How much sex is there in soap operas on British TV?

Sexual depictions were analyzed in &, episodes of seven drama serials on British mainstream television over a four-week period in November– December %##). Scenes that depicted sexual behavior and talk about sexual matters were counted separately. Further distinctions were made on the basis of the levels of intimacy and the graphic nature of portrayals. A total of (#) sexual scenes were found that occurred at the rate of ).( per hour across the seven soaps, but this figure was inflated by one late-night serial that averaged ).# scenes per hourly episode. Nearly two-thirds of these scenes were restricted to talk about sexual matters, while the others contained overt depictions of sexual behavior. Sexual intercourse was relatively rare and restricted in terms of overt depictions to the late-night serial. Passionate kissing was far more prevalent throughout these programs regardless of the time of day the program was transmitted. When sexual intercourse was featured, this was generally in the context of loss of virginity or of infidelity

Expectations in the field of the Internet and health: an analysis of claims about social networking sites in clinical literature

This article adopts a critical sociological perspective to examine the expectations surrounding the uses of social networking sites (SNSs) articulated in the domain of clinical literature. This emerging body of articles and commentaries responds to the recent significant growth in SNS use, and constitutes a venue in which the meanings of SNSs and their relation to health are negotiated. Our analysis indicates how clinical writing configures the role of SNSs in health care through a range of metaphorical constructions that frame SNSs as a tool, a conduit for information and a traversable space. The use of such metaphors serves not only to describe the new affordances offered by SNSs but also posits distinct lay and professional practices, while reviving a range of celebratory claims about the Internet and health critiqued in sociological literature. These metaphorical descriptions characterise SNS content as essentially controllable by autonomous users while reiterating existing arguments that e-health is both inherently empowering and risky. Our analysis calls for a close attention to these understandings of SNSs as they have the potential to shape future online initiatives, most notably by anticipating successful professional interventions while marginalising the factors that influence users’ online and offline practices and contexts

How GCC University Students Get Local News and Information

This paper reports a study of the use of local news sources by young people in GCC countries. With the expansion of pan-Arab news services, especially via satellite TV channels, concern has grown that these well-resourced news operations have pulled audiences away from local news suppliers. New research reported here indicates that there is still an appetite for local news and that even young people – who have displayed the greatest enthusiasm for the newer services – will tune into local news services both online and offline. Local services may represent niche markets and cater to specific news interests that have prevailed despite the popularity of pan-Arab news services. 1221 media and communication students completed a survey, reporting how and where they get their news in different GCC regions. The research found that most respondents followed what was happening in their local communities and that their news consumption could be quite varied. Rather than relying on one or two main sources of local news, most respondents reportedly used a wide variety of online and non-online sources depending on which local topic they were seeking information about

Comparing the use of health information/advice in Birmingham and Hull: a case study of digital health information delivered via the television

Postal questionnaire surveys were carried out with users of two digital interactive television (DiTV) providers of health content to investigate the use made of each service and the users' reactions to service content and its usefulness to them. The research indicated that health information on DiTV was used and, on the whole, rated favourably. There was some evidence also that such information might be used by some people as a substitute for going to the doctor, though information from their general practitioner (GP) or practice nurse still carries more weight for most people than any other health information source. This study forms part of an ongoing research project which has, as part of its aim, the task of identifying particular users with the information sources that may be most appropriate for them

Comparing two digital consumer health television services using transaction log analysis

Use is an important characteristic in determining the success or otherwise of any digital information service, and in making comparisons between services. The source of most use data is the server logs that record user activity on a real-time and continuous basis. There is much demand from sponsors, channel owners and marketing departments for this information. The authors evaluate the performance of use metrics, including reach, in order to make comparisons between two services and discuss the methodological problems associated with making such comparisons. The two services were: Living Health, managed by Flextech and distributed by Telewest, and NHS Direct Digital, managed by Communicopia Data and distributed by Kingston Interactive Television. The data were collected over the period August 2001 to February 2002. During this period, the two sites were visited by approximately 20 000 people who recorded more than three-quarters of a million page views

Pregnancy information and advice on Sky television: an evaluation

This paper is one of a series produced as part of an evaluation of a number of digital interactive television (DiTV) health pilots funded by the Department of Health during 2001/2002. This paper is concerned with two pregnancy health services produced by Channel Health and hosted on Sky television. The study aimed to discover the success or otherwise of health information on pregnancy in this form and on this medium or ‘platform’. In particular we were interested in what kinds of people on the broader national stage viewed the Bush Babies programme. Data were obtained through a telephone questionnaire of Channel Health users. More than 250 people took part. More than 175 000 households watched the programmes, a large audience for this type of programme. Bush Babies attracted a sizeable audience with over a quarter of Channel Health viewers in this study having seen it. There proved to be marked differences between the types of people using the service and in the patterns of their use – and not always in the ways one might have expected. As expected, people who were single, older or male were less likely to view Bush Babies, while younger, married or cohabitants and females were more likely to watch the programme. More unexpectedly, perhaps, the fact that the person was pregnant was not a predictor of whether they saw a Bush Babies programme or the number of the programmes watched

The characteristics of users and non-users of a digital interactive television service - case study: the Living Health channel

In the Birmingham area, 35 000 households were provided with access to the Living Health television channel for a pilot period of six months. The transactional logs showed that over the period 13 718 people used the system and that an estimated third of subscribers (34%) chose to view the channel. A questionnaire survey (n = 723) in the third month of service showed that nearly a quarter (23%) of respondents had used the service.a The analysis seeks to reveal what types of people used the service during this period and why

Strengthening the evidence base for nutrition and cancer in low and middle income countries

Contains fulltext : 182700.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

The Prevalence and Influence of the Combination of Humor and Violence in Super Bowl Commercials

The growing concern over violence in the media has led to vast amounts of research examining the effects of violent media on viewers. An important subset of this research looks at how humor affects this relationship. While research has considered this subset in television programming, almost no research has explored this in the context of advertising. This paper builds on the little research that exists by examining the effects of combining humor and violence, as well as the theoretical approaches that underlie these effects. A content analysis is conducted to identify the prevalence of violence, humor, and the combination of these elements in a longitudinal sample of Super Bowl commercials (2005, 2007, and 2009). Further, we investigate the relationship between the joint occurrence of humor and violence in ads and ad popularity. We conclude that violent acts are rampant in these commercials and that many acts are camouflaged by the simultaneous presence of humor, especially in the most popular ads

Energy balance and obesity: what are the main drivers?

Purpose The aim of this paper is to review the evidence of the association between energy balance and obesity. Methods: In December 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France convened a Working Group of international experts to review the evidence regarding energy balance and obesity, with a focus on Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC). Results: The global epidemic of obesity and the double burden, in LMICs, of malnutrition (coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition) are both related to poor quality diet and unbalanced energy intake. Dietary patterns consistent with a traditional Mediterranean diet and other measures of diet quality can contribute to long-term weight control. Limiting consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has a particularly important role in weight control. Genetic factors alone cannot explain the global epidemic of obesity. However, genetic, epigenetic factors and the microbiota could influence individual responses to diet and physical activity. Conclusion: Energy intake that exceeds energy expenditure is the main driver of weight gain. The quality of the diet may exert its effect on energy balance through complex hormonal and neurological pathways that influence satiety and possibly through other mechanisms. The food environment, marketing of unhealthy foods and urbanization, and reduction in sedentary behaviors and physical activity play important roles. Most of the evidence comes from High Income Countries and more research is needed in LMICs