Inspite of the overwhelming heterosexuality of main-stream news representations, portrayals of homosexual and lesbian people on tv have grown to be notably more widespread since 1997 whenever Ellen became initial tv series to own a gay character that is leading. This enhance is seen when you look at the introduction of homosexual figures on numerous programs such as for instance Spin City, ER, Dawson’s Creek, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in addition to implies that give attention to homosexual characters in leading roles such as for instance Will and Grace and it is All general. In addition, cable stations have actually included programs such as for instance Queer as Folk, Six Feet Under, and Oz that depict homosexual figures much more plot that is complex in accordance with more explicit sexual actions.
Even though the existence of gay and lesbian figures could have increased recently on both broadcast that is commercial cable companies, its not clear just how usually television addresses the sexual problems and issues of sexual minorities.
As noted earlier in the day, when homosexual and characters that are lesbian been incorporated into programs, they will have frequently been portrayed in asexual contexts. Furthermore, the majority of exactly just what happens to be posted up to now about homosexuality and television happens to be qualitative (including solitary show instance studies), emphasizing just how particular programs have portrayed homosexual figures. Although many content analyses have actually evaluated the quantity of sexual content shown on tv generally speaking (Cope Farrar & Kunkel, 2002; Greenberg et al., 1993; Kunkel et al., 1999, 2003; Kunkel, Cope Farrar, Biely, Maynard gay anal sex cum Farinola, & Donnerstein, 2001; Sapolsky & Tabarlet, 1991; Ward, 1995), none have actually reported in the prevalence of intimate portrayals and speak about sexual problems associated with gays, lesbians, or bisexuals.
This paper centers on factors evaluating nonheterosexual content that had been included as an element of two bigger content analyses examining intimate content more broadly on US tv.
Data through the 2001 2002 and 2002 2003 tv periods are acclimatized to respond to questions in regards to the prevalence and regularity of intimate behavior and intimate talk relating to nonheterosexuals. Especially, the information analyses address two broad research concerns: (1) as to the extent are nonheterosexual intimate themes, especially intimate behavior and explore sex, present in tv development general and exactly just just what habits emerge across system genres, system kinds, and prime time versus nonprime time development? (2) When nonheterosexual content that is sexual happen, what exactly is its regularity and just how does it differ across genres, style of system, and prime time versus nonprime time development?
Program Examples
A 3 composite week sampling plan ended up being utilized to acquire two large yearly random types of tv programs of best interest to adolescents and therefore were inclusive on most portions associated with tv industry. Programs had been taped from 11 channels 6 broadcast that is commercial (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, UPN, and WB) and 5 cable sites (BET, Cinemax, HBO, MTV, and Showtime). The Steve Harvey Show, Moesha, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, One on One); WB, which tailors its programming to white youth, with programs such as Gilmore Girls, 7th Heaven, Sabrina, and Smallville; and MTV, which shows music videos and other programs (e.g., dating reality shows) watched by many teens and young adults because the content analyses were part of a larger research project on television exposure and adolescent sexuality, several networks were included because of their appeal to young audiences including UPN, which televises a substantial number of programs with young African American characters ( e.g.
Composite week sampling designs have now been found in previous analysis that is content to get representative examples of tv development (Kunkel et al., 1999, 2001, 2003; Madden & Grube, 1994; Wallack, Grube, Madden, & Breed, 1990; Wilson et al., 1997). This sampling strategy involves arbitrarily picking days of the week or particular time slots for recording over weeks to lessen possible bias that might be introduced if all taping were done inside a solitary calendar week. Recording associated with the sample took place primarily more than a 7 period in the fall each year week. Because season premiere episodes are staggered for the thirty days of September, we started taping once all nonsyndicated show had been showing episodes through the present period. Each week, three various times of the week had been arbitrarily chosen for taping from all 11 channels, along with 7 days associated with the week represented 3 x into the sample. The 8 hour time block for taping extended from 3:00 p.m. (of which time many youth are away from college) to 11:00 p.m. (through prime time). The entire process of recapturing missed episodes (like those for which the satellite sign had been lost or even the show was pre empted by sporting or any other events that are special continued through the winter season.