Monday, 2 May 2011

Uses and Gratifications- Exam Practice

Look at a TV listing. What evidence of audience uses and gratifications in consuming media texts can you see from this analysis?



Information and Education


Most importantly, TV listings give audiences lots of valuable information for them to enjoy what they love watching. Audiences might actively choose to look in the guide to find out about a particular episode of Gossip Girl on Wednesday. However, they may not want to know about whats happening in Grand Designs on the same day. This gives audience power over what to watch. Passive audiences who might just be flicking through the paper without looking for anything will still get information. There is also a element of self learning for audiences who actively decide to look for particular texts rather than being told by the TV for example.


Entertainment

Looking through the TV guide can somewhat be relaxing and allows escapisim from real life as audiences delve into the TV world- a parallel world where the TV guide is like a giant news report providing information on what to expect.

Identification

Audiences themselves might not be aware of it, but it could be argued that audiences identify their personal values or their own situations through the shows they watch. For example, audiences are looking to watch Boudica's Lost Tribe, they have intrests in history compared to someone who plans to watch Waterloo Road.

Social interaction

There is very little or no sociall interaction. This is because TV guide choices are well informing enough to provie what to you need to watch a show. If audiences want social interaction, they can get that through social networking or by talking to friends and family.

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