WFU professor
probes people
who tune out TV
CHRONICLE STAFF RBPQKT
Americans are tuning out
to television and Marina
Krcmar (pronounced "Krutch
mar") knows why.
The Wake Forest
University associate professor
of communication's new book,
"Living without the Screen," is
an in-depth study of American
families and individuals who
choose not to watch televi
sion. c
Slated to be published
today (Aug. 28) by Routledge,
the book states various reasons
why people are not watching
the tube. They include the
desire to shield children from
sex and violence, to avoid
commercials and to find extra
time for other activities.
"Non-viewers perceive tel
evision to have power," said
Krcmar, who notes that the
average American
watches three hours
of television per day.
"They believe it can
steal time, can affect
consumer behavior
and can influence
how autonomous
children are."
Krcmar inter
viewed 120 adults
and children from 62
different households
O
who do not watch television.
Some filled out a survey or
completed diaries document
ing how they spent their time.
She visited the homes of 15
participants and conducted
extensive interviews with the
adults and children in the
household.
Some in the study never
owned a TV, others did not
replace one when it broke or
did not have a television due to
financial considerations.
Some owned a TV, but kept it
hidden away and occasionally
pulled it out to watch a movie
on DVD. To allow her to make
comparisons, Krcmar also
interviewed 92 participants
from 35 households wjjp do
: watch television.
"Based on the interviews,
the surveys and the time-use
diaries, it appears that those
who do not watch television
not only reject television in
Living
Without
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order to keep sex, violence,
shallow news coverage and
consumerism out of their lives,
but also to encourage family
interaction, their children's
independence and creativity,
Krcmar
and a wise use of
their time," Krcmar
said.
Those with very
liberal or very con
servative political
views are among
those most likely to
say "no" to televi
sion, she said.
Although more
than half of the
non-viewing study
participants fell into politically
opposite categories, others fell
across the demographic spec
trum.
A common characteristic
among non-viewers was that,
compared to viewers, they had
"very strong opinions not only
about television but also about
those issues they saw as being
associated with it such as poli
tics and couple-interaction ,"
Krcmar said. "In other words,
they are zealous apd idealis
tic."
Krcmar's research has
focused largely on children,
adolescents and the media, and
her most recent w.ork has
examined the effect of violent
video games on adolescents
and the role of media con
sumption in adolescent risk
taking.
Mayor Allen Joines
Mayor to
issue voting
proclamation
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
On Sunday, Aug. 31 at
3:30 p.m., Mayor Allen
Joines, will present a procla
mation designating the month
of September as "Voter
Awareness Month."
The event will be held dur
ing the Winston-Salem
District A.M.E. Zion Church
5th Sunday -Fellowship and
Candidates Meet and Greet at
Goler Memorial A.M.E. Zion
Church, 630 N. Patterson Ave.
Candidates confirmed to
attend include Elaine
Marshall, June Atkinson', Roy
Carter, Wayne Goodwin,
Karen Gordon, Dan Bennett,
Mel Watt and Tyrus Cobb.
The public is encouraged
to attend to assist the mayor in
promoting one of the goals of
the city: to encourage and to
increase the number of citi
zens who actively and regu
larly participate in the demo
cratic process.
WWW.WSCHRONICLE .COM
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