A consumer behavior model is used to explore attitudes toward TV violence and censorship. Five viewing groups with distinct media use characteristics and TV attitudes were found in two separate samples. Findings suggest support for the anti- TV-violence campaign is not universal and that excessive violence is only one of four distinct viewer complaints about television programs. The study furnishes an example of how an expanded version of Hirschman's "exit, voice and loyalty" model can be used to investigate the political potential of various segments of the television audience.
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Jerry F. Medler is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Oregon. His concerns are research methodology and theory of social control. He is completing a text on political science research methods.
