Beyond the satire: Selective exposure and selective perception in “In Living Color”

Abstract

This study uses selective exposure and selective perception theories to analyze both the viewership and the reaction to ‘In Living Color.”; Created, produced, and directed by an African American, this controversial prime‐time satire uses traditional racial stereotypes to look at the African American community. Two studies were conducted to test the selective exposure and perception hypotheses. In the first study, a survey was used to measure viewership and reaction to the program. The second study used focus groups to explore perceptions of the show in more depth. Several themes concerning the show (negative stereotyping, potential for learning about African American culture, reality vs. parody, comparison to similar shows, and economic vs. societal value of the show) are presented and discussed.

Key Terms:

• Selective exposure
• “In Living Color,”
• selective perception
• satire
• culture
• stereotypes
• media
• audience
• ideology
• television
• identity
• race