Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The paper explores the myriad uses of television drama in mediated political discourse, using the case study of “24” - Fox’s counterterrorism drama. It examines references to “24” in articles and columns of nine major daily newspapers, magazines and political websites, from 2001 to 2007, and demonstrates how the show is invoked to support and express different political opinions; how people reconcile their political identity and media preferences; and how different categories of use interact with different political allegiances and different assumptions about the ontological and epistemological status of the show in relation to the political reality. The paper is also an attempt to revisit and develop the concept of inter-textuality as a way to account for the complex interactions within the contemporary media environment, and as a bridge between text-centered and audience-centered approaches to communication research.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: There has been much speculation in the popular press that the TV show "24" increases support for torture in dangerous ways. Reseach into the impact of entertainment television on public opinion, however, indicates that while certain effects (including agenda-setting and priming effects) are certainly possible, a direct link between viewership and attitude shift is unlikely. I used a laboratory experiment in a naturalistic setting to test empirically the potential impact of the show. Participants were randomly assigned to watch either an episode of "24" or an episode of another military-tinged action drama, "NCIS." They then answered questions about their political attitudes, including questions designed to test three hypotheses: 1) viewers of "24" are more likely to claim terrorism as an important issue facing the country than are viewers of "NCIS," 2) viewers of "24" are more likely to judge President Bush's performance overall based on their assessments of his job on terrorism than are viewers of "NCIS," and 3) despite the speculation in the popular press, viewers of "24" are not more likely to endorse torture as a response to terrorism than are viewers of "NCIS." Results are discussed, and conclusions are drawn.