USES AND GRATIFICATION THEORY

CRITICISMS OF THE USES AND GRATIFICATION THEORY.
The Uses and Gratification theory of the media implies that the audience only uses the media to satisfy a particular need and have places emphasis on the audience and not the messages being sent. It also sees it audience to be more active than being passive and thus ask "what the audience does with the media" instead of "what the media can do for the audience". Audience therefore are given the opportunity to choose and decisions soley depends on the audience.
People have therefore critised this theory because they believe the public has no control over the media and what it produces.The Uses and Gratification yheoryu tends to neglect social issues that are of importance since the audience only use the media to satisfy certain needs.Another weakness or criticism of the theory is that the media is seen toplay very little role in its production of what it produces.The media is therefore not responsible for whatever the public uses and how it affect or influence them