This thesis is an ethnographic study of the soap opera viewing patterns and interpretations of Zulu-speaking students living in residences on the Natal University's Durban campus who watch The Bold and the Beautiful (an American soap opera) and Generations (a South African soap opera). It presents an analysis of how the viewing practices of the students compare with the findings of soap opera audience studies conducted abroad. The students' motivations and reasons for watching both soap operas are investigated. The reason for choosing black students as subjects is that I wanted to determine how a soap opera (Generations) which is comprised largely of black cast members and designed with a young black audience in mind, is interpreted and impacts on the lives of said audience, when compared with an American soap opera (The Bold and the Beautiful) which has an almost exclusively white American cast, and is popular with young black viewers in spite of the fact that it appears on the surface to be unrelated to their everyday lives. Individual one-on-one interviews were conducted with 40 students, 20 male and 20 female. The interviews were analysed to gauge how the viewing behaviour of the students differs from, or is similar to, soap opera studies conducted elsewhere in the world. It emerged that the students watch in groups and not alone, and that watching Generations and The Bold and the Beautiful is a social activity, not motivated from loneliness or isolation. The ways in which the students relate to the characters and situations of both soap operas is also examined, in an attempt to establish the role that these two shows play in the creation of the students' identities. The students displayed a tendency to be more critical of Generations than of The Bold and the Beautiful in the sense that they compared it (unfavourably) in terms of quality of production, to its American counterpart, as well as in the sense that they analysed storylines in terms of their own lived experiences and were quick to criticise Generations when they felt that it did not conform to their notions of the reality of being a black South African. They accepted situations and characters on The Bold and the Beautiful far less critically, although they did voice objections to certain characters and situations which they felt were morally questionable in terms of their understanding of right and wrong. It also became apparent that there was a greater emotional involvement with the characters on The Bold and the Beautiful than with those on Generations. The students interpretations of (and level of involvement with) situations, characters and storylines are examined, as well as the ways in which they derive pleasure from both soaps and incorporate them into their own lives. In summary, this thesis examines the consumption of an American and a South African soap opera by a black South African audience . / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2002.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Strategic Marketing 2016 / The purpose of this research was to identify the effectiveness of branded content integration as a marketing and communication strategy. The main objective was to find out whether the branded content integration in soap operas had an effect on consumer attitudes and purchase intent. A quantitative experiment was designed for the study using customers that watch TV soap operas and those who do not watch soap operas. A total of 150 respondents were used for the experiment. The data was analysed using a Chi Squared test to accept or reject the hypothesis. The findings of the study revealed that branded content integration has a positive influence when characters of a soap opera use a brand familiar to the viewers. The implications of the results of the study are that marketers are able to use branded content to create a positive change in consumer attitudes and to drive purchase intent. Using branded content integration as a marketing communication tool in soap operas can have a positive impact on how messaging is displayed. / GR2018

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2018-12-04T11:47:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Gabriela Nascimento Silva.pdf: 3013833 bytes, checksum: b86fe9743d4f131f5dfc9ba27344f8b1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-04T11:47:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gabriela Nascimento Silva.pdf: 3013833 bytes, checksum: b86fe9743d4f131f5dfc9ba27344f8b1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-09-28 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The aim of the present dissertation is to analyses the censorship in two soap operas displayed by Rede Globo that reached high rating points, attracting the public with their relaxed scenarios and, in parallel, their dense dramas retracting family issues, moral values and upward mobility. Dancin’ Days and Água Viva were transmitted in the end of the Military Rule, in the years of 1978 and 1980, respectively. With a comparative approach, illustrating similarities and differences of censorships, the research intention is to identify and discuss agents that build the many social representations in the studied soap operas, inserted in a context of marketing expansion and, simultaneously, forced to attend to the highest pressions of the Government by preserving good moral. With the support of collected data – censured scripts, censors and network view and DVDs of the studied soap operas – the research, that has as it's main problematic the concern and interest of an authoritarian government about the soap operas, and the censorship through the narrative of Dancin' Days and Água Viva, will get the effort to clarify the symbolic contest of power on different moments from the government. In conclusion, the fundance of this work consists on the pertinence of understanding an era in which mostly is said about censorship and little's been researched about it. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that further more studies are realized about soap operas, product that remains as a great influence on Brazilian people, studying the process of censorship and the use of soap operas as an instrument of repression of the Military Rule – even in the end of its command – hiding words, rallies, information’s and representations / A presente dissertação visa analisar a censura em duas telenovelas exibidas pela Rede Globo que alcançaram altos índices de audiência, atraíram o público pelos seus cenários de descontração, seus dramas pesados que cercavam sobre as questões familiares, valores morais e ascensão social. São elas: Dancin’ Days e Água Viva, transmitidas no final do Estado Autoritário, nos anos de 1978 e 1980, respectivamente. Por meio de uma abordagem comparativa, ilustrando as semelhanças e diferenças das censuras, à pesquisa tem como objetivo na identificação e no exame dos agentes que constroem as várias representações sociais das telenovelas em questão, inseridos em contexto de expansão mercadológica ao mesmo tempo das mais altas pressões do Estado pela preservação da moral e dos bons costumes. Com o auxílio documentação levantada – constituída de scripts censurados, pareces dos censores, pareceres das emissoras e DVDs das duas telenovelas estudadas em questão - a pesquisa que tem como problemática a preocupação e o interesse do governo autoritário quanto às telenovelas, e a atuação das censuras nas narrativas de Dancin’ Days e Água Viva, se esforçará em esclarecer a disputa simbólica de poder em momentos distintos dos governos. Por fim, a justificativa para este trabalho consiste na pertinência de compreender uma época que muito se falou sobre a censura e que pouco foi estudado sobre ela. Portanto é de suma importância que se manifestem mais estudos que levantem, principalmente em telenovelas, produto esse que se manifesta até hoje de grande influencia sobre a população brasileira, acerca do processo e utilização do instrumento de repressão do Estado Autoritário, mesmo que no final dele, que oculta palavras, manifestação, informação e representação

This study updates prior examinations of sexual content on daytime soap operas by investigating verbal references, implied sexual acts and mentions of sexually transmitted diseases. In addition, it extends earlier work by analyzing the commitment level and age of those involved in the sexual content. Finally, this study will attempt to obtain a clear picture of what adolescents perceive while viewing these shows. This was investigated by conducting adolescent and adult focus groups to see how they talk about soap operas. Also, comparisons were made of adult and adolescent coding of the sexual content on soap operas. All daytime soap operas were recorded twice per month for a six month period in 1995. From this sample, 36 hours of programming were coded for sexual content. For the adolescent and adult comparison studies, six adolescents and six adults from the Portland metropolitan area were selected to take part in focus groups and soap opera coding. Each of these subjects is a current soap opera viewer and all watched Days of Our Lives. The findings in this study do not support a social learning theory account, according to which the content of television programming provides a basis for undesirable effects. This study shows that soap operas provide both positive and negative depictions of sexual activity. It suggests that the age and/or background of the viewer has a more significant influence on what the viewer gets from the viewing experience.

It was argued that the social psychology of person perception, mass communications and cultural studies can be related to viewers' representations of television characters. Mass communications needs to incorporate viewers' interpretations and programme structure. Social cognition could satisfy the former need and cultural studies the latter. A literature review showed little research on viewers' interpretations of television programmes. There is a considerable body of research on person perception, gender stereotypes, the effects of viewing and programme structure. A study of viewers' accounts of viewing soap opera showed that they become involved with the characters and find the programmes realistic. Soap opera plays an important role in their lives. Viewers' representations of soap opera characters were examined using multidimensional scaling. This revealed stable, replicable character representations for Dallas, Coronation Street and EastEnders. The representations were compared with the oppositions which structure the programmes, Implicit Personality Theory and Gender Schema Theory. Dallas characters were represented by themes of morality and power/activity. Power was correlated with gender, with some counter-stereotypic females. Coronation Street characters were organised around morality/potency, gender (matriarchal) and approach to life. This related to person prototypes and contrasted with interaction patterns between characters. EastEnders characters were represented by themes of morality/power, gender and approach to life/centrality. Free descriptions validated the attribute ratings and showed further features of the representation. No socio-structural group differences in representation were found. Viewers' character representations were a constructive integration of programme structure and social knowledge. The application of abstract knowledge to a structured domain was discussed. Textual analysis of a narrative identified the 'role of the reader' and textual openness. This was related to stereotypes, narrative expectancies, myth and character representation. Distinct types of divergence in viewers' interpretations of narrative were discovered. Further, a narrative containing two readings was interpreted in four distinct ways by viewers, depending on their perceived relationships with characters. The conclusions and limitations of the research were discussed. Implications for person perception, stereotyping and textual analysis were examined. A taxonomy of factors relating to the interpretation and representation of television drama was presented.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-127).

The frequency of occurrence on typical soap operas of incidents such as homicide, infidelity, and mental breakdown is much greater than is the case in real life. Also, various occupations (e.g., medical profession, legal profession) are overrepresented in these programs. The present study investigated the extent to which heavy soap opera viewers are influenced by these representations. Specifically, the differences between long term soap opera viewers’ and non-soap opera viewers’ perceptions about people and events in the real world were investigated. The subjects’ perceptions of the frequency of occurrences in the general population of such events as divorce, extramarital affairs, serious accidents, deception, having illegitimate children, death by homicide, being institutionalized, working in the medical profession, and being a lawyer were measured utilizing standard survey techniques. Also, the subjects’ estimates of the potential likelihood of future personal involvement in such events were measured. Results indicated that with respect to the probability of having extramarital affairs, nonviewers are more likely to anticipate being unfaithful than viewers [t(98) = -1.94, p <.05]. Also, female nonviewers are more likely to predict that they will be sexually assaulted than female viewers [t(98) = -2.23, p <.05]. No other statistically significant results were found. The results of this study provide no strong evidence that viewing soap operas directly affects viewers conceptions of reality.

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This thesis is a reception analysis using qualitative interviews to investigate black students' watching of a South African soap opera, Generations, taking into account the context of a largely white South African university campus. The findings of this study are that students find pleasure in talking about Generations and hold seemingly contradictory views on whether it is 'realistic' or not. The analysis concludes that watching Generations does serve to affirm these students' black identity, since there is a particular need to do so on a campus where black students witness and experience racial discrimination.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study I analyse the 1994 episodes of the popular soap opera Egoli: Place of Gold that coincide with the so-called ‘birth’ of the New South Africa. This moment in media history is characterised by a heightened sense of anticipation surrounding Egoli as the first local soap opera created by Franz Marx at the pinnacle of his career for the relatively new – and only – independent broadcaster in the country, M-Net. Because of the reliance of this genre on perceived realism, Egoli offers a historically significant televisual mediation of the widespread social and political changes that mark this particular period. I argue that the soap opera elicits a non-critical passive spectatorship and should therefore be regarded as a ‘readerly’ medium that transmits a form of pre-negotiated textual hegemony directly into the intimacy of the domestic viewing space. While acknowledging an awareness of the pivotal role played by white Afrikaans men in the safeguarding of cultural hegemony up until this historical juncture, my study diverges from the wealth of research on soap opera as a women’s medium and approaches Egoli with an interest in the programme’s construction of masculinities. An analysis of three contrasting male characters investigates Egoli’s formulation of a social matrix that reflects not only the programme’s attitude towards gender, but also to social power, class and race. I conclude that this specific soap opera lacks the ability to produce or reflect radical change. Egoli merely serves to reiterate the affirmation of the hegemony of an established order of Afrikaner patriarchy on a superficial level. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie analiseer ek die 1994 episodes van die populêre sepie Egoli: Plek van Goud wat afspeel tydens die sogenaamde ‘geboorte’ van die Nuwe Suid-Afrika. Hierdie oomblik in media-geskiedenis is gekarakteriseer deur ‘n verhoogde gevoel van antisipasie rondom Egoli as die eerste plaaslike sepie, vervaardig deur Franz Marx tydens die toppunt van sy loopbaansukses vir die relatief nuwe, en enigste onafhanklike uitsaaidiens in die land, M-Net. Vanweë hierdie medium se afhanklikheid op skynbare realisme, bied Egoli ‘n waardevolle historiese televisuele vertolking van die verrykende sosiale en politiese veranderinge van hierdie tydperk. Ek argumenteer dat die sepie ‘n passiewe kritiekloosheid in kykers uitlok en daarom as ‘n ‘leeslike’ teks benader moet word, wat ‘n reeds-onderhandelde hegemonie direk in die intimiteit van die huishouding oordra. As gevolg van die bewustheid van die kritieke rol wat deur blanke Afrikaanse mans vervul is in die beveiliging van kulturele hegemonie tot en met hierdie historiese moment, wyk my studie af van die veelvuldige navorsing oor die sepie as ‘n vroue-medium en benader ek Egoli met ‘n fokus op die konstruering van manlikheid. ‘n Analise van drie kontrasterende manlike karakters ondersoek Egoli se formulering van ‘n sosiale matriks wat nie alleenlik die program se benadering tot geslag blootlê nie, maar so ook tot sosiale mag, klas en ras. Ek sluit af met die bevinding dat dié sepie ontbreek in die vermoë om radikale verandering aan te spoor of te weerspieël. Egoli slaag slegs daarin om op ‘n oppervlakkige wyse die hegemonie van ‘n gevestigde Afrikaner patriargale orde te bevestig en te reproduseer.