Uses and Grats 2.0: New Gratifications for New Media

This article responds to recent calls for conceptual and methodological refinement, issued by uses-and-gratifications scholars (Rubin, 2009 Rubin, A. M. 2009. “The uses-and-gratifications perspective on media effects.”. In Media effects: Advances in theory and research , 3rd ed. Edited by: Bryant, J. and Oliver, M. B. 165–184. New York, NY: Routledge..  [Google Scholar]; Ruggiero, 2000 Ruggiero, T. E. 2000. Uses and gratifications theory in the 21st century. Mass Communication & Society, 3: 3–37. doi: 10.1207/S15327825MCS0301_02[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]), for studying emergent media. Noting that studies on the uses of the Internet have generated a list of gratifications that are remarkably similar to those obtained from older media, it identifies two measurement artifacts—(1) measures designed for older media are used to capture gratifications from newer media; and (2) gratifications are conceptualized and operationalized too broadly (e.g., information-seeking), thus missing the nuanced gratifications obtained from newer media. It challenges the notion that all gratifications are borne out of innate needs, and proposes that affordances of media technology can shape user needs, giving rise to new and distinctive gratifications. A sample of new gratifications and potential measures for those are provided.     

Carrying Forward the Uses and Grats 2.0 Agenda: An Affordance-Driven Measure of Social Media Uses and Gratifications

The notion of social media affordances has not been fully integrated into the uses and gratifications literature. Building on the MAIN (modality, agency, interactivity, and navigability) model, this study develops and tests a social media uses and gratifications scale with a sample of 393 college students. Results of the study support the MAIN model, as conceptualizing social media uses and gratifications as a second-order factor structure with 4 different types of affordances displays similar goodness-of-fit to a single-order factor structure. A confirmatory factor analysis with a second sample of 313 adults further confirms the applicability of the scale among the general population.     

Understanding the Nature,Uses, and Gratifications of Social Television: Implications for Developing Viewer Engagement and Network Loyalty

This study employed an online survey (N = 310) to explore how viewers’ motivations for social TV participation influence their involvement in social TV activities, their program commitment, and network loyalty. Findings show that social infotainment and social companionship are the primary motivations of social TV participation. However, only social infotainment significantly predicts the intensity of viewers’ social TV usage, which has a positive influence on program commitment and network loyalty. Additionally, the relationship between social TV usage and network loyalty is partially mediated by program commitment. These findings demonstrate the value of social TV to broadcasters and provide directions for initiating and maintaining long-term relationships with viewers.     

Reality Television Programming and Diverging Gratifications: The Influence of Content on Gratifications Obtained

The study explores how competition-based reality shows with different thematic content influence gratifications obtained by viewers. Participants completed surveys regarding their reasons for watching reality programs in general and their reasons for watching specific reality shows (The Apprentice, The Bachelor/Bachelorette, and Survivor). Results identified a new gratification dimension not previously observed in other gratifications research (personal utility), and that correlations exist between the specific content of reality-based programs and the gratifications obtained by the viewers.     

Why We Share: A Uses and Gratifications Approach to Privacy Regulation in Social Media Use

The contradiction between the stated preferences of social media users toward privacy and actual privacy behaviors has suggested a willingness to trade privacy regulation for social goals. This study employs data from a survey of 361 social media users, which collected data on privacy attitudes, online privacy strategies and behaviors, and the uses and gratifications that social media experiences bring. Using canonical correlation, it examines in detail how underlying dimensions of privacy concern relate to specific contexts of social media use, and how these contexts relate to various domains of privacy-protecting behaviors. In addition, this research identifies how specific areas of privacy concern relate to levels of privacy regulation, offering new insight into the privacy paradox. In doing so, this study lends greater nuance to how the dynamic of privacy and sociality is understood and enacted by users, and how privacy management and the motivations underlying media use intersect.     

MySpace Politics: Uses and Gratifications of Befriending Candidates

This study examines the uses and gratifications (U&G) of accessing political candidate profiles on social network Web sites. An online survey of visitors to the MySpace profiles of 2008 primary candidates revealed that voters are drawn to this source of political information mainly by the desire for social interaction with other like-minded supporters, followed by information-seeking, and entertainment. While information seeking and entertainment are common U&G of consuming online political content, they were weaker factors compared to the social interaction factor that seems to distinguish MySpace, possibly SNSs in general, from other online sources of political content.     

The Desire for Fame: An Extension of Uses and Gratifications Theory

Social network sites (SNSs) enable users to self-disclose to broad and anonymous audiences. Drawing on social cognitive theory (SCT) and the uses and gratifications (U&G) approach, this study investigates how reality television (RTV) cultivates desire for fame in its audience, which is operationalized as a human desire motivating nondirected self-disclosure (NDSD) online, a technique seeking fame. Results from an online survey (N = 221) show that whether watching RTV with friends interacted with time spent viewing RTV to affect desire for fame, which in turn affected the use of SNSs to pursue fame. In addition, exhibitionism, a motive of SNS use for the purpose of fame, fully mediated the relationship between desire for fame and NDSD. These results have implications for refining U&G and new media research.     

A Social Cognitive Theory of Internet Uses and Gratifications: Toward a New Model of Media Attendance

Recent research explaining Internet usage has both extended and challenged the uses and gratifications approach to understanding media attendance by discovering "new" gratifications and introducing powerful new explanatory variables. The present research integrates these developments into a theory of media attendance within the framework of Bandura's (1 986) Social Cognitive Theory. Respondents from 2 Midwestern states were recruited by mail to complete an online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to test a.new model of media attendance in which active consideration of Internet uses and gratifications, moderated by Internet self-efficacy, joins habitual behavior and deficient self-regulation as determinants of media behavior. The model explained 42% of the variance in Internet usage. ,     

Olympics Everywhere: Predictors of Multiplatform Media Uses During the 2012 London Olympics

The 2012 London Olympics was the most-watched TV event in U.S. history and represented a vast expansion to online and mobile environments. This study examined audience's multiplatform media uses during the 2012 London Games. Results indicate that significant positive relationships existed between and among Olympics viewing on television, on the web, and via mobile. Motivations, preferences, audience availability, and media use routine significantly predicted Olympics viewing on various platforms. Findings highlight the interplay between active choice, habit, and structure in determining viewing of big sporting events through both traditional and newer media.     

Television and Political Participation Among Adolescents: The Impact of Television Viewing,Entertainment and Information Preferences

Although sweeping statements about the effect of television viewing on political participation could still be found in the literature in the 1990s, it is now commonly held that the effect of television should be studied as a multidimensional phenomenon. Not only the time spent watching television but also the kinds of programs being watched and even the preference for particular stations are assumed to have an effect. In this article, we report on a survey among 6,330 Belgian adolescents allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between various dimensions of television viewing and political participation. We focus on adolescents, because research suggests that the decline in participation levels clearly manifests itself in this age group. The results of the analysis confirm a negative impact of the amount of television viewing, which is partly counterbalanced by a positive impact of a preference for information and for public broadcasting. We discuss the implications of these findings among adolescents for adult participation behavior.     

Predictors of Social Television Viewing: How Perceived Program,Media, and Audience Characteristics Affect Social Engagement With Television Programming

This study investigated social television viewing by introducing the social engagement construct. Three categories of factors, television program related perceptions, social media characteristics, and audience attributes, were proposed to predict the social engagement experience. This investigation tested 10 audience motives for using social media to engage with television content. It was found that social engagement is a complex process driven by multiple factors, particularly, program-related variables such as affinity, involvement, and genre preferences, as well as individuals' innovativeness trait.     

娱乐节目与快乐哲学——韩国电视娱乐节目分析

本文通过对韩国电视娱乐节目的分析,探讨娱乐节目在韩国公共文化生活中的意义。韩国娱乐节目以快乐主义为价值取向,以娱乐为本位,显示了后现代文化的某些美学旨趣。作为在传播中生产的文本形式,娱乐节目的价值应置于传播情景中理解。     

“使用与满足”视阈下的档案利用服务优化

"使用与满足"理论,是一种受众行为理论,该理论以能否满足受众的需求作为衡量传播效果的基本标准,它强调对受众的研究。在档案利用服务方面,引入"使用与满足"理论,有利于档案部门从档案用户的角度审视档案利用服务,以用户需求为导向,进而优化档案利用服务。通过对"使用与满足"理论的内涵揭示和特点分析,并结合档案用户的利用心理、利用行为,探索档案利用服务优化的途径。     

Sex,Love, and Risk-n-Responsibility: A Content Analysis of Entertainment Television

This study documents the extent of sexual content, including sexual health content, in scenes with and without expressions of love on network and cable television popular with emerging adults. Sexual talk and/or behavior was found in 20% of all television scenes coded across 53.5 hours of programming. One third of these scenes featured sex alongside expressions of love. An additional 10% of scenes suggested love but not sex. Coded as a separate category, 25% of analyzed scenes contained a passing joke or pun referencing sexual organs, making these nonspecific, comedic one-liners the predominant reference to sex in this sample. Beyond jokes, most of the sexual or loving talk in this sample consisted of expressing a romantic interest in someone; sex- and love-related behaviors largely consisted of kissing or flirting. Very few scenes specifically referenced sexual intercourse. Sexual health messages were also rare. The majority of scenes mentioning any health consequence (7% of analyzed scenes) concerned emotional heartache. One scene mentioned sexually transmitted infections; 12 of the nearly 2,600 scenes coded mentioned condoms or contraceptives. It is thus a challenging proposition to build upon existing sexual depictions on television to promote safe sex practices within sexual and loving contexts.     

Entertainment-Oriented Gratifications of Sports Media: Contributors to Suspense,Hedonic Enjoyment,and Appreciation

This survey study investigated contributors to viewers' hedonic enjoyment, appreciation, and emotional responses to a televised baseball game. There was an indirect relationship between athlete affinity and hedonic enjoyment by way of suspense. This relationship was moderated by the game's outcome such that suspense was associated more strongly with enjoyment when the viewer's team lost. Interest and knowledge of a player was the form of affinity that had a stronger relationship to suspense, rather than the viewers' sense of having a virtual friendship. Virtual friendship and sport involvement were associated directly with appreciation. Enjoyment and appreciation were associated with different emotional responses. Whereas enjoyment was associated with stronger positive and weaker negative emotions, appreciation was associated with stronger positive, negative, and meaningful emotions.     

The Effects of News and Entertainment on Interpersonal Trust: Political TalkRadio,Newspapers, and Television

In a now-famous article, Robert Putnam traced changes in interpersonal (IP) trust, civic engagement, and political trust in the United States during the past 3 decades. Although trust in government has declined, so have IP trust and civic engagement. Putnam places the blame for the loss of the various components of so-called civic or social capital squarely on television as a medium. We analyze 4 data sets to explain IP trust. Education, newspaper readership, and age are consistent and strong associates of trusting attitudes and behaviors. Reported political talk radio listening and elite electronic news use also are linked to trust. Those high in social trust, however, are not consistently heavier or lighter consumers of television. Putnam's hypothesis, in other words, is not confirmed in these data. Implications, as well as some reasons to continue to entertain the hypothesis, are explored.     

Television Teaching: Parody,The Simpsons,and Media Literacy Education

This paper examines televisual parody as a media literacy educator, and the potential of parody to channel the powers of comedy and entertainment in order to “teach” the techniques and rhetoric of televisual texts and genres. It focuses on the case of the hugely successful and popular animated parodic sitcom, The Simpsons, and its playful attack on advertising and promotional culture. Currently in its 16th season, The Simpsons broadcasts to approximately 60 million viewers in 70 countries weekly, offering a playful critique of television from within the television frame.     

An Exploratory Study of Reality Appeal: Uses and Gratifications of Reality TV Shows

A survey administered to reality TV viewers revealed that the most salient motives for watching reality TV were habitual pass time and reality entertainment. Additional analysis indicated that those who enjoyed reality TV the most for its entertainment and relaxing value also tended to perceive the meticulously edited and frequently preplanned content of reality interaction as realistic. Concurrently those externally controlled, with low mobility and low levels of interpersonal interaction, were more likely to watch reality TV programming to fulfill voyeuristic and companionship needs. Functional alternative uses of reality TV and the appeal of realistic programming were documented.     

娱乐新闻中的媒体责任边缘化及其纠正

当前的一些娱乐新闻报道由于过度放大娱乐功能,出现了热衷炒作猎奇,格调内容低俗,侵蚀主流文化,偏离主流舆论,误导新闻受众等媒体责任边缘化现象.要尽快扭转娱乐新闻报道责任偏移的不良倾向,必须遏止新闻消费主义影响,严把内容关,坚持正确的舆论导向,大力倡导主流文化,提升娱乐新闻品位.