3.3.4

Theories

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Uses & Gratifications Theory

Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications Theory can be applied to radio as it fulfils a range of audience needs and pleasures.

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Entertainment/Diversion

  • Radio is often played in the background to provide escapism and relaxation and radio is often used to provide information such as news and travel updates.
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Personal Identity

  • Radio can be used as a form of companionship.
  • People can feel that presenters are speaking directly to them.
  • Radio provides a very direct mode of address and is often interactive in nature.
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Entertainment

  • Radio can be used as simple entertainment.

Reception Theory

According to Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory, audiences can be both passive and active in terms of their consumption of the media.

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Audience positioning

  • Radio by nature has a direct mode of address and attempts to position the listener to take a preferred reading.
  • It is important to consider who the target audience is for a radio program and how someone might take an negotiated or oppositional reading of the programme.
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Active or passive audiences?

  • Radio is often played in the background, making it a good example of a text that might be passively consumed.
  • However it also often encourages interactivity via phone ins and competitions.
  • This demonstrate that audiences can be active in their use of the media.
  • Radio is therefore a good example of how audiences can be both passive and active in terms of their consumption of the media.

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