Modeling the Gratification-Seeking Process of Television Viewing

This study attempted to establish the audience activity construct as an intervening factor in the gratification-seeking process, by taking into account the expanded viewing options in the emerging multichannel environment. It examined the viewing motives, activities, and satisfaction of adolescents—the first generation to grow up in that environment. The major theoretical assumption tested was whether more strongly motivated viewers would more actively engage in various audience activities throughout the viewing process and receive greater viewing satisfaction afterwards. Findings from testing the path model generally support this assumption. However, the role of media exposure in the gratification-seeking process comes into question due to its lack of causal linkage to several model components. A revised theoretical model is proposed to help inform future research.