Comparative audience research: Measuring patterns of media consumption and other cultural behaviors in cross-cultural context

Adoni, H., & Nossek, H. (2011). Comparative audience research: Measuring patterns of media consumption and other cultural behaviors in cross-cultural context. Zagreb conference: "New challenges and methodological innovations in European media audience research". 7-9 April 2011.

Abstract: Comparative audience cross media research arises many difficult methodological issues. Tactics of specific research projects must be left to the ad hoc consideration of the researchers regarding the resources, the possibilities of cooperation, and the circumstances in each country participating in cross-cultural research. General strategies of comparative research, on the other hand, constitute an issue that can be discussed independent of any particular study. We argue that there are two interrelated strategies that are essential in conducting cross-cultural studies on media audiences. The first is the development of abstract conceptual framework that can be applied to the audience studies in various societies that differ from one another in their cultural and social system. The second is the integration of socio-cultural approach and case study analysis of each society participating in the comparative framework, with a special analysis on its cultural and social idiosyncrasies. At first glance, these two strategies might be seen as contradicting each other. The first serves as an abstract common denominator ensuring a non-culture-bound analysis, hence enabling us to study contents and people from different societies within the sane conceptual and operational framework. The second strategy, on the other hand, focuses on the unique aspects of societies and their historical background. We suggest, however, that as elaborated in the present paper these two strategies to audience research are in fact supplementary, both essential in conducting cross-cultural research.