ERIC Number: ED120835
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1976
Pages: 13
Abstractor: N/A
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"The Jeffersons" and Their Racially Integrated Neighbors: Who Watches and Who Is Offended?
Surlin, Stuart H.; Cooper, Charles F.
This research examined viewer reaction to the television program "The Jeffersons" in order to study differences between racial groups in exposure to the program, its perceived entertainment value, and the degree to which the characters portrayed reveal "real" behavior. Viewer reaction to the racially integrated married couple portrayed as neighbors to the recently moved Jeffersons in their new upper-middle class apartment in Manhattan is also explored. A telephone survey of 309 persons was conducted in Athens, Georgia. The objective of the sampling was to include as many middle-class blacks and lower-class whites as possible since racial and social class were of interest. As hypothesized, Blacks viewed"The Jeffersons" more than whites, found the show more entertaining, and felt that it projected reality to a greater degree than did whites. Viewing was more highly associated with entertainment value than perceived reality. The racially integrated couple was least offensive to black viewers. Those interviewed were also asked whether they agreed with the views of "All in the Family's" Archie Bunker. Race was not a viable predictor of agreeing with Archie, although similarity in social class, age, and authoritarianism were. (MKM)
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
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