Audience Theories – Uses and Gratifications Theory and The Dependency Theory:

I have researched and learned about the Uses and Gratifications Theory and the theorists who helped to create it, Blumler and Katz. Some of the information I used and was inspired by is from: Uses and Gratifications Theory Information. Information about it can be viewed below on the presentation I made on www.prezi.com:

The Dependency Theory:

Since Katz and Blumler's thoughts were considered, other uses and gratifications have been created due to the increase of different media forms such as the internet and video games. This can be explained by The Dependency Theory. It is a theory which is often associated with the Uses and Gratifications Theory since, in a sense, it as an extension of what is described. In 1976, Sandra Ball-Rokeach and Melvin DeFleur first described the theory. It helps to explain the correlating relationship between media content, the nature of society and the behaviour of audiences.

According to this the theory, it believes that people in urban societies have become dependent on mass consummation to help them receive the information they need to go about their everyday lives. Stephen Littlejohn explains it more in his ‘Theories of Human Communication’ book, “First you will become more dependent on media that meet a number of your needs than on media that provide just a few.” As everyone is different, what they depend on is different too. As a result, if a person finds something that has functions which fulfil their desire, they will be want to continue to use it.

These theories relate to the creation of my music video because they help us to understand how and what people who view it will respond to it and what they will they do with the messages it provides to them. The Uses and Gratifications Theory is beneficial because it has raised my awareness of how my music video may have important functions for people. For example, it will hopefully be a form of entertainment used to be enjoyable by viewers. As Blulmer and Katz stated, it may also be used as a diversion technique because of this.

The Dependency Theory has also informed me that since it will be uploaded on YouTube it may have more chance of becoming popular because there are people who depend on the internet as it helps them meet their needs too. Therefore, in relation to these theories and my knowledge, I can see that YouTube is a popular video-viewing platform which could be used by viewers as a form of diversion since it offers unlimited videos to watch and enjoy. This means mine could be one of them and people may use it for their uses and gratifications as well as depend on it to do so.