Audience Theories

Uses and Gratification Theory - Blumler and Katz

This theory focuses on the reasons why people use to media as opposed to what affect the media has on people and how to have an impact on what people believe is socially acceptable. The uses and gratification theory decides to concentrate on what people do with the media and the reason why they use it, there are different aspects that the uses and gratifications theory identify as reasons for people to use the media.

Diversion: To escape from everyday life and enjoy the stories that are happening in the media, simply for enjoyment and relaxation.

Social Interaction: The public use the media to gain an insight to circumstances of others, help with carrying out social roles, it can identify with characters and gain a sense of belonging.

Personal Identity: Makes it so individuals are able to create their own identity from characters and can learn different behaviours and values. It can also reinforce own personal values which an individual may have forgot.

Surveillance: To seek/gain new knowledge and information. To find out about relevant events and conditions in their surroundings and society but also around the world. It can be used to satisfy curiosity and general interest.


Hypodermic Needle Theory

The hypodermic needle theory implies that the media can have a direct, immediate and powerful on the mass audience. The theory suggests that the mass media could influence a very large group of people directly and unofficially by  injecting them with appropriate messages designed to trigger a desired reaction.

The hypodermic needle theory suggest that it can put thoughts and ideas into an individual's head and encourage them to do what is not socially acceptable and will play along with these beliefs which can make them commit crimes and become a negative member of society.

Images of violence and deviance will be 'injected' into an audiences brain and through consistent promotion, it can have an influential effect on a large amount of individual who begin to believe that these acts were becoming the social norm and began to replicate the acts and practice them in society. This can result in people committing crimes and ending up in jail.

Media theorists have classified the "War of the Worlds" broadcast as the archetypal example of the Magic Bullet Theory. This is exactly how the theory worked, by injecting the message directly into the "bloodstream" of the public, attempting to create a uniform thinking. The effects of the broadcast suggested that the media could manipulate a passive and gullible public, leading theorists to believe this was one of the primary ways media authors shaped audience perception.

The cultivation theory can also link with the hypodermic needle theory as it also promotes that the media can have a powerful effect on an individual and over a long period of time it can change a persons perception of reality.


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These theories can link to our Thriller Opening because if we decide to include violent acts within our scenes then this can promote violence and can make the audience believe that committing crimes and being violent is a good thing for society and change their perception of the social norms.