Radio and Audience Theory

USES & GRATIFICATIONS THEORY

Uses and Gratifications theory as developed by Blulmer and Katz suggests that media users play an active role in choosing and using the media. Blulmer and Katz believed that the user seeks out the media source that best fulfils their needs.

The uses and gratifications theory assumes the  audience chooses what it wants to watch for five different reasons.

Information and Education – the viewer wants to acquire information, knowledge and understanding by watching programmes like The News or Documentaries.

Entertainment – Viewers watch programmes for enjoyment.

Personal Identity - Viewers can recognise a person or product, role models that reflect similar values to themselves and mimic or copy some of their characteristics.

Integration and social interaction – the ability for media products to produce a topic of conversation between people. For example who is the best contestant on The X-factor who which was the best goal shown on Match of the day.

Escapism – Computer games and action films let viewers escape their real lives and imagine themselves in those situations

Explain some reasons why might people listen to the radio? Refer to the Uses and Gratifications theory in your answer. (8)

Radio, depending on the genre, can have varying effects on the listener- in terms of Uses & Gratification theory. For example, BBC TalkSport - A station primarily focused around sports games and highlights, may provide the listener with information, entertainment and social interaction. Whereas, BBC Radio 1 may provide entertainment and perhaps information and education through the news segments between the music.

People listen to radio for a variety of reasons- depending on the station- for the benefits of the Uses & Gratification Theory. Blulmer and Katz, developers of the Uses & Gratification Theory, believed that the user seeks out the media source that best fulfils their needs. So, for example, a person seeking to escape- maybe they've had a bad day, or they aren't feeling well- may listen to a narrative- plot driven station (for example The Archers) to escape their situation and imagine themselves in a different situation. This form of radio can also provide entertainment, social interaction and personal identity.


Explain some of the threats facing the radio industry and how the industry is responding to these threats. (12)


One of the radio industry's biggest threat is the current rise in social media usage, and the means of accessing media that the radio provide through other means through social media and modern day appliances. Because of this, radio companies have to compromise and provide social media presence (Twitter, Instagram etc.) and a way to access their means of radio through social media instead.

Less and less people are using radio anymore, as the stations available may not be as catered to their needs unlike if they were to use and app like Spotify or Apple Music which they can make their own playlist on, and have all music played catered to them personally. Radio can combat this by asking the listeners to provide song suggestions, however this isn't very effective in keeping listeners as the effort needed to provide a suggestion, and for the chance that it wouldn't even be seen, fails to outweigh the benefits of the user downloading a free app and making the playlists with the song that they want to hear.

DYER'S UTOPIAN SOLUTIONS THEORY

Dyer suggested that the media fulfils our needs and compensates for what we are lacking in our own lives.

E.G. An exhausted office worker might watch lots of TV Dramas where the hero denotes immense energy when battling villains; a lonely person might watch Soap Operas to gain a sense of community etc. 

These are 5 solutions that consuming media texts can offer us:

• Transparency
• Finding out what is really happening, seeing behind the scenes, seeing into hidden or private places
• Energy
• Seeing people involved in energetic activities, including sports
• Intensity
• The emotional drama and excitement of conflict; arguments, tension & suspense, life & death situations
• Community
• Working as a team, having a group of friends; 'people' who need you
• Abundance
• The plentiful supply of money or material goods like clothes, technology, cars etc

Q. What does radio as a media form offer audiences?

Uses & Gratification Theory- Information and Education, Entertainment, Personal Identity, Integration and Social Interaction, Escapism

Q. What did Radio One in 1967 offer its audience?

Radio 1 was established in 1967 (along with the more middle of the road BBC Radio 2) as a successor to the BBC Light Programme, which had broadcast popular music and other entertainment since 1945. Radio 1 was conceived as a direct response to the popularity of offshore pirate radio stations such as Radio Caroline and Radio London, which had been outlawed by Act of Parliament.^[7] Radio 1 was launched at 7:00 am on Saturday 30 September 1967

.And, good morning everyone. Welcome to the exciting new sound of Radio 1.

— BBC Radio 1 opening message

This was the first use of US-style jingles on BBC radio, but the style was familiar to listeners who were acquainted with Blackburn and other DJs from their days on pirate radio. The reason jingles from PAMS were used was that the Musicians' Union would not agree to a single fee for the singers and musicians if the jingles were made "in-house" by the BBC; they wanted repeat fees each time one was played.

Q. Do you think radio will still exist in 10 years time? Explain why.

I think radio will still exist but to a much smaller audience, as everyone by then should be using apps and more convenient means of listening to music or news.