Uses and gratifications: A classic methodology revisited

Cheryl C. Bracken, Cleveland State University
Matthew Lombard

Abstract

This paper describes the results of a uses and gratifications survey, based on the methodology of Katz, Gurevitch, and Haas (1973), that examined the extent to which different media fulfill a variety of human needs. The authors suggest that the Katz et al. (1973) method should be revisited when investigating uses and gratifications across several media. The paper outlines the uses and gratifications approach, describes the adapted survey and presents the results of data collected over four years from 241 respondents at a large urban American university.