Uses and Gratifications and Exposure To Public Television

Abstract

A consistent problem with uses and gratifications research has been the failure to distinguish between gratifications sought and gratifications obtained. This study tested a discrepancy model constrasting gratifications sought from television in general with gratifications respondents perceived they obtained (or would obtain) from public television. The model successfully predicted level of exposure to PTV content among respondents who made their own decisions concerning what programs to watch. Level of exposure was unrelated to the discrepancy measure among those who let others make the viewing decision. When each gratification was considered individually, the discrepancy model successfully discriminated between viewers and nonviewers of PTV on 8 of 11 gratification items. The results also indicate the importance of social determinants of the viewing decision and perceptions of PTV content as predictors of PTV consumption.