Uses and GratificationsBlumler & Katz (1974)

What is it?

Blumler and Katz suggested that media is used to satisfy their needs. They identified four needs and thus called the four needs theory. These are them:

Escape and diversion Surveillance and information Personal relationships Personal identity

Escape and diversion

Watching the film allows people to escape from everyday life as you are getting to see into someone else's life which can almost make you forget about your own when watching the film.

Surveillance and information

Two perspectives of gathering information from the short occur here. One being finding information about the character and the situation he is in and the other being the information given about reality in the world back in that era but also in the world today.

The review can give away information to the reader about the film which can make them want to watch it.

Personal relationships

The short is a starting point to create personal relationships as it gives people something to talk and discuss. It means people can interact with one and other to form these relationships. This can also include the review as this can create personal relationships in the same way as it does with the short film.

This closely relates to Personal identity too…

Personal identity Personal identity comes from people identifying

them selves in specific groups who watch short films or who read film magazines and reviews which is how it closely relates to personal relationships. Once you start watching short films and make relationships with people who also watch short films rather than blockbusters which they can personally identify as part of a group.

Identity could be formed by not identifying themselves as the character in the film but knowing family members, friends or knowing of someone who is going through the same problem as the character is.