A content analysis of tobacco and alcohol audio-visual content in a sample of UK reality TV programmes. (17th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barker, Alexander B; Britton, John; Thomson, Emily; Hunter, Abby; Opazo Breton, Magdalena; Murray, Rachael L
• Is Part Of: Journal of public health. Volume 42:Number 3(2020:Sep.)
• Page Start: 561
• Page End: 569
• Publication Date: 2019-06-17
• Subjects: alcohol -- epidemiology -- smoking; Public health -- Periodicals; Public health -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Medical policy -- Periodicals; Medical policy -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 362.1
• DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdz043
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-3842

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Exposure to tobacco and alcohol content in audio-visual media is a risk factor for smoking and alcohol use in young people. We report an analysis of tobacco and alcohol content, and estimates of population exposure to this content, in a sample of reality television programmes broadcast in the UK. Methods: We used 1-minute interval coding to quantify tobacco and alcohol content in all episodes of five reality TV programmes aired between January and August 2018 ( Celebrity Big Brother ; Made in Chelsea ; The Only Way is Essex ; Geordie Shore and Love Island ), and estimated population exposure using viewing data and UK population estimates. Results: We coded 5219 intervals from 112 episodes. Tobacco content appeared in 110 (2%) intervals in 20 (18%) episodes, and alcohol in 2212 (42%) intervals and in all episodes. The programmes delivered approximately 214 million tobacco gross impressions to the UK population, including 47.37 million to children; and for alcohol, 4.9 billion and 580 million respectively. Conclusion: Tobacco, and especially alcohol, content is common in reality TV. The popularity of these programmes with young people, and consequent exposure to tobacco and alcohol imagery, represents a potentially major driver of smoking and alcohol consumption.