MASS MEDIA AND THEIR ABILITY TO GRATIFY PERSONAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS

On the basis of U&G Theory from Katz, Blumer and Gurevitch's perspective, (1974) there was an attempt to answer the question whether mass media, i.e. books, press, radio, television, cinema movies and the Internet differ from one another in the ability to gratifypersonal and social needs. Assumptions of this theory underline relationship between mass communication technology (also in the way of development) and human needs. It seems that mass communication technologies develop according to evolutionary perspective (Levinson, 1997). The best fitting of technologies to nature of the human communication can be purpose and cause of its existing. Some of the human needs, which are gratified by mass media are identified. Mass media employ common reasons for media use comprising four fundamental categories by McQuail (2001): information, personal identity, integration and social interaction, entertainment. Moreover, explorations concerned determining the position of the Internet on the media scene of the 21st century in the aspect of functional alternative for traditional media, as well as non-media gratification sources. Participants included 179 students who with "paper-pencil" method filled in the survey forms of the Media Gratification Force J. Gluskowska (Cronbach's alpha coefficient: press 0,85; book - 0,87; cinema movies- 0,85; radio - 0,90; TV- 0,91; Internet - 0,89; non-media gratification - 0,91 as well as Sensation Seeking Scale by Zuckerman in the Polish adaptation by Oleszlkiewicz- Zsurzs (Cronbach's alpha coefficient: G-0, 85; TAS-0, 82; ES-0, 87; DIS-0,81; BS-0,82; 1-0,77). Research results have proved that mass media in fact differ in the ability to gratify needs. The Internet has taken the first position on this plane leaving the other media a long way behind. This peculiar omnimedium 'absorbed' traditional means of mass communication. Thus it can be said that after the technological explosion of the 20th c. we have been experiencing the prophetic vision by McLuhan related to "mass media implosion" triggered by the development of electronic media. Additionally, the assumption related to the Internet as a functional alternative for non-media gratification sources. There has been evidence for the correlation between the amount of time spent online and Sensation Seeing Scale (BS) by Zuckerman, also there have been significance intersexual differences in relation to particular needs. The budget of time devoted to mass media may indicate that there exists a "displacement effect" (Himmelweit, 1983). The Internet has been slowly replacing traditional media - as far as time and also possibility for gratifying particular needs are concerned by technological development. Continuous ICT development determines change in theoretical attitude towards an active user and that is why U&G is in its heyday. Raising and interactivity of the media compel one to look at the ICT phenomena from human's perspective (their needs etc.). Looking forward at (satisfying needs) U&G it could be assumed, that this perspective allow better understand technological evolution and information society evaluation.