THE DRAWBACKS OF THE USES AND GRATIFICATION THEORY

The uses and gratification theory lies at the extreme end of the media effects tradition.It takes a more humanistic approach to looking at media use.It asks what the audience can do to the media. The uses and gratification theory,though a very good theory,has some drawbacks.

First,uses and gratification theory is primarily functional in its orientation,and it tends to ignore the dysfunctions of media in society and culture(Littlejohn,1989).In essence,uses and gratification research,like other empirical approaches,plays a conservative role in society by maintaining the status quo(Anderson,1996)It tends to view media in mainly positive ways and as capable of meeting audience needs.Little attention,according to critical scholars is paid to the negative cultural effects that media have on society.

Second,uses and gratification research portrays media consumption as primarily rational and individualistic,whereby individuals control consumption according to conscious goals.This assumes that the audience are aware of every factor entering their media choices and do not misjudge the causes of their behaviour.Little attention is therefore afforded to the ways in which the media may be consumed mindlessly or ritualistically.

Regardless of the above drawbacks,uses and gratification can be very useful from the functional perspective.This theory is indeed a very profound theory of the effect tradition.