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Title of Thesis
Effects of Cable Television on Women in Pakistan: A comparative
study on heavy and light viewers in Lahore |
Author (s)
Anjum Zia |
Institute/University/Department Details
Lahore College for Women University, Lahore |
Session
2008 |
Subject
Mass Communication |
Number of Pages
250 |
Keywords (Extracted from title, table of contents and abstract of thesis)
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Abstract
This study investigates the “effects of cable
television on the life patterns of women in Lahore, Pakistan”
through survey using interviews’ schedule as a tool of data
collection. It targeted 432 women aged 18-40 years and viewing cable
television for a minimum two years. The study recorded the
respondent’s consumption patterns, level of viewing, preferred
channels and programs, favorite watching time, control over remote
and restrictions on viewing. It crossed checked the above factors
with the level of viewing along with demographic characteristics of
the respondents. The major hypothesis studied was “greater the
exposure to cable television greater the impact on the lives of
women.” The sub-hypothesis included ‘heavy viewers have greater
effect on their activities, family and social interaction patterns,
cultural practices, domestic and personal expenditure, and they are
more influenced by the television characters especially depicting
western and urban Indian women than the moderate and light viewers.
The data was analyzed through univariate and bivariate statistical
procedures and the results are presented in two categories: i.e.
general and major findings of hypothesis testing. The general
findings revealed that the majority of respondents were aged 31 to
40 years, belonged to the middle and upper middle class, were
graduates but unemployed, and were heavy viewers. Majority
respondents had cable connection for the last two years, indicating
increasing popularity of cable television in Lahore, also making it
the main source of entertainment. There is no link between
demographic characteristics and consumption patterns. However, the
respondents complained that men had more rights to watch cable
television than women. The statistical test chi-square was applied
for testing the hypothesis, confirming that ‘greater the exposure to
cable television greater the effect on the lives of women’. It
confirmed that heavy viewing affected household and other activities
of the women like newspaper reading, going to cinema, the meals
cooking and serving schedule, their domestic or personal expenditure
and interaction with friends or and relatives. They were prone to
accepting the role, culture and lifestyle of western and Indian
women watched on the cable channels. The study also identified a few
areas for future researchers and made recommendations towards their
improvement. |

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