Reception Analysis of Print Serial Messages A Case of: the Journey Life 101 Print Serial Drama Addis Ababa University
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2010-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study tries to investigate the message reception of The Journey Life 101 Print Serial Drama of the Modeling and Reinforcement to Combat HIV/AIDS project of Addis Ababa University (MARCH AAU). In order to get a deep understanding of the issue in focus, a qualitative research design is employed. To generate appropriate data for the study, an equal number of male and female, totaling, forty, research participants from all faculties of the university were selected purposively based on the criterion of being a regular follower of the medium under study. The data was collected primarily through six Focus Group Discussions which had categories based on seniority and place of residence before joining the campus. In-depth individual interviews with twelve active Focus Group Discussion participants were used to triangulate the data. In-depth interview with program producers and document analysis were also included to enrich the data. The study revealed that the medium has popularity in the community as well as out of the community. This is attributed to the print nature of the medium and also the well thought out design of presentation. The use of concise expressions blended with images contributed to the reception of the message. In addition, its comic book format has played a significant role in catching the attention of the audience. However, the interpretation of the message is found to have been negotiated and even at times opposed by the majority of participants. The first reason given is that the magazine focuses only on the assumed “Arada” or ‘Modern’ group of the community by ignoring the other significant groups. The Second reason is that the story does not have positive role models that could manifest strong self-efficacy. The third reason given is that some of the transitional characters use “perfect English” beyond the reach of the readers. The colloquial nature of the Amharic language used is also found to be a factor that limits the message reception. Besides, the fact that none of the characters are getting immediate punishment for their negative behavior is found to be sending the wrong message to the target audience. The length of publication and irregular distribution time, which affected the serial nature of the medium, has also affected the message interpretation. Negative portrayal of both sexes and distorting the university’s and the students’ image are considered to be potential limitations for the message interpretation.
Description
Keywords
Serial Messages