Lately due to everything that is happening with Coronavirus (COVID-19), I have been gravitating towards the nytimes website just to be informed. One article that caught my attention was this one, called “New York Was Not Designed for Emptiness”. Just the name of this aticle calls for attention, because people never hear of New York, the city that never sleeps being “Empty”.
Out of the 7 Gratifications Factors, two of them speak out to me when I read this article, Information and Problem-solving gratification. This article gives us the inside look of how the New York City is looking without us the audience actually having to be there, as New York City is one of the cities that has the most high cases on COVID-19. The streets are literally empty, parks are empty, public transportation for example trains are rarely being used. The only businesses that are really open are the essential ones, basically the ones that sale food like supermarkets, bodegas, and pharmacies and that is where you really see people. But you see people with protective gear as in masks, gloves, etc. This serves under the Informational gratification factor. Another Gratification factor that I see that can be used would be the Problem-Solving Gratification Factor. This is because the Governor of New York City has asked all citizens to stay home and to only come out of there house ONLY if necessary to go and get things that are needed in the house. Because the Governor Cuomo has established all of these rules, most of New Yorkers are listening and thats is why the streets are as empty as they are, which is what is needed from the citizens all over, to stay home!
I believe that media institutions can do a better job at targeting or tapping into the consumer gratifications I mentioned above by listening to the authorities more but also listening to the citizens. I know that the News stations always give out a number where their audiences can call in with their opinions or suggestions, it is a way that the citizens can communicate with everyone and so their questions can be answered faster.
Media Criticism 