Understanding children’s responses to TV

Reports research by Sherbert Research on how children view the TV and how it fits into their lives, especially the differences between multichannel and terrestrial‐only homes, and the impact of scheduling and of the electronic viewing guide (EVG) on viewing. Describes the research methodology, which was mainly qualitative, was based in four UK cities, and asked the older children in the study to keep a journal, plus photographs, to show their viewing tastes and habits, and their other activities. Finds that TV is an integral part of family life and is likely to develop still further, and that multichannel TV such as Sky has changed the face of children’s TV, with greatly increased choice, control and expectations on the part of children.