Strategies of Media Use

Media use is theorized as strategic practice (in Bourdieu’s sense) leading to longterm profits or governed by short-term tactic orientations. By strategies of media use, the recipient adapts to the structure of situations, media content and technologies, and they are linked to social structure. The reach of such strategies (in terms of stakes implied in them and profits) may extend beyond their scope, i.e., the part of the subjective reality that enters into the process of media selection and reception. At various levels such as that of modality, focus, attitude, style, repertoire, and arrangements, elements of strategies are chosen by agents to fulfill their aims and to obtain gratifications. This praxeological analysis synthesizes structural and phenomenological perspectives on media use.