Uses and Gratifications

This theory assumes that members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting media into their own lives it also holds that audiences are responsible for choosing media to meet their needs. The approach suggests that people use the media to fulfill specific gratifications.

After looking at Blumler and Brown theories I believe that all four of their factors are relevant to a music magazine. These four are:

• Diversion, which is something to do to escape from reality/problems. This is the case for  most people reading a music magazine as they are able to relax and read about other peoples life to either make them feel better or take their mind off their problems. 
• Personal Relationships; this is using media to discuss with your friends therefore acting as a substitute for 'real contact'. The music magazine we have either read and used to gather information is then used to base a conversation with friends. Also if you were to be reading a music magazine you directly talk about the magazine and the content with friends.
• Personal Identity is a way of defining yourself by the media texts you read and you build the sense of self. 
• Surveillance is when you find out about the world through media texts.

Another theory we looked at was the McQuail theory. 

• Find out about events and conditions in society this is generally why some people will read a music magazine as it informs them about gigs and other events.
• Satisfying curiosity which is one very similar to finding out about event. This is very obviously the case for lots of people who read a music magazine, in today's society a lot of people are nosy and want to find out about how other people are living etc. So they will read a magazine or a particular article to satisfy their curiosity. 
• Self education, occasionally this is why some people will read a magazine, however this is not always the case as most music magazines are read so people can find out gossip. Some music magazines focus on finding out about getting into the music industry however these are minimal. 
• Reinforcement for personal values
• Finding models of behaviour is largely apparent for some people when buying a music magazines. If they look up to the model on the front cover then they are going to buy the magazine to read the article about them. It makes them feel as though they are finding out more and more about this person making them more aspirational to them. 
• Identify and find a sense of belonging, I believe this is quite important to why people will by a music magazine. They are reading a magazine that interests them and the journalists and article authors are interested in the same sort of things, therefore making them feel as though they fit into a group of people.
• Conversational and social interaction is the case for a lot of magazines, and is for music magazines if their friends are interested in the same music as their friends. If you see an article or learn something about your favourite artist or your role model then you will probably share this information with your friends making it a basis to a conversation.  
• Escaping from problems is sometimes why people will read music magazines. They are reading about other people and maybe these articles will make them feel better about themselves or make them stop thinking about their personal issues.
• Relaxing is definitely a reason many people will read a magazine, they are using the magazine in a similar way to those trying to escape from problems. 
• Filling time would be a reason many people may pick up the magazine to read as even if they haven't brought it, it may be sitting around and they may pick it up to read when bored.
• Physical attraction is what most magazines will use to get people to buy a certain magazine. In this way it is similar to when people find models of behavior. People will read a magazine because they are attracted to the people in the magazine.

Looking at all these theories and ideas I have decided a few things about how my magazine should interest people and what the content should be like. For example if people are using the magazine as a release from stress and their own problems I should make the content quite light hearted. Also if people are only reading my magazine to fill time I must therefore make the articles quite interesting and inviting to try and attract them to read them as oppose to just flicking through the magazine. Although my magazine is for a genre that is quite low key and unheard of, I still need to include existing artists as those are the people that the audience will want to read about and look up to.