Media AudiencesGTA4 : Applying the Uses and Gratifications Model

Learning objectives: To have applied the Uses and Gratifications Model (1974) to GTA4

Learning outcomes: To have textual evidence to support understanding

What do we mean by demographic profile?

What about psychographic profile?

Reinforcing Personal Identity Companionship and interaction Information Entertainment and diversion

Character of Nico Bellic is an ‘outsider’ (illegal immigrant)

A force of good in an evil world Doing the ‘right thing’ Cynical view of consumerism and mindless

patriotism Police and authority as corrupt Living in a ‘broken’ society

Identification with characters who have a similar personality/role, ie. Nico

Discussion with others over such a popular game. Heavy marketing and media coverage of its release and controversy guaranteed popularity (6 million copies sold world wide after first week of release. £24.4 Million on day one in UK alone. That was half the budget)

America as a place of mass consumerism which needs to be criticised

Satire on American idealism: the dreams and aspirations of Niko and Roman defeated by Xenophobia, crime and consumerism.

e.g. Burger Shot (the ‘deadly’ effect of fast food), Pisswasser imported beer (disregard for ‘non-American’ products/ideas), Patriot Beer (Nationalism)

A release from the everyday pressures: freedom to act in world without social and moral boundaries

A narrative which borrows from cinema (another ‘escapist’ medium), in particular the ‘rise to power ‘ narrative found in gangster movies. Iconography in the game also borrows from this genre. Intertextual references to film, eg Goodfellas (1990) in marketing and Heat (1995) during the bank robbery sequence.

Question: Explain how audiences can respond differently to the same media text

1. Say what you are going to discuss (i.e video games, in particular GTA4 (2008). You will also make reference to Manhunt 2 (2007) and Red Dead Redemption (2010) (all Rockstar Games).

2. Provide some analysis of GTA4 making clear what the nature of the game is and its stylistic influences (i.e. film genre). Use the Uses and Gratifications model (1974) for this . The article from The Observer will also help here.

3. Create an argument using the audience models for how the target audience would respond.

4. Discuss Manhunt 2 and concerns raised about this game (refer to the articles published by BBC News and Edge Magazine (both 2007).

5. Offer a conclusions which gives some of your own views (informed by what you have learned).

REMEMBER! Always use media terminology when analysing texts. MIGRAIN.