Uses and Gratification Theory

5 reasons why people may engage with the media
 

1) Escape from reality (film)
2) Relate to others/characters (soap)
3) Entertainment (drama/comedy)
4) Informed and educated (news/documentary)
5) Socialise with others (social network)

Bulmer & Katz

Uses and Gratifications Theory is a popular approach to understanding mass communication. The theory places more focus on the consumer, or audience, instead of the actual message itself by asking “what people do with media” rather than “what media does to people” (Katz, 1959) . It assumes that members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. The theory also holds that audiences are responsible for choosing media to meet their needs. The approach suggests that people use the media to fulfill specific gratifications. This theory would then imply that the media compete against other information sources for viewers' gratification.

Blumler seems to envision a marriage between cultural studies and the Uses and Gratifications approach, but he is not clear on what terms. Instead of asking "What are your reasons for watching this programme?." Blumler would ask "What about it do you find true to life?" or "What picture of the world does it seem to convey?" (Blumler, 1979).

Propp's Theory

In Propp's theory, he looked at hundreds of fairy tales and came to the conclusion that within every story there is 8 main characters within the story these include;

The villain - represents evil and struggles against the hero

The dispatcher - character who makes the problem in the narrative known and sends the hero on his way

The helper - helps the hero in his quest 

The princess/heroine - the hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. The hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, usually by beating the villain 

Her father - often rewards the hero with the princess/heroine 

The donor - prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object to help him in his quest  

The hero - the centrail protagonist who leads the way in the narrative   

False hero - takes credit for the hero’s actions, is usually good looking and is often actually a coward

Strauss Theory

Strauss argues that meaning in narratives is based on opposites. He was less interested in the arrangement of the narrative and more in the deeper meaning of the themes.

Examples of Binary Opposition
man vs. woman
science vs. nature
good vs. evil
earth vs. space