The social implications of cable television: Restructuring connections with self and social groups

The present study deals with the social implications of cable broadcasting and explores the possible links between the spread of global media and the development of individualistic and globalistic orientations. The study examined the function of television in strengthening individuals' cognitive and affective connections with their own selves, with social groups such as primary and ethnic groups, with their society (the nation-state), and with the global community. The beginning of the cable era in Israel created a unique situation which made possible the comparison of two research populations, subscribers and non-subscribers, which were similar in all background variables, yet different in their television supply. The main conclusion of this study was that there are differences between the two groups in terms of their assessments of gratifications obtained from television, and concerning the strengthening of their connections with various social groups and with their own selves. Moreover, there is a clear difference in the structure of the assessments of the two groups as presented graphically in two SSA maps - among the subscribers there is a well defined region of variables related to the connection with the global community, while among the non-subscribers these variables are scattered among variables related to connections with other social groups. In addition, our data suggest that the gratifications obtained from television for the self are complimentary to the gratifications related to connections with the global community.