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Drinking on television: a content analysis of recent alcohol portrayal
Author(s) -
PENDLETON LAURA L.,
SMITH CHRISTOPHER,
ROBERTS JOHN L.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
british journal of addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0952-0481
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1991.tb03102.x
Subject(s) - content (measure theory) , alcohol , content analysis , alcohol consumption , psychology , advertising , sociology , chemistry , business , mathematics , social science , organic chemistry , mathematical analysis
The portrayal of alcohol on British television was examined in a systematic sample of 50 programmes broadcast in 1988. Nearly three‐quarters of the programmes contained visual or verbal references to alcohol. On average, there was a reference to alcohol in every six and a half minutes of programming. Alcohol was most prominently featured in fictional programmes, particularly in one soap opera, Eastenders. A third of the programmes showed specific brands of alcohol. It is estimated that the portrayal of alcohol in Britain's most popular programmes is worth £487 million of free promotion to the alcohol industry per annum. Nevertheless, in comparison with an earlier study, carried out in 1986, there appeared to be fewer alcohol images. A number of recommendations are made for further action and monitoring of alcohol portrayal.