Thesis (M.A.M.C.)--University of Florida, 2005. / Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 107 pages. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis was designed to determine whether there are significant differences in family sitcoms between type of response and family type; between action and family type; between type of interaction and family type; and whether there are more positive than negative responses on both types of sitcoms.Seven nuclear and single-parent family situation comedies which are presently being shown on network prime-time television were compared to one another. A content analysis using a goodness-of-fit test was utilized to determine if parenting differences between the two types of family situation comedies existed.A chi-square showed that there is no difference between the number of negative and positive scenes in each type of sitcom. Finally, it was shown that no major parenting differences exist between single-parent and nuclear family sitcoms presently viewed on network prime-time television. / Department of Journalism

Within the past twenty years, an abundant amount of research has been done on how alcohol advertising and alcohol portrayals affect society. The most common studies have examined the influence alcohol advertising and alcohol portrayals have or do not have on adolescents, the relationship between alcohol content and the level of consumption, and how adults and under-age drinkers perceive drinking incidents.The present study is a content analysis examining how four networks- ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC vary in the amount of alcohol incidents shown in prime-time programming.The two-week study began on Sunday, May 20, 2001 and ended on Saturday, June 2, 2001 from 8 to 11 p.m. each evening. Alcohol incidents were classified as either a physical or verbal reference, as well as an appearance. Physical references were further categorized as the type of theme represented, the venue of the incident, and the type of drink involved.The findings suggest that the FOX and NBC networks air programs that present more alcohol incidents and themes of socialization than ABC and CBS. Therefore the researcher concludes that because of the target audience age is younger for FOX and NBC, these networks are more inclined to show more alcohol incidents and socialization themes versus the ABC and CBS networks, which have an older target viewing audience. / Department of Journalism

The thesis explores how Grant Tinker's philosophy of quality programming grew into a working ideology which would serve as the basis for its rise from last place to first place in ratings and profits from 1978 to 1986. This thesis paper explores the prime time history of NBC from 1978 to 1986. The network is examined in terms of its programming history, its economic situation, and the men who presided over the entity, all within the time frame listed above. The thesis focuses on the strategies and philosophies of the three men crucial to the direction the network took during the above time frame: Fred Silverman, President of the network from 1978 to 1981, Grant Tinker, Chairman from 1981 to 1986, and Brandon Tartikoff, Programming Chief from 1980 to 1991.

The serious investigation of humor's function in society is an emerging area of research in critical humor studies, a "negative" subsect of the extensive and "positive" research that assumes humor's goodness. Using Michael Billig's theory of ridicule as a framework, this study explored how humor operated to discipline characters who broke social norms or allowed characters to rebel against those norms. Layering this with gender performative theory, the study also investigated how different male and female characters used ridicule and were subject to it themselves. After examining ridicule in The Big Bang Theory, 2 Broke Girls, and The Odd Couple using a critical rhetorical analysis, the findings revealed that disciplinary ridicule was used more overtly throughout all three programs, while potentially rebellious ridicule emerged in only a few scenes. In addition, men were overwhelmingly the subjects of disciplinary ridicule, although women found themselves as subjects throughout all three programs as well. The discursive ridiculing of non-normative bodies constructed and maintained social norms about gender and sexuality, thereby uninviting these bodies from participating in society.

There exists an embedded assumption that broadcasting must be employed to strengthen the Canadian national identity. Despite efforts to Canadianize our broadcasting system, however, Canadians are watching more and more American television and have more choice of American programming. This has led to a fear of American television as a threat to Canada's continuance as a separate and independent country. By studying the contemporary Canadian context with respect to Canadian drama, the following questions will be addressed: Are Canadian interests dependent on communication policy? Is Canadian dramatic programming essential to the maintenance and enhancement of national identity and cultural sovereignty? Can the illusive quality "Canadian" be defined? Do television dramas made in Canada have distinctively Canadian characteristics and if so, how are these characteristics perceived by audiences? What are the options and alternatives that Canadian policy makers and programmers must face in the midst of the massive internationalization of culture and the onset of the 500 channel universe? In answering these questions, this study sets out to demonstrate how Canadian dramatic programming can be distinctive and unique in a way which still maintains an audience loyalty and a relevance to the Canadian way of life.

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By 1960, television advertisers recognized the economic potential of American youth, and producers were expected to develop programs to attract them, while still maintaining appeal for the older audience members. This task was to prove difficult as the decade wore on. While continuing to link the nation's cold war concerns to the portrayal of good and evil, some shows, like 77 Sunset Strip, and The Mod Squad, explored alternative lifestyles, but still accepted American values. As the 1960s developed, crime programs continued to promote American hegemony but became increasingly more open to alternative reading strategies. This study examines the strategies developed to draw a youth audience to 1960s crime programs, while also supporting the dominant ideology of American society.

The problem with which this investigation is concerned is the description of the social map that is presented to the viewers of public television. Using content analysis methodology, the study describes how different genders, racial groups, and age groups are being portrayed on PBS programming. The sample consisted of one week of PBS 1984 fall programming broadcast on KERA-TV, the PBS station in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas. Research questions addressing proportions of groups, types of roles, length of scenes, occupational variation, conversational behaviors, conflict management modes, and cultural norms were answered. All coding was accomplished by the principal investigator. Upon completion of the coding sub-totals for the variables under study by program types and a grand total for the entire sample were then tabulated. After this extensive content analysis, the report concludes that females are still extremely underrepresented in PBS programming, accounting for only 32.7% of the total participants. Blacks and Hispanics are also underrepresented except in children's programming. Occupational variation for white males is evident for all types of PBS programming. Occupational variation for white females is evident in children's programming and informational/documentary programming. Minorities with delineated occupations are extremely limited in all types of programming except for children's programming. The exchange of information is the major conversational behavior that occurs on PBS programming with minority characters receiving orders considerably more than their white counterparts. Verbal aggression is the conflict management mode chosen most frequently on PBS programming. Explicit messages regarding racial and sexual equality and prosocial behavior occur on PBS programming. Implicit messages such as frequency of appearances, number of major roles, and prevalence of power cues suggest a white male domination of television programming on PBS. The findings of the study reveal that major inroads have been made by women and minorities in children's programming. This comprehensive analysis confirms, however, the virtual exclusion of minorities in major segments of PBS programming.

This study is concerned with the problem of whether the public's attitudes toward economic well-being could be compared with the types of television programs made popular over a thirty-year period. Two measures were used to determine the public's attitudes toward economic well-being: 1) answers to questions of an economic nature; and 2) answers to questions that asked what was the most important problem. All data were compiled from Gallup polls administered during 1955 through 1984. The television genre data were compiled from sources by Brooks and Marsh, McNeil and Norback and Broadcasting magazine. No association existed among the three measures.