds of things shared and talked in the relationships etc... 
4. Surveillance - This means using media to find out whats around us and to be informed with information.

Katz and Blumler's variation (development) of U+G

These two people tweaked McQuail's theory. 'Uses and Gratifications' (Katz and Blumler) research has identified many potential pleasures of genre, including the following:

One pleasure may simply be the recognition of the features of a particular genre because of our familiarity with it. Recognition of what is likely to be important (and what is not), derived from our knowledge of the genre, is necessary in order to follow a plot. 

Genres may offer various emotional pleasures such as empathy and escapism - a feature which some theoretical commentaries seem to lose sight of. Aristole, of course, acknowledged the special emotional responses which were linked to different genres. 

Goals for media use can be grouped into five uses. The audience wants to:

1. Be informed

2. Identify with characters of the situation in the media environment 

3. Simple entertainment

4. Enhance social interaction

5. Escape from the stresses of daily life.