Introduction & Brief Literature Review
Without a doubt, Keeping Up with the Kardashians (KUWTK) is one of the most distinguished family reality TV shows in contemporary popular culture. It is the most-watched TV show on E! network, with the first episode of the newest season averaging 2.5 million viewers worldwide. The show celebrated its tenth anniversary on air just last year and also has a renewed contract for the show for up to 2020. The Kardashians don’t just triumph within the television industry, but they’ve also built empires across the fashion industry, the make-up industry, the fitness industry, and so on. That is not to mention how these women were also the first celebrities who began to use social media to create their brands, and in effect, even more lucrative businesses for themselves online.
The title of this study is ‘The Appeal of Keeping Up with the Kardashians: A Uses and Gratifications Perspective Among Women.’ This study therefore examines audiences’ possible reasons for engaging with KUWTK. To explore this, the study used a qualitative method of inquiry. In total, nine one-on-one interviews took place. There were two different groups of interviewees used in this study. The first group interviewed were six women aged 21-23 who are fans of the TV show. The second group interviewed were three women aged 35-40 who watch the show but would not consider themselves fans. Interviewees were asked a series of thirty-eight questions relating to their viewing habits of KUWTK. The framework that helped to develop these questions came from a theory by McQuail, Blumler, and Brown (1972). The theorists developed a typology of audience motivations which consists of four categories. These are; 1) diversion, 2) personal relationships, 3) personal identity, and 4) surveillance. There are subcategories within these four that will be defined later on in the study.
In this study the audience are viewed as an active audience, as this is one of the main premises of the uses and gratifications theory. As this is a study done from the perspective of the uses and gratifications theory, the study asks why audiences watch KUWTK and what needs of theirs are gratified by watching the show, both of these questions therefore posit that the audience is an active one.
The researcher is unaware of much other existing literature in this specific field, from any broad perspective, let alone from a uses and gratifications perspective. It is the aim of this study to change this. It is also the aim of this study to add to this specific field, a piece of literature looking specifically at KUWTK from a uses and gratifications, which is a piece of literature that does not already exist. It is also clear that any studies of KUWTK have not been given that much pertinence in academic literature because many academics do not deem it to be a rigorous area of study that should be researched. If you are a user of the internet, it’s near impossible that you can deny knowing who the Kardashians are, after over ten years of them being in the constant spotlight. In 2016, it was estimated that 81% of the Irish population use the internet, so there are definitely very few Irish people who don’t know the Kardashians in some sense. Therefore, it’s clear that it’s high time a study was done on the TV show because so many audiences are always ‘kept up’ with the Kardashians.
This study draws upon two other similar studies done in this field and also looks at a novel, all relating to KUWTK and to the uses and gratifications theory.. The first of these is the 2005 thesis titled ‘The Appeal of Reality Television: A Uses and Gratifications Perspective’ by Gina Danica Corrie-Metcalf. The second study done in 2016 is titled ‘Motives for Engaging with the Kardashians’ Reality Television Family’ by Kayla Hammer. Finally, the 2013 novel is titled ‘Keeping Up the Kardashian Brand: Celebrity, Materialism, and Sexuality’ by Amanda Scheiner McClain.
In her thesis which looks at the appeal of the genre of reality television from a uses and gratifications perspective, Corrie-Metcalf employs McQuail, Blumler, and Brown’s (1972) typology of audience motivations, which the theorists found to be key motivational factors in media consumption. These four categories are as follows; 1) diversion ( a) escape & b) mood and emotional release ), 2) personal relationships ( a) relationships with people in the media & b) relationships with viewers ), 3) personal identity ( a) personal reference, b) reality exploration and value reinforcement, & c) relationships to others ), and 4) surveillance. Corrie-Metcalf then developed a questionnaire to be used in the interview process based on these four categories. This study has also used McQuail’s et al., (1972) typology in developing questions, as well as including other questions which were also deemed to be of importance. This study differs to the study done by Corrie-Metcalf as this study looks at the appeal of one particular TV show, whereas the study mentioned above is a study about the appeal of reality TV as a genre. This may be a limitation of the 2005 thesis, and therefore, this study is different from the 2005 study in that it is more detailed and less of a broad topic.
The second study from which this study draws upon is Hammer’s 2016 undergraduate study titled ‘Motives for Engaging with the Kardashians’ Reality Television Family’. The 2016 study is perhaps where the inspiration for this study comes most dominantly from, in that it questions why young female audiences watch the show. Both studies are similar as a group of six young women who are fans of the show are interviewed. However, in this study there is also another group of women who are interviewed in the 35-40 age group, who watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians but would not consider themselves fans. The reason for using two different age groups of women is to get a comparison between the groups and note any similarities and differences there are in their viewing habits.
The final piece of literature looked at is the 2013 novel by Amanda Scheiner McClain titled ‘Keeping Up the Kardashian Brand: Celebrity, Materialism, and Sexuality’. The book explores the Kardashians’ brand and celebrity which are of course part of their appeal. There are quite a few chapters in the book which are beneficial to the researcher in this study.
Methodology
This study explores two research questions:
What motivates audiences to watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians?
What audiences needs are gratified by watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians?
As mentioned earlier the qualitative method of interview was used in this study and in total nine women were interviewed. The first group of women were fans of the show aged 21-23 and the second group were viewers who would watch the show but would not consider themselves fans, this group are aged between 35-40. The interviewees are personally known to the researcher and were approached by the researcher knowing that there was no pressure on them to take part in the research study, and that they may leave the study at any time if they pleased. The nature of the information given by the interviewees was not necessarily of a sensitive nature, as the study is interested only in audiences viewings habits of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and does not get much more invasive than this.
The nine interviews took place over a couple of weeks, and were all one-on-one interviews which were set up in a location and time to suit each participant. The interviews consisted of 38 questions which took about 30-40 minutes to complete. The researcher sometimes followed up on some of the answers given by participants. The nature of the questions asked were very careful as to not to lead the interviewees to any particular viewpoint. When approached by the researcher, the participants were told that the study was about their viewing habits in relation to the TV show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The only other information given to participants was that the research was of a qualitative nature so they were encouraged to given detailed thoughts and opinions when answering questions. All of the interviews were recorded on the personal mobile phone of the researcher and were promptly moved to the researchers password protected laptop after each interview to ensure no one else could come into contact with the interviews. The interviews were also written up by the researcher and transcribed to PDF documents so that there would be two forms of their documentation, available only to the researcher.
The qualitative method of interviewing was used in this research study for a couple of reasons. Queirós, Faria and Almeida (2017, p.370) describe how qualitative research is concerned with aspects of reality that cannot be quantified. They state that “qualitative research works with the universe of meanings, motives, aspirations, beliefs, value and attitudes, which corresponds to a deeper space of relationships, processes and phenomena that cannot be reduced to the operationalization of variables.” The aim of the study is to gain a more detailed and rich data collection that is descriptive rather than statistical, which will attempt to understand the social uses and gratifications that are related to watching KUWTK. Qualitative research was also used in both Corrie-Metcalf and Hammer’s studies.
However, as Corrie-Metcalf says about her own study, the qualitative method of inquiry can lead to bias on the basis that the researcher has to assess the interviewees answers themselves and this of course may lead them to alter how they answer. As well as this the presence of the researcher may have influenced how the interviewees responded to the questions, so it’s difficult to combat this. However, in both cases the researchers were careful as to not to lead the interviewees to any particular viewpoint. As well as that in this study the researcher really didn’t have a specific viewpoint until after the study was complete, as it was a new area of research to them, therefore there wouldn't have been much room for bias at an early stage.
In terms of the data analysis of this study, the researcher looked at Corrie-Metcalf’s method of analysis. In her thesis she used Lindlof and Taylor’s (2002) three different phases of data analysis in the qualitative research model. These are as follows; 1) data management, 2) data reduction, and 3) conceptual development. The data collected during the interview process was then managed in accordance with the above three steps. The data was organised and categorised by question. After this, in each category the data was analysed to note any recurrent themes, patterns, and contrasts. These were then noted in the interviewees process and were referred back to the research questions.
Findings
In this section each category is looked at separately and each group are evaluated separately as well.
Diversion: Escape
To get an idea of their viewing habits, interviewees were asked about how and why they watch KUWTK.
Group 1:
Out of the six interviewees, five of them felt strongly about being unable to miss any episodes. However, all five of them also said it’s not vitally important if they didn’t see it as the show aired, so they would be happy to watch the episodes online or record them. One interviewee said: “ I wouldn’t have to watch it when it airs and I wouldn’t mind if I missed it but I would definitely have to watch it at a later stage.” The other one interviewee who didn’t feel as strongly about missing episodes was of the opinion that they did look forward to watching the show, but if they missed any episodes it wouldn’t bother them. All six commented that the Kardashians’ lifestyle was a big motivation for watching. One interviewee commented that: “I am just fascinated by their lifestyle and knowing what they’re doing.” Out of the six interviewees, four of them said that while watching the show they were also usually also on their phones. The other two interviewees said that when they were watching KUWTK they were just watching it and doing nothing else. However, many of the interviewees alluded to the fact that it was the easiness of watching the show as almost a background noise as being an advantage to the show and their reasoning for watching it. All of the interviewees felt that they didn’t have to concentrate hard while watching the show.
Group 2:
Out of the three interviewees, all three said that while they did record KUWTK and would watch it in their spare time it would not bother them if they missed an episode. All three of them also commented that they definitely look forward to watching it for the entertainment factor, however one commented that: “I definitely look forward to it but not as much as I used to, I think its gone too staged.” When asked about why they like KUWTK, two of those interviewed said they watch it because it’s an entertaining show, while the other commented that it’s a kind of ‘escapism’ for her. When watching the show all three listed different things that they may be doing while watching the show like ironing, on their phone, on their computer, etc. All three interviewees said they definitely didn’t have to concentrate hard while watching the show. The main reasons the interviewees had for watching the show was escapism and because they were interested in keeping up to date with the Kardashians lives.
Diversion: Mood & Emotional Release
The interviewees were then asked about their mood during and after watching KUWTK and were also asked which personality types they thought would watch KUWTK.
Group 1:
Four of those interviewed were of the opinion that KUWTK doesn’t affect their mood in a negative way at all, while the other two commented that sometimes they may feel slight jealousy of their lives after watching it. One interviewee commented: “Sometimes I weirdly feel annoyed at how easy they have it and start feeling like ‘ugh, I have to go study now.’” In relation to the personality types drawn to the show, all of the interviewees said that they believed it would be young women who were into celebrities, clothes, makeup, etc. that watch the show, but they also said they know some older women, like their mothers who watch the show. A few of those interviewed said that they would have concern for girls younger than them who watch the show as they may take it to seriously and try to be like the Kardashians. Overall, the six interviewees commented that these personality types watch the show because they want to be in the know and kept up.
Group 2:
All three interviewed said that the show would never affect their mood because they could take or leave watching it and are not so heavily invested in it. Two of the interviewees then commented that men would not watch the show and both said their husbands don't like it. All three were of the opinion that it ranged from young women to women in their forties who were interested in celebrities lifestyles that watch the show, but all three commented that they believed younger girls who watch the show may easily try to emulate how the Kardashians behave, which may be dangerous.
Personal Relationships: with People in the Media
Interviewees were then asked about whether they identify with people on KUWTK, what attracts them to the Kardashians, and if they think the people on the show are like people they see on the street.
Group 1:
In relation to identifying with anyone the findings were quite split. Two interviewees said they didn’t identify with anyone. Two interviewees thought they identified with Kourtney because of her healthy-eating habits. The final two interviewees identified with Khloe as they thought she was the most down-to-earth and realistic. In terms of what attracts them to the Kardashians, overall the six interviewees found their glamorous lifestyle to be a big motivation. Many of them also stated that because they’ve been following them for so long they feel a personal connection, with one commenting that: “I kind of understand from college that I have probably built a bit of a para-social relationship with them.” Three of the interviewees also stated that they found the family funny to watch with one stating: “I like how they’re always doing fun things and joking about stuff!.” Finally, when asked if the Kardashians resembled everyday people, three of those interviewed said they definitely didn’t look like people you’d see on the street. The rest of the opinions were quite varied, with some people thinking Kendall didn’t resemble your every day person, but some thought she definitely did. Overall, people seemed to think that while the family didn’t look like people you’d see every day, how they looked wasn’t an unattainable image.
Group 2:
Two of those interviewed said that they could identify with the mothers on the show, with one commenting that: “As a mother I identify with Kris, Kim and Kourtney, though their lives are very far removed from my own.” While the other interviewee said that she didn’t identify with anyone. All three interviewees found that none of the Kardashians look like every day people.
Personal Relationships: with Others
Interviewees were then asked if they watch the show alone or with others, whether it’s an important social event, if their family or friends watch it, if they thought it was important to know about what’s going on in the show, and if they hear people on campus or in workplace talking about the show.
Group 1:
All six interviewed said they would watch it alone, however, four of these also commented they have and would watch it with friends. All six said that it’s not an important social event in their household at home but two of those interviewed said that in their college houses it would often be on. Four of those interviewed then said that none of their family watch it but a lot of their friends would. However, the other two interviewees said that while it was mostly their friends who watched it, their mothers also watched the show sometimes. All of the interviewees said that they didn’t think it was important to be socially abreast in what’s going on in KUWTK. However, three interviewees also remarked that it wasn’t important in general, but was important to them as they follow their lives so closely. Two of those interviewed said they never hear people talking about the show on campus while the rest said they might the sometimes if something big happened.
Group 2:
All three interviewees said that they always watch the show alone and that it was definitely not an important social event, and two of them again commented that their husbands hate the show. All three also said that while some of their friends watch the show, none of their family members did. All of those interviewed said it was not important to be in the know of what’s going on in KUWTK, but one commented that perhaps it would be for younger girls. All three again said they've never heard the show being discussed in the workplace.
Personal Identity: Personal Reference
Interviewees were then asked if they ever imagined themselves being in situations that the Kardashians are in while watching the show, they were also asked who they especially liked and disliked, whether they measure themselves against anyone on the show, and finally, if they ever felt strongly about decisions made by people on KUWTK.
Group 1:
All six of those interviewed felt strongly that they have contemplated what it would be like being in situations the Kardashians have been in. In terms of who they liked on the show the answers varied across the board, however, five of those interviewed said that they especially disliked Kendall and their reasoning for this was because they had seen on social media and seen that other models disliked her and found her to be bitchy. Only two of those interviewed said that they ever measured themselves against the Kardashians, with the rest saying they never do as it’s an unattainable image. However, most of those interviewees seemed slightly uncomfortable by this question as it was perhaps the most personal, so it’s difficult to say if these opinions reflect what they really think. Most of those interviewed said that they don’t feel strongly about decisions made on the show as it doesn’t affect them.
Group 2:
Two of those interviewed believed that they had thought about how they would react if they were put in similar situations like the Kardashians, but the other interviewee had not. In terms of who they especially liked and disliked the three interviewees gave different opinions on various people on the show, stating they liked and disliked certain people at certain times. All three said they had never measured themselves against the people on the show. Three of those interviewed were of the opinion that they have felt strongly about decisions made by those on the show but it would usually depend on whether or not they could relate to that decision.
Personal Identity: Reality Exploration & Value Reinforcement
Interviewees were then asked if they thought that the show ever covers or discusses any important themes or moral issues, and then were asked if these were relevant to their lives.
Group 1:
All of the interviewees were of the opinion that the show definitely does explore important themes and issues, and examples were given such as: gun violence, planned parenthood, Caitlyn’s transition, their relationship problems, pregnancy and marriage problems, mental health issues, and so on. However, there was a divide in the six interviewees about whether or not these themes and issues are relevant to their own lives. However, one interviewee commented that it was an advantage of the show that they are so out there and truthful: “I think I still watch it because they’ve never changed and are still so truthful and it’s like no matter how perfect your life may seem, things can go wrong that money can’t buy, and they’re not afraid to show those things.”
Group 2:
The three interviewed listed out similar themes and issues as the first group. However, all three thought they while they explored these issues they didn’t explore any moral issues. All three thought that these issues weren't relevant to their own lives, but two commented that they were still of importance, with one stating: “They’re topics that need to be covered in society and in today’s current affairs.”
Personal Identity: Relationships to Others
The interviewees were then asked how they feel when people on the show do well, fail, or are humiliated. They were also asked how they generally feel about the people on the show.
Group 1:
Five of those interviewed said they felt happy when they did well, sad when they didn’t, and embarrassed or sad for the Kardashians when they were humiliated. Only one interviewee said that none of these things would affect them. However, for each person interviewed it depended on the person in question, for example, one commented: “I always feel bad for Kylie if she’s upset because she didn’t ask to be famous like Kim and the rest of them.” When asked how they generally felt about the people on the show, all six interviewed said they either liked or loved the Kardashians, with one saying that: “Yes I do like them all, and I enjoy watching it and seeing how their lives developed over the years and how their lifestyles have changed.”
Group 2:
Two of those interviewed said that they didn’t feel any different when someone did well, failed or was humiliated on the show. Both of these attributed this to the fact that they have put themselves in that situation and that’s how they make their money. However, the other interviewee did feel happy when they did well, sad when they didn’t, and embarrassed or sad for the Kardashians when they were humiliated. All three felt differently about their general feelings towards the Kardashians, with one saying she didn’t care much about them, another saying she generally liked them and the last interviewee saying she found a lot of them to be contrived but still entertaining to watch.
Surveillance:
In the final category, interviewees were asked if they thought KUWTK was like real life and also if they’d learnt anything from it.
Group 1:
There was one comment from an interviewee that summed up the opinions overall: “It’s not like our real life, but it must be their real life is it?.” In this instance the interviewee seemed to be asking a question herself to the researcher and was unsure of herself, which may reflect on audiences not being sure if they think KUWTK is like real life. Five of those interviewed seemed to think KUWTK was a reflection on real life if one had that kind of money, not on real life as they know it however. The other interviewee said that it wasn’t even slightly like real life. When asked if they’d learnt anything from the show, two interviewees said they don’t learn anything. While the rest commented that they definitely learn about how the other half live, with three interviewees saying they learnt about transgenderism because of Caitlyn on the show.
Group 2:
All three interviewees said that KUWTK was not like real life at all, with one commenting that it was just their (the Kardashians) real life. In terms of what they'd learnt from the show the opinions were different. One said she hadn't learnt anything from the show, one said she learnt about things like fashion and transgenderism from the show, while the last interviewee said she's learnt even though you might have money you can still have problems.
Overall, the two groups seemed to have pretty much the same opinions across the board, with escapism, the entertainment value, and the Kardashians’ lavish lifestyles as key motivational factors for engaging with KUWTK. However, in the older group of women they seemed to be of the opinion the show is not really life real life and the Kardashians don’t look like people they'd see everyday. Whereas, the younger group believed these things more easily.
In relation to existing literature much of what came up in Hammer’s study was also apparent in this study, with the concern of youthful vulnerability coming up in both. However, this study also includes the older demographic of women that Hammer’s does not, so there are more opinion and themes emerging between the two. However, it is difficult to liken this study to the findings in Corrie-Metcalf’s study as it looks at the genre of reality TV.
Conclusion
The original research questions posed by this research study were:
What motivates audiences to watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians?
What audiences needs are gratified by watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians?
Audiences that engage with KUWTK are clearly attracted to the show because they get certain gratifications from it. Diversion, personal relationships, personal identity, and surveillance are the four key determinants, described by McQuail et al., (1972), that helped to work out what exactly these uses and gratifications are.
For both groups interviewed it was apparent that in relation to diversion, those interviewed watched KUWTK to escape and to relax, and also because they were interested in how the other half live, and in their lavish lifestyles. It’s a way for them to take a break from their daily routines and they find it entertaining and funny. In terms of emotional release, also in the diversion category, most of those interviewed agreed their mood was not affected by watching KUWTK, however two women in the first category commented they sometimes feel jealous of the people on KUWTK, this may be an indicator of how a lot of people feel watching the show, even though they continue to watch it.
In terms of personal relationships, it was quite apparent that while many of those interviewed watch KUWTK alone, it does also have a social function in their lives, as it’s often ‘water-cooler’ conversation and everyone seems to be in the know of the show. It is also apparent that viewers build social relationships with the people in KUWTK, despite never having met them. It is possible that those interviewed have built this relationship as they have been following them for so long that they feel as though they have grown up with them. Richard Dyer’s 1979 theory of the paradox of the star is relevant here as the Kardashians are viewed both ordinary and extraordinary in the audience’s eyes. They are ordinary in that the audience can relate to them as the interviewees have done in this study, but they are also extraordinary in that they have these lavish lifestyles and qualities that audiences cannot relate to, but they may admire. Overall, the first group of interviewees felt more of a connection with the people on KUWTK and they also deemed it more important to be kept up with the Kardashians than the second group of women interviewed.
In terms of personal identity, those interviewed seemed to be of the opinion that they were past the age where they would measure themselves against people on KUWTK and that looking like them was unattainable. However, they did imagine what it would be like to be like them, most of those interviewed like and dislike different people on the show for different reasons, most of which related back to feeling as though they could relate to one of the Kardashians for their own specific reason.
Finally, in terms of surveillance, many of those interviewed seemed to believe that KUWTK did not reflect their own lives but but they did represent the kind of lives the Kardashians lead. However, although most of those interviewed said they did learn things from the show, they did not seek out KUWTK to learn things and it was just something that came with the show, and wasn't necessarily a motivational factor for engaging with it, however, while they may not seek out the show to learn things, it might be a gratification that causes them to keep watching.
Much like Hammer’s study, this study also found that audiences felt a personal connection to members of the Kardashian family,. Hammer’s study also found that viewers believed that what happens on KUWTK is very much like real life, this is also apparent in this study. In both studies, a theme emerged that interviewees seemed to have concern for younger generations watching KUWTK, with some commenting that a younger generations engagement with the show may even be dangerous. A limitation of Hammer’s study may be that while it seemed to be on a uses and gratifications paradigm, Hammer never actually refers to U&G theory.
In terms of further research study in this area KUWTK deserves a lot more research than it has already been given, and the researcher found little done on KUWTK from a U&G perspective. This research study highlights this throughout the study, and therefore this study helps to fill a gap in audience research that definitely needed to be filled. As a TV show KUWTK has not been given much pertinence in academic research because of its “base, anti-intellectual appeal” (Corrie-Metcalf, 2005). However, the Kardashians are everywhere and that’s hard to ignore, so that in itself is enough reason for more research to be done.
The limitations of this research study may be that in both groups of women interviewed the demographics are very specific. Therefore, by analysing these two specific demographics, it’s quite a narrow route to take and may not reflect on many other demographics reasonings for watching KUWTK. As well as that only nine women are interviewed, and it is hard to argue that the thoughts and opinions of only nine women can reflect that of society’s opinion in general. However, it is a step in the right direction that calls for more research.
In terms of directions for future research, in Corrie-Metcalf’s study she says that “taking into account the limitations of this study, it would be valuable to conduct a series of further studies devoted to individual reality shows.” That is exactly what this study has done. Therefore, in turn it would be beneficial for researchers to look at this research study and perhaps undertake a quantitative study on more participants. Along with this, during this study it emerged that some of those interviewed had concerns for younger generations and how they viewed KUWTK. A study based on younger audiences engaging with the show may then shine a light on this and question if this concern is evident and where it comes from.
In conclusion, it must be said that KUWTK appeals to many audiences, whether they would care to admit it or view it as a guilty pleasure of theirs. It allows audiences to escape from their everyday lives and it demands nothing from them in return. Although the Kardashians have been around for over ten years, it seems that they are only really getting started and building an empire in the last couple of years. This research provides a look at why audiences watch the show, and in many years to come when there are so many other studies done on the Kardashians it will be interesting to look back and compare with this study how things are constantly evolving and changing in audience research.