According to Berger" uses and gratifications theory has been the subject of a good deal of controversy."(Berger,118) However, he said that there have been studies by people like Katz, Blumer and Gurevitch among others that do show that the media does help to fulfill some of the needs that many people have and therefore that is the reason why many people continue to have interest in television shows and other kinds of media entertainment.(Berger)
One of many reasons why people watch television is to be amused and entertained and they often find things that will lift their moods or make them laugh. That is why many of the comedy shows on television lasts for several seasons because the characters are either silly or comic and they often say things that cause people to see situations from a lighter side. An example of this can be seen in the television show the King of Queens which ran from 1998 to 2007 but is still very amusing. This comedy is centered around husband and wife characters Doug and Carrie as well as her dad who lives with them. Each episode usually finds Doug who is delivery driver doing or saying something that lands him in trouble with his wife, but it is often not just what he does but what he says and how he says it that has the audience laughing. In this comedy Doug as well as Carrie's father are portrayed as the goofy characters, while she is the person who brings stability to the relationships. The interplay between the silly and straight characters is what makes this fun to watch and keeps the audience amused.
Another kind of gratification that people experience from the media is the shared experience which they get when they tune in to certain shows, According to Berger the mass media offers people a common pop or cultural reference, and people often have this shared experience when they tune in to watch an address to the nation by the President or a college football game or any kind of cultural event for the city that is broadcast for everyone to see.
People also like to experience the beautiful, and so many times people tune in to television or go to the movies to see beautiful stars in action. There are also beautiful objects that are often shown in the media that people would never get to see in person, and so shows like Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous and Antiques Roadshow offer the opportunity to look at objects like expensive furniture, art and historical artifacts that most people wouldn't ordinarily see around them.
Another gratification that people experience when they tune in to media is the need to satisfy their curiosity and to be informed. News programs and documentaries that keep people informed about current events are often very popular since many people don't get the time to keep abreast of what's taking place in their community. Programs like the evening news, Dateline NBC, and morning talk shows like Good Morning America help to satisfy this need for information o current events.
People also use the media as a way to find models to imitate and young people are especially susceptible to the kind of role models and images that are found in movies and on television shows. Show like America's Top Model offer give young girls the idea that to be a successful female you have to look a certain way and wear certain kinds of clothing so young girls who are trying to find other female role models will get the wrong idea about what it means to be beautiful since the show send the wrong message about beauty.
Many people find gratification in the media in their need to reinforce belief in romantic love and that is one reason why there are so many movies and television shows that focus on romance.
Soap operas like the Bold and The Beautiful, Days of our Lives and movies like Twilight all offer women the chance to experience the emotional power that love offers. These shows also help them to feel that if they aren't in relationship, then love could still be just around the corner.
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