Before its general introduction, cable television in West Germany was assessed in four pilot projects. The paper reports on a quasi-experimental panel study for the pilot project in Ludwigshafen. This was designed to examine audience pre-dispositions towards the new medium and the consequences of exposure to it. Comparisons were made between cable subscribers and non-subscribers over time in terms of general leisure behaviour, media use and the effects of cable television on those dimensions. Overall, the results support an image of the cable audience whose members' relationship to the medium reflects attitudes towards uses made of television before cable was delivered to their homes.
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