1. Personal Relationships
This section comes in two parts. We can form a relationship with the media,
and also use the media to form a relationship with others.
Relationships with the Media
Many people use the television as a form of companionship. This may seem sad,
but think about how many times you've watched TV on your own, or with other
people but sitting in silence. By watching the same people in a programme on a
regular basis we can often feel very close to them, as if we even know them.
When presenters or characters in a soap die, those who have watched that
person a lot often grieve for the character, as if they have lost a friend. Some
events can even cause media outcries, such as the imprisonment of Deirdre
from the TV soap Coronation Street, which caused many national newspapers
to campaign for her release. We also talk to the TV a lot. Not many football
fans can sit through a televised match without shouting at the players or the
referee, and many people tell characters what to (or not to do) next.
“Don't go down the stairs in your nightie! No don't open the door!
No...!!!”
The more we watch the same personalities, the more we feel we get to know
them. Reality TV shows such as Big Brother give us such a feeling of intimacy
with the participants that they can become part of our lives. Even though the
relationship is completely one-sided, it's easy to see how we can fall in love
with TV personalities.

2. Personal Relationships
This section comes in two parts. We can form a relationship with the media,
and also use the media to form a relationship with others.
Using the Media to form Relationships with others
Another aspect to personal relationships is how we can sometimes use the
media as a springboard to form and build upon relationships with real people.
Having a favourite TV programme in common can often be the start of a
conversation, and can even make talking to strangers that much easier.
“Did you see Glee last night?”
Some families use sitting around watching the television as a starter for
conversation, talking to each other about the programme or related stories
while it is on. This kind of use (as well as some of the others), is heavily
satirised in the BBC sit-com The Royle Family.

3. Escapism
Escapism involves watching the television so we can forget about our own lives
and problems for a while and think about something else. This can work with
positive programmes, such as sit-coms which make us laugh or even holiday
shows which cheer us up and help us to forget our own problems, and with
negative programmes, such as the bleak EastEnders or a tragic film, which help
to put our own problems into perspective.
“At least my life's not that bad!”
Escapism also accounts for using the media for entertainment purposes, such as
a good thriller film (to get the brain thinking), and for relaxation (slumping in
front of the telly, don't care what's on).

4. Personal Identity
Personal identity explains how being a subject of the media allows us to
reaffirm the identity and positioning of ourselves within society. This can
mostly be seen in soaps, which try to act as a microcosm of society as a whole.
The characters in soaps are usually designed to have wildly different
characteristics, so that everyone can find someone to represent themselves,
someone to aspire to, and someone to despise. For example you might feel
close to a character who is always falling victim to other people, and this
connection might help you to understand and express your own feelings. You
may also really like a character who seems 'cool' and leads a lifestyle you'd like
to lead. This relationship could act as a way to channel your own life, helping
you to set goals to work to. Finally there may be a character you really can't
stand. By picking out their bad characteristics and decisions, it helps you to
define your own personal identity by marking out what you're not like...
“oh, she shouldn't have done that”
The use of the media for forming personal identity can also be seen outside
soaps. Sports personalities and pop stars can often become big role models,
inspiring young children everywhere (which is why there's such an outcry when
one of them does something wrong).

5. Surveillance
Surveillance is based around the idea that people feel better having the feeling
that they know what is going on in the world around them. One of the genres
this is often applied to is news. By watching or reading about news we learn
about what is happening in the world, and as the news is usually bad news, this
knowledge leaves us feeling more secure about the safety of our own lives. This
idea might seem a bit strange, that the more we know about tragedies the
safer we feel, but sociologists argue that ignorance is seen as a source of
danger, and so the more knowledge we have the safer we feel. When looking at
the news it's easy to spot news items that give us this reaction. For example if
it wasn't for watching the news we might be unknowingly left with five pound
notes that are worthless, or become vulnerable to the latest computer virus, or
end up in a hospital.
It's not just news that fulfils ‘surveillance’ however, the theory can also be
seen in many consumer and crime-appeal programmes such as Watchdog,
Rogue Traders and CrimeWatch. These appeal directly through the idea that
they are imparting information that people need to know. The programmes talk
far more directly to the viewer, and even try to get the viewer involved in the
programme. Because these programmes deal purely with national and local
concerns, the issues have the potential to affect the viewer directly. By
watching the programme we are finding out about which particular insurance
companies are a con, how mobile phone muggings are taking place and the
tricks plumbers use to charge us through the roof. This knowledge of life's
potential pitfalls gives us the feeling that we are more able to avoid them
(though in reality it's hard to see how this actually happens).
The surveillance model then is all about awareness. We use the mass media to
be more aware of the world, gratifying a desire for knowledge and security.

6. Surveillance
Surveillance is based around the idea that people feel better having the feeling
that they know what is going on in the world around them. One of the genres
this is often applied to is news. By watching or reading about news we learn
about what is happening in the world, and as the news is usually bad news, this
knowledge leaves us feeling more secure about the safety of our own lives. This
idea might seem a bit strange, that the more we know about tragedies the
safer we feel, but sociologists argue that ignorance is seen as a source of
danger, and so the more knowledge we have the safer we feel. When looking at
the news it's easy to spot news items that give us this reaction. For example if
it wasn't for watching the news we might be unknowingly left with five pound
notes that are worthless, or become vulnerable to the latest computer virus, or
end up in a hospital.
It's not just news that fulfils ‘surveillance’ however, the theory can also be
seen in many consumer and crime-appeal programmes such as Watchdog,
Rogue Traders and CrimeWatch. These appeal directly through the idea that
they are imparting information that people need to know. The programmes talk
far more directly to the viewer, and even try to get the viewer involved in the
programme. Because these programmes deal purely with national and local
concerns, the issues have the potential to affect the viewer directly. By
watching the programme we are finding out about which particular insurance
companies are a con, how mobile phone muggings are taking place and the
tricks plumbers use to charge us through the roof. This knowledge of life's
potential pitfalls gives us the feeling that we are more able to avoid them
(though in reality it's hard to see how this actually happens).
The surveillance model then is all about awareness. We use the mass media to
be more aware of the world, gratifying a desire for knowledge and security.