Table Of ContentAUDIENCE GENRE EXPECTATIONS
IN THE AGE OF DIGITAL MEDIA
This volume bridges the divide between film and media studies scholarship
by exploring audience expectations of film and TV genre in the age of digital
streaming, using qualitative thematic and quantitative data-driven analyses.
Through four ground-breaking surveys of audience members and content
creators, the authors have empirically determined what audiences expect of
various genres, the extent to which these definitions match those of scholars
and critics, and the overall variation and complexity of audience expecta-
tions in the age of media abundance. They also examine audience habits and
preferences, drawing from both theory and original empirical analyses, with
a view toward the implications for the moving image in a rapidly changing
media environment. The book draws from the data to develop a number of
new concepts, including genre repertoire, genre hybridity, audience interest
maximization, and variety seeking, and a new stage of genre development,
genre bending.
It is an ideal resource for students and scholars interested in the symbiotic
relationship between audiences and the moving image products they con-
sume, as well as the way the current digital media environment has impacted
our understanding of film and TV genres.
Leo W. Jeffres is a Professor Emeritus of Communication at Cleveland State
University. His research interests include audience analysis, communication
technologies, media effects, and urban communication. He has authored four
books, including Mass Media Processes, Mass Media Effects, and Urban Commu-
nication Systems: Neighborhoods and the Search for Community. He has authored
dozens of refereed journal articles, book chapters, and papers over the past
45 years. He was a Fulbright scholar and Peace Corps Volunteer.
David J. Atkin is a Professor of Communication at the University of Con-
necticut. His research interests include the diffusion of emerging media and
program formats, political communication, and media policy. He has coau-
thored several books, including The Televiewing Audience (both editions), Com-
munication Technology and Society, and Communication Technology & Society. The
author of more than 175 articles, Atkin is Associate Editor at JMCQ and does
grant-supported work on adoption and uses of digital media.
Kimberly A. Neuendorf is a Professor Emeritus of Communication at
Cleveland State University. The second edition of her methods textbook, The
Content Analysis Guidebook, was published in 2017. Her research has examined
both the content and the effects of media, with emphases on marginalized
populations and new technologies. She is an author of over 100 articles and
chapters. Neuendorf has been engaged as an expert witness on the methods of
content analysis in multiple litigation actions.
AUDIENCE GENRE
EXPECTATIONS IN THE
AGE OF DIGITAL MEDIA
Leo W. Jeffres, David J. Atkin, and
Kimberly A. Neuendorf
Cover image: izusek/Getty Images
First published 2023
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Leo W. Jeffres, David J. Atkin, and Kimberly A. Neuendorf
The right of Leo W. Jeffres, David J. Atkin, and Kimberly A.
Neuendorf to be identified as authors of this work has been asserted
in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this title has been requested
ISBN: 978-1-032-20709-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-20131-3 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-26482-8 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003264828
Typeset in Bembo
by KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd.
This book is dedicated to the late Dennis
L. Giles, Ph.D., whose passion for both the
practical and the scholarly in film studies
informed and inspired our work.
CONTENTS
List of Figures xi
List of Tables xii
Acknowledgments xvi
1 Introduction 1
Genre: A Background 2
Four Stages of Genre Evolution 3
Industrial Process and the (Re)packaging of Television Genres 4
Identifying and Defining the Concept of Genre 6
The Audience Role in Defining Genres 7
The Media of Abundance 8
Four Studies Examining Audiences for the Moving Image 12
Study 1 (2015 Users Survey) 12
Study 2 (2021 Users Survey) 13
Study 3 (2021 Creators Survey) 15
Study 4 (2021–22 Young Creators Survey) 17
A Concluding Note 17
2 Audience Expectations for Film and
Television Genres 19
Macro Factors Stimulating Genre Development 20
Defining Film and Television Genres 22
Profiles for 31 Film Genres 23
Musical 24
Western 24
viii Contents
Horror 25
Science Fiction 25
Detective 26
Comedy 26
Film Noir 26
Documentary 27
Action 27
Animated 28
Mystery 28
Dark Comedy 28
Biography 29
Parodies 29
Slasher 29
Mockumentary 30
Chick Flick 30
Slapstick 30
Drama Film 31
Fantasy 31
Adventure 32
Foreign 32
Romantic Drama 32
Romantic Comedy 32
Gangster 33
Samurai 33
Epic 33
Sports 34
Historical 34
Superhero 35
War 35
Evolution of Television Genres 36
Profiles for 11 Television Genres 38
TV Sitcoms 38
TV Dramas 39
TV Soaps 39
TV Detective 39
TV News Magazines 39
TV Musical Talent 39
TV Reality 40
TV Late-Night Talk 40
TV Children’s Programs 40
TV Animal/Nature 40
TV Sci-fi 40
Contents ix
Audience Expectations for Film and Television Genres—The 2015
Users Survey 40
A Concluding Note 46
3 Audience Viewing of the Moving Image—Film
and Television Genres 57
The Diverse Roles of Audiences 58
Traditional Media Use Behaviors—Viewing the Moving Image and
Using Mass Media 59
Uses and Gratifications Theory 60
Leisure-time Activities—the Moving Image and Other
Options 61
Using Mass Media (2015 Users Survey) 62
Watching Genres of the Moving Image 65
Shaping Genre Preferences—One’s World View 72
Assessing the Moving Image—Quality and Representation 73
A Concluding Note 76
4 A Profile of Creators of Moving Images as
Audience Roles Evolve 78
Producing Moving Images 79
Entrepreneurship—When Audiences Switch Roles 81
Focusing In On Creative Posting Activity 83
User-Generated Content (UGC): Video Genres 101
Typology of Online Video Genres 102
A Concluding Note 106
5 Audiences Coping with an Era of Content
Abundance: Novelty Seeking and Interest
Maximization 108
The New Media Environment—The Age of Media
Abundance 108
Impact on Audience Choices 109
Audience Film and Television Genre Repertoires 111
Film and TV Genre Repertoires—and Novelty Seeking 115
Film and TV Genre Repertoires—and Interest Maximization 116
A Concluding Note 121
6 The New Viewing Environment—Matching
Genres with Screens 122
A Short History of Screen Options 122
The Nature of the Screen 127
