A uses and gratification study of public radio audiences
Date
1982
Authors
Bluebond, Scott D., author
Phillips, Dennis D., advisor
Bruner, Howard D., committee member
Pendell, Sue D., committee member
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Abstract
This thesis sought to find out why people listen to public radio. The uses and gratifications data gathering approach was implemented for public radio audiences. Questionnaires were sent out to 389 listener/contributors of public radio in northern Colorado. KCSU-FM in Fort Collins and KUNC-FM in Greeley agreed to provide such lists of listener/contributors. One hundred ninety-two completed questionnaires were returned and provided the sample base for the study. The respondents indicated they used public radio primarily for its news, its special programming, and/or because it is entertaining. Her/his least likely reasons for using public radio are for diversion and/or to transmit culture from one generation to the next. The remaining uses and gratifications categories included in the study indicate moderate reasons for using public radio. Various limitations of the study possibly tempered the results. These included the sample used and the method used to analyze the data. Conducting the research necessary for completion of this study made evident the fact that more research needs to be done to improve the uses and gratifications approach to audience analysis. The identification of the uses and non-uses of public radio have helped lay a foundation for future research in this area.
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Subject
Radio audiences
Radio broadcasting -- Social aspects