Problems in Media Audience Research

Readings for 6/2/09

Seiter, "Making Distinctions in TV Audience Research" responses:

1) "...It is difficult for academics involved in television studies to imagine the frustration and anger provoked by a dependency on television for education and lifelong exclusion from elite forms of higher education," (Seiter, 391).

With this in mind, how do academic studies of media define high and low culture in mass audiences? Mr. D said his work in fashion came from television viewing- how he understood what different furniture and time period styles were. If culture is going to be characterized in terms of audience depictions of viewing, should it not focus on what the information is that has been obtained, but how and to what detailed extent?

2) Seiter describes herself as a feminist and admits to Mr. H as a non-sympathetic man because of his stereotypical, sexist jokes. She then admits to errors and miss communications throughout the interview and research. Could it not be concluded that these miss communication came up not because of class backgrounds, but because Seiter's opinion led her interviews and understandings of the subjects' responses?

Machin, Chapter 5 responses:

1) On page 82, Machin tells us in his own ethnographic studies,"it is very hard to accept what people say about exactly what they do." On the next page he states that "ethnography allows the researcher to be much more certain about the validity of their data. I know which programmes you watch because I have been watching with you...," (Machin, 83). If Machin gives a clear statement about the meaning of ethnographic research, why does his first statement stray away from his interpretation? Does he mean to tell us that in ethnographic studies, it is impossible to question a subject because their answers may lack validity?

2) Page 87: Transparency:
We've learned thus far within ethnography lies anthropology. "Anthropology, therefore, should be understood as being a form of writing and not as a transparent reproduction of a particular culture," (Machin, 87). Because literature can be susceptible to different interpretations, how can a culture, whether it is studied ethnographically or anthropologically, be seen as the absolute truth in which members of that society see it? Is every culture susceptible to interpretation?

Chapter 7- Watching tv in the home

Lull conducted research which was an attempt to find out what people actually do when they watch television. Lull went into family homes and took a look at what people do in front of the television. Hey used ethnography because he considered tv viewing as something that is to be understood in a cultural setting.

Families were told that the research was for general interest in family life. They were not told the actual research topic until the end of the study. Why? Did he feel that this would effect the outcome of the study? How?

Lull discussed a relationship between parents, children and the tv. He analyzed parents who encouraged their children to watch educational programs. In doing so, they were seen as being a good parent because tv can be involved in transmitting their value system to their child. Do you think this is accurate?

Chapter 11: Using the Internet

1.) Does anyone else find it ridiculous that the people living in low-income houe bought the best computers and modems, and their reasons are because owning a computer and going on the internet is fashionable and stylish?

2.) Isn't it funny that when males chatted to strangers on the internet, it was primarily with women and was generally done by flirting? Yet women were more interested with chatting with people from different countries - "a sort of mediated tourim".

Machin Ch. 2 and 15

Ch. 2-
1.) When determining meaning, who is right and who is wrong? If something means one thing to one person, but it is not the dominant meaning of society, are they better fit to interview because their views differ from that of the norm/expected?

2.) Machin uses common sense particular to a culture when discussing a person's reasoning towards an idea or belief. One may say common sense develops due to our surroundings and dominant ideologies gained as we grow, but at what point does one reject this "common sense" to form new meanings/reasonings towards an idea or belief and how?

Ch. 15
1.) How long must you conduct research with people to allow them to break down walls and let the reasearcher see the participants true self?

2.) If ethnography helps to "create an imtimate knowledge required to understand that great conversation" what are the best other kinds of studies/research that may aid in accomplishing an imtimate knowledge?

Intro to Machin

1.) If our own frames of reference are not the same as those of the people that we study and we come to a different conclusion of their actual frames of reference, does our study become void?

2.)When asking in depth and open-ended questions, what "tricks" can researchers use to determine if their subjects understand the reasoning behind subjects' actions?

Chapter 9: Why We Watch Soaps

In Chapter 9: "Why We Watch Soaps", Tulloch used ethnography to help explain the ways that people, particularly the elderly, relate to soap operas. He spent time with elderly people watching television in their homes as well as a residential home and even used letters written to soap operas to gain additional insight.


1. According to Tulloch, what two catefories were the elderly viewers divided into? What was the relationship of cultural values in determining viewing behavior?


2. What might be some reasons why the elderly viewing audience become disconnected with society and mainstream culture? On the other hand, how do the elderly stay current with the mainstream? How do they relate to soap operas?

Chapters 2 and 15

Chapter 2

1. On page 38, Machin notes that we are unconscious of our cultural framework meaning that we cannot rely on peopleto offer explanations for why they do things. What might be some implications of this for researchers conducting an ethnographic study? For example, how would my group go about researching why 'tweens' are "sexting" at such a frightening rate?

2. What did Polanyi argue in terms of society being unconscious of our cultural framework and what two observations did he make in accordance with this? How do Machin's examples of European art films and Hollywood movies support this observation?

Chapter 15
1. "Ethnography does not provide a transparent window on the world" (pg. 169). What does this
mean and what specific steps must be followed in carrying out an ethnographic study?

2. What kinds of problems are associated with carrying out an ethnographic study and what must a researcher be mindful of in terms of finding respondents and recording data?