Tonny Krijnen

The limitations of localization: A cross-cultural comparative study of Farmer Wants a Wife:

Despite globalization, television is still bound to the nation-state in several aspects. The international television industry meets the national in the cross-border exchange of television content. Canned programming can hereby run into cultural barriers, which TV formats presumably can overcome, due to localization. Formats are translated to local versions that presumably suit national culture and identity. In globalization debates, localization is being used as an argument against cultural homogenization. However, there is little comparative work reviewing the extent to which TV formats are culturally specific. By comparing linguistic, intertextual and cultural codes in the Dutch and the Australian version of the British reality TV format Farmer wants a Wife, we will argue that localization of TV formats might be overrated as protection of cultural diversity.

TV genres’ moral value: The moral reflection of segmented TV audiences ☆

Abstract This study aims for a deeper understanding of the TV audiences exposure to TVs moral content and the reception of this content through an innovative methodological design. We combine content analysis data on the moral contents of TV genres and survey data on the moral reflection on moral elements offered by these genres among a representative sample of the Dutch TV audience. TV audiences are segmented via latent class analysis into three clusters: information seekers, fiction and entertainment viewers and paucivores. Results show that distinct audience groups differ significantly in moral exposure and moral reflection. The way audiences reflection on moral issues, forms of moral reasoning and insight in human character – is explained through different mechanisms. Particularly the differences between information seekers and fiction and entertainment readers add to our understanding

New questions and themes in studying gender and communication

The aim of this special issue of Interactions is twofold. __The first aim__ is to shed light on the changes in the field of gender and media, and together with these, the challenges this research field faces. The major part of the theoretical development in gender and media took place in the early 1980s and was instigated from a feminist perspective. More than 30 years later, society, feminist issues and academic knowledge on media have changed tremendously, each with its repercussions in the study of gender and media. __The second aim__ of this issue is to create a modest contribution of various ways that lie ahead of us to face these challenges. Though the changes since early feminist media studies have been widely acknowledged, new ways of researching and thinking about new themes and questions are scarce. This issue consists in a compilation of articles from various fields and features contributions from cultural studies, cultural sociology and communication science scholars. Together they present insights into the complexity of the themes and questions faced.