Beyond Audience Empowerment: Revisiting Uses and Gratifications Theory in Evolving Media Landscapes

Abstract

Uses and gratification theory is based on the concept of “gratifying the needs through the use of media”, and theory has an “audience-centric” approach. In 1969, Blumler and McQuail initiated the work of understanding the motivational factors behind watching political programs by people during the United Kingdom elections of 1964. Afterwards, the work was carried by Blumler along with his colleagues for future work on Uses and Gratifications theory. The study examines all the possible dimensions of U&G theory as well as the areas where it is applicable. For this purpose, different articles, research papers and books have been considered to provide precise, however healthy information on U&G theory, while concluding it on the future direction along with certain recommendations. Moreover, this study also discusses the application of U&G theory on various mediums including TV, radio, internet, social media, advertising, news, music, video games, e-consumer behavior and its validity in the 21^st century.