Uses, Gratification and the Unique Selling Point of Documentaries.

 Mystery is a large factor in drawing in audiences to watch a documentary, considering that the purpose of this film is to dig deeper and illuminate an issue. A documentary appeals because it is the highest form of an in depth case study in media, with the potential to cover any concievable issue, and so will always find an audience with curious viewers with a thirst for knowledge However the Uses and Gratifiation Theory questions why people choose to watch specific media, supporting the conclusion that the audience actively seek out things that fill a 'need'.


Apparently, there are four basic needs to be fulfilled; diversion, personal relationships, personal identity and surveillance. With diversion, the audience wants to relax and switch off from real life, often turning to escapist media such as fantasy. Furthermore, this could tie in with the appeal of mysteries in documentaries, as the audience may enjoy actively solving a puzzle presented to them, and recieving gratification at the end if it is solved.

However people many people watch 'human interest' stories, as a way of feeling part of a social group, thus forming personal relationships through media. They may do it feel companionship, or instead invest emotion into a story that they feel it is their duty to empathize with, such as the social problems presented in many urban thrillers. In this case it seems that our documentary fulfills this need, as it depicts a struggling urban community warring through sport.

On the other hand, many fulfill personal identity needs, in which the audiences watches things that they feel reflect them, or perhaps they feel a close connection with and enjoy being able to relate to it. This factor can apply to many different forms of media, as everyone's personal experience is so unique there are so many ways represent it. Luckily this means that our documentary will be able to appeal not just to aforementioned 'social fixers', but also their opposite demographics, entirely broadening our audience range.

Finally, there is surveillance. in which the audience likes to know what is going on around them. Yet again this applies heavily to documentaries since their purpose is to explore every issue imaginable in the world around us. Knowledge is power, and so the wealth of facts and details covered in a quality documentary is rewarding for viewers.

SL.