Children's Television Advertising Research Articles

Gender representations and portrayal of adults in children's television advertising: content analysis of prime cartoon channels in India.

Gender stereotyping in television advertising is a universal phenomenon and has the potential to influence children's perceptions of gender roles. Despite India's enormous child population, gender representation in television advertising is hardly researched. This study was conducted using a content analysis methodology to examine gender stereotypes in children's television advertising in India. A total of 189 unique advertisements were selected from six prime cartoon channels, namely Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Hungama, Cartoon Network, Discovery Kids, and Pogo TV. A stratified constructed sample of 319 central figures from 102 hours of TV viewing was collected over two consecutive weeks in November 2018 during children's prime-time viewings. This study examines gender role cues in children's television advertising using McArthur and Resko's coding method. The sample was subsequently analyzed using chi-square statistics, and the findings were contextualized and compared with those from other Asian nations. The results indicated that men significantly dominate (voice-over, product authority, autonomous roles, fact-based arguments, other products, end comments, pleasure, and practical rewards), whereas females are stereotyped (dependent roles, product users, portrayal of domestic products in domestic settings, opinion-based arguments, and self-enhancement rewards). However, the results reveal a reduction in certain stereotypical aspects, such as a significant increase in women performing voice-overs and portraying characters with product authority and autonomy, while men exhibit increased involvement with domestic products and rewards such as self-enhancement, practical, and pleasure rewards. The theoretical (social learning and role congruity theory) and practical implications for advertisers and marketers are discussed based on these findings.

Content analysis of children's television advertising in relation to dental health

This paper provides some disturbing facts and figures about the amount of television being watched by children. In addition, it reports on the volume and type of television advertising aimed at young people, both in the United Kingdom and other developed countries. In view of recent public and professional concern as to the possible adverse effects of food advertising on children's health, this study set out to examine what proportion of television advertisements, directed at children, promoted products potentially harmful to dental health. Forty-one hours of children's television programming broadcast on ITV1, the main UK commercial channel, were recorded on to videotape for subsequent analysis. Almost 1,000 adverts were analysed; each was timed and broadly categorised as relating to a food/drink product or non food/drink product. Advertisements for food and drink were further subdivided according to their sugar and/or acid content. We found that, on average, 24 adverts were shown per broadcast hour, which accounted for 15.8% of the total schedule time. 34.8% of adverts related to food/drink products, and 95.3% of these promoted products that were deemed potentially cariogenic or erosive. The most frequently promoted food/drink products included breakfast cereals with added sugar (26.3%), confectionery (23.7%) and non-carbonated soft drinks (18.1%). It is very concerning that, despite recent specific codes of practice outlined by the Independent Television Commission for Children's Advertising, many food and drink products promoted during children's programming are potentially damaging to dental health.

Gendered voices in children's television advertising

Televised ads for toys directed to children were examined to address two research questions: (1) Do advertisers script language differently for females and males? and (2) How is gender used as a discourse code to link products to gender roles? In a sample from 1996, 1997, and 1999, ads for boy-oriented toys outnumbered those oriented to girls. In boy-oriented ads, the voice-overs were exclusively male, and in the girl-oriented ads, they were mainly female. Gender exaggeration in voice-overs was prevalent. Verb elements in the ads were also examined. Gender patterns were found in the types of verb elements used. Boy-oriented ads contained more elements emphasizing (1) action,(2) competition and destruction, and (3) agency and control. Girl-oriented ads contained more verb elements emphasizing (1) limited activity and (2) feelings and nurturing. The speaking roles scripted for girls and boys also revealed polarized gender voices and gender relations. Finally, the use of “power” words was prevalent in a number of ads targeted to boys but was absent in those targeted to girls. We concluded that the gender ideology underlying these ads portrays males and females through strikingly traditional gender-polarized voices, and we discuss the implications for teaching media literacy to children.

Saturday Morning Children's Television Advertising: A Longitudinal Content Analysis

The content of advertisements broadcast in 1993 and 1999 during top‐ranked Saturday morning children's network television programs was analyzed and compared with dietary recommendations and advertising guidelines. Study data were compared to earlier work to create a longitudinal perspective. One fourth to one sixth of broadcast time was devoted to commercials. Over the past three decades, food was the largest advertisement category. Produce, protein‐rich foods, and dairy products were rarely advertised. Advertisements for breakfast cereals and foods high in sugar or fat predominated. Food advertisements over the past 30 years are not reflective of dietary recommendations. However, most adhered to advertising guidelines.

Ethics and the Business of children's public television programming

While a great deal has been written condemningcommercial children's television programming,merchandising, and advertising, children'sprogramming on the Public Broadcasting System(PBS) has largely escaped scrutiny. PBSchildren's programming has generally been cededthe higher moral ground in the debate about theethics of marketing to children via televisionprogramming. With recent cut backs in fundingto public television, revenue raising hasbecome a matter of survival for public TV. Hasthe overwhelming onslaught of children's publicTV merchandising sacrificed the moral trust ofthe viewing public? This paper examines themerchandising of ``educational'' television froman ethical perspective.

“We'll Be Back in a Moment”: A Content Analysis of Advertisements in Children's Television in the 1950s

The children's television advertising environment generally is studied from the 1970s onward. Indeed, so little academic research was reported in the 1950s that the decade has been referred to as the prehistory of research on children's television advertising. The authors rectify that oversight by examining commercials of the 1950s in programs aimed at the child market. Content analysis shows marked distinctions from commercials of subsequent decades in total commercial time, product type, promotional appeals, age and gender of participants, production variables, and controversial techniques. Some of the differences are due to the television technology and technical standards of the 1950s, but others illustrate growth in advertisers' and television executives' understanding of the medium as a way to reach specialized child audiences.

An Investigation of the Fine Print in Children's Television Advertising

Abstract Using content analysis techniques and the Federal Trade Commission's “Clear and Conspicuous Standard,” this study provides a descriptive and evaluative appraisal of fine-print messages found in children's Saturday morning advertising on the three major television networks. The findings indicate that a considerable number of ads contained some form of fine-print message. Furthermore, while some differences in executional methods (e.g., print size, message placement/location/duration, background noise, visual-only presentation) existed between the various fine-print message types, generally speaking, few of these messages possessed characteristics that would be considered conducive to effective communication. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of what is already known about children and how they respond to advertising.

Gender Roles and Children's Television Advertising

Abstract This study extends past research efforts that have examined the effects of gender-role portrayals on children. More specifically, the study empirically investigates whether children are aware of gender roles when exposed to ads containing either traditional (stereotyped) or nontraditional (counterstereotyped) role portrayals, and whether these portrayals have any measurable effect on their evaluations of the advertised product and advertisement. Effects due to the gender of the “voice-over” are also examined. The findings tend to suggest that role portrayals and voice-over gender may have little effect on ad and product evaluations. Interestingly, however, children's gender-appropriateness evaluations of the advertised product and advertising setting were influenced by the role-portrayal manipulations. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Children's Television Advertising in the Multichannel Environment

Children's Television Advertising in the Multichannel Environment

Young Minds and Marketplace Values: Issues in Children's Television Advertising

This paper reviews research on young children's responses to television commercials in the context of the history of attempts to regulate television advertising directed to children. Concern with regulation emerged in the 1960s, when children were recognized as a market in their own right. The few available and relevant empirical studies played a clear role in shaping early Federal Communications Commission (1974) policy. Subsequent research demonstrated that young children have difficulty distinguishing between programs and commercials, that most manifest little or no understanding of commercials' persuasive intent, and that those who do not understand persuasive intent are highly vulnerable to commercial claims and appeals. These findings led the Federal Trade Commission (1978) to attempt to ban television advertising to children too young to understand persuasive intent. However, the history of regulatory attempts demonstrates that research findings are not a dominant influence on policy decisions. Rather, policy is a result of competing value orientations (e.g., protection of the marketplace or protection of the child) and the political maneuvering they engender.

Gender Roles in Children's Television Advertising: A Longitudinal Content Analysis

Abstract A longitudinal analysis of gender role portrayals in children's Saturday morning television advertising is presented. Data obtained over 15 years are examined for trends and changes in the nature in which males and females are presented in important ad roles. The results suggest that, while males continue to be the most frequently presented gender in children's advertising, some significant changes have occurred in female role portrayals. These are manifested by marked increases in the number of female voice-overs, product users, and major roles played by females. Suggestions are offered for future longitudinal content analyses.

The Role of Research in the Regulation of U.S. Children's Television Advertising

Public concern about the effects of television advertising on children first appeared in the 1960s; it remains a focus of controversy and concern today. In policymakers' attempts to address this concern, they have frequently looked to the relevant social scientific evidence to help frame their decisions. This study reviews the development of regulations governing television advertising to children in the United States and examines the influence of social science research in the construction of these policies.

Children and Host-Selling Television Commercials

This study explores children's understanding of television commercials that feature the same primary characters as those in the adjacent program content, a technique referred to as host selling. Responses of younger (4-5 years) and older (7-8 years) children to the same commercials presented in both a host-selling and normal viewing (non-host-selling) context are examined. Three dimensions of the processing of television advertising that could be affected by the practice of host selling are assessed: ability to discriminate commercial from program content; ability to attribute persuasive intent to a commercial; and attitudinal responses to commercial appeals. The results indicated that (a) both age groups were significantly less likely to discriminate commercial from program content when the host-selling format was viewed, and (b) the older children are more favorably influenced by the same commercial content when it is seen in a host-selling presentation than in a normal viewing situation. The relevance of this research to existing federal regulatory policy regarding children's television advertising is discussed.

The Incidence and Characteristics of Disclaimers in Children's Television Advertising

Abstract This paper reports the results of research that updates and expands previous research on disclaimers in children's television. The study examines the incidence, form, position, language level and variance by product category of a sample of nearly 1,000 advertisements televised during children's programs.

Self Regulation of Children's Television Advertising: Current Practices and Future Proposals

Within the context of regulation of all television advertising, the regulation of children's television advertising as currently practised is discussed, and a description of the legal and self-regulative codes children's advertising must comply with is given. The commercial television industry has voluntarily extended the scope of statutory regulation of advertisements, by self regulation. The author argues that the present balance between participatory regulations by way of voluntary codes developed and administered by the television industry, and external regulations by statutory agencies should shift further towards the TV stations in the future.

Special Report: Update on Federal Trade Commission's Hearings on Children's Television Advertising and Testimony of Dr. Richard F. Murphy, Representing the American Association of Public Health Dentists*

Special Report: Update on Federal Trade Commission's Hearings on Children's Television Advertising and Testimony of Dr. Richard F. Murphy, Representing the American Association of Public Health Dentists*

Integrating Results from Children's Television Advertising Research

Abstract Children's television advertising is rapidly becoming a major concern to government agencies, citizens' groups and researchers in many areas of the social sciences. To this point there has been little integration of research efforts. This article presents a model of the processing of television advertising by children in order to organize and integrate previous research results and to act as the basis for suggesting future directions for research. The authors indicate that more involvement by advertisers is needed.

Children's Television Advertising: An Ethical Morass for Business and Government

Abstract The confrontation between marketers and broadcasters and the FTC over regulation of children's television advertising illustrates the effect of ethic conflict on public policy. Ethic theory describes circumstances where instinctive and personal values of “right” are contested with situational consequences. Such ethic dilemmas are apparent in both corporate and government positions on the issue. Business publicly professes concern for child welfare but appears captive of market exigency. The FTC staff is similarly caught between a moral certitude akin to a crusade and the situational reality that its proposals are too severe for acceptance. The paper suggests the product of such conflicts is the abrasive and contentious atmosphere we find in the current debate.

Potential Secondary Effects of Regulating Children's Television Advertising

Abstract The Federal Communications Commission and the National Association of Broadcasters are currently formulating rules and regulations to limit the amount of TV advertising directed at children. What has not been considered are potential secondary effects of these proposed rules and regulations. The apparent basis of this action is great faith in the power and effectiveness of consumerist legislation. Even if the law is effective in accomplishing its primary objectives, it may produce negative consequences for many consumers and negative reactions within the business community.

Children's Television Advertising: An Analysis

A sample period of fifteen hours of children's television was recorded and each commercial announcement analyzed by two independent raters. Six broad areas were examined: general description; pictorial presentation; product presentation; pictorial characterization; buying rationale; and in‐program advertising. Food product advertising dominated the sample, with commercial announcements for sweets forming the largest group. Advertisements for sweets, snacks and breakfast foods were found to contain higher production values than other categories of advertisements. In most areas, advertisements conformed to current standards; however commercial announcements were found to portray a world characterized by stereotypes and lacking in ethnic diversity.