Essay On The Uses And Gratification Theory

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Media has become an integral part in society. The idea of media has changed throughout the century along with the change in media technology. Media went from print media to modern media that can be viewed via screen and now modern media can be controlled by the user/viewer itself. It is a powerful tool that can be accessed almost anywhere with a smart phone or computer and internet. Social media is a newer media that has changed the way in which society interacts, face-to-face communication changed to screen-to-screen communication. It has taken over daily life and has become a topic that is embedded in everyday conversation. It has also changed the ways in how information is received. Individuals are going from obtaining news through news papers to finding news as statuses and videos on social media sites. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are tools that can aid individuals in their daily lives. The Uses and Gratification Theory is a way to study media and the interactions that follow. The Uses and Gratification Theory is a study of media that can be applied to social media. It is a study of what people do to the media. Media was thought as a nuisance. Theorist, Neil Postman, thought of media as …show more content…

Social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube are used every day by individuals as tools and resources to aid them in their everyday life. Media went from being thought of as a nuisance to being thought of as an aid. Along with the change in media technology, changes in the way which media is studied. Media such as Social Media can be studied through The Uses and Gratification Theory. Although the theory has helped the way in which media, especially social media is viewed, it has limitations due to the fact that it is evidence is gathered through self-reporting. With the theory, the way in which social media can be studied has evolved and will continue to evolve in the