In the world of mass communications, certain theories can be used to explain how media works. Two commonly recognized explanations are the “Uses and Gratifications Theory” and the “Agenda-Setting Hypothesis.” Each of these theories will overlap one another, but for the most part they are very different. Uses and Gratifications Theory explains the persuit of specific elements of media from the wants and needs of the audience. The Agenda-Setting Hypothesis explains the power of mass-news media over the audiences perception of what stories are newsworthy.
- Uses and Gratifications Theory
- Under the perception of this theory, a member of the audience already has a set of beliefs or ideas, and he or she seeks out portions of media that will reinforce his or her preconceived notions. The more people need their ideas to be reinforced by media, the more important media will become to their life. In response, the media will sometimes cater to the preconceived notions of the audience in order to gain viewership.
- Agenda-Setting Hypothesis
- An audience does not usually approach a news source with prior knowledge of what stories are relevant and important. Under this hypothesis, audiences will recognize the importance of a story once it has been deemed important by multiple mass-media sources. This theory explains that a member of an audience will become less skeptical of a story if it is carried by major news sources.
- Theories in relation to one another
- The two theories can have a direct relationship to one another, depending on their perception by the audience. If the mass media decides to carry a story that the majority of viewers can easily identify with, then they will get an instant audience from the people who already believed what the story is explaining. Subsequently, if multiple news sources decide to carry a story for the purpose of instant viewer-ship, other audience members will notice the prominence of the story in mass media, and will deem the story newsworthy or important in response.
- Role of Public Relations Practitioners
- The recognition of the effects of both of these stories is important to any public relations practitioner. He or she must realize that if a story is carried by a major organization, or multiple major organizations, the story will automatically be perceived as major. This influence must be recognized and practitioners must use the power responsibly. Alternatively, practitioners must also recognize that if a story fulfills or reinforces a certain belief or idea, an audience group that identifies with this idea or belief will be more prone to accept the particular piece of media.
Advertisement
