The basic assumption of cultivation Ϫ more exposure to television leads to more cultivation effects Ϫ is examined by reviewing research on genrespecific cultivation. Studies on three genres are included in the review: Crime, soap opera and talk shows. The review indicates differential cultivation effects of the different genres; not all of them are consistent with the basic cultivation hypothesis. Building on these results, a theoretical framework is set up that accounts for possible explanations. The framework starts from the notion of a multi-step cultivation process inherent in current theorizing, ranging from (1) encoding and storage of television information, (2) inferences about the real world, and (3) retrieval and construction of cultivation judgments. This notion is extended by reconceptualizing the 'cultivating' message, integrating uses and gratifications of television viewing and emphasizing the role of personal knowledge and attitudes.

The traditional cultivation approach assumes (a) a uniform message across all television genres, (b) a nonselective viewing pattern in the audience, and (c) longterm effects. This study of possible effects of daily talk shows on adolescents involved a prolonged‐exposure experiment designed to evaluate effects of exposure to sequences dealing with lesbian or gay male relationships between the content of a specific genre and cultivation measures, independent of third variables. The results show that cultivation effects occurred at both first‐ and second‐order level. However, these effects were restricted to the particular issues. No transfer effects pertaining to a general change of attitudes were observed. It is concluded that cultivation effects are limited to both the genre and issue in question. Accordingly, the identification of cultivating messages within and across different televison genres should be emphasized.

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The traditional cultivation approach assumes (a) a uniform message across all television genres, (b) a nonselective viewing pattern in the audience, and (c) longterm effects. This study of possible effects of daily talk shows on adolescents involved a prolonged-exposure experiment designed to evaluate effects of exposure to sequences dealing with lesbian or gay male relationships, transsexuality, and tattooing. The experimental design allows the study of the relationship between the content of a specific genre and cultivation measures, independent of third variables. The results show that cultivation effects occurred at both first-and secondorder level. However, these effects were restricted to the particular issues. No transfer effects pertaining to a general change of attitudes were observed. It is concluded that cultivation effects are limited to both the genre and issue in question. Accordingly, the identification of cultivating messages within and across different television genres should be emphasized.Television program formats make their way around the world: Once successful in one country, concepts are adapted in different media cultures, translated and transformed according to the supposed needs of different national audiences. Not only are these new formats exported (mainly from U.S. television), but the criticism and the discussion to which they give rise also spread to other countries. In consequence, discussions about the (sometimes undesirable) effects of such formats being used in one country often are paralleled by similar discussions in most others. Daytime talk shows on television exemplify such formats. Most of these daily programs feature ordinary people discussing problems and particulars of Patrick Rössler is a professor of media sociology and media psychology at

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Opinion leadership has been the subject of numerous studies, in areas ranging from politics to marketing. The present study examines a new measure to identify opinion leaders (the personality strength scale developed by the Aliensbach Survey Center in Germany) and combines it with modern social network analysis. An application of this scale to agenda setting and public opinion research is the main point of concern in this study. The findings of the study (a survey of a representative sample of 900 adults in Gennany) suggest, thai the Strength of Personality Scale fits a more sophisticated characterization of opinion leadership which is based on modifications of the original opinion leader concept. Moreover, the results indicate that people with high personality strength have social networks of great range and are especially active in interpersonal communication. They use print media very frequently and know very well the actual topics and issues on which the mass media report. Although people with high personality strength are able to exactly assess the true climate of opinion» they hold distinct positions which differ from public opinion. In contrary, persons with low personality strength tend to adapt their opinions to the perceived climate of opinion. The opinion leader conceptThe specific communicative role of opinion leaders was proposed as early as the 1940s by Lazarsfeld et al. (1948: 150) 2 when they demonstrated the connection between mass and interpersonal communication with the hypothesis of a two-step-flow: "Ideas often flow from radio and print to the opinion leaders and from them to the less active sections of the population." The authors focused on the particular multiplying effect emanating from opinion leaders. Today, the opinion leader concept is still used in campaigns and in other forms of persuasive communication because personal influence often proves more effective than the mass media. Direct personal contacts with opinion leaders frequently play a far greater role in individual decisions, for example, in the area of politics or in consumer behavior, than (indirect) media communication. In everyday life individuals try to obtain additional information concerning the topics and facts they first heard about from the media by mutual Communications 22 (1997) 1 Brought to you by |

aThe authors are all members of the optical metrology group at the Center for Optical Technologies at Aalen University. Since 2013, the focus of the group is on the additive manufacturing of optical components -transmissive optics, as well as reflective optics. The aim of the group is to find new solutions in the field of optical metrology and lighting through new design approaches, which are possible due to the additive manufacturing. Abstract:The development of additive manufacturing methods has enlarged rapidly in recent years. Thereby, the work mainly focuses on the realization of mechanical components, but the additive manufacturing technology offers a high potential in the field of optics as well. Owing to new design possibilities, completely new solutions are possible. This article briefly reviews and compares the most important additive manufacturing methods for polymer optics. Additionally, it points out the characteristics of additive manufactured polymer optics. Thereby, surface quality is of crucial importance. In order to improve it, appropriate post-processing steps are necessary (e.g. robot polishing or coating), which will be discussed. An essential part of this paper deals with various additive manufactured optical components and their use, especially in optical systems for shape metrology (e.g. borehole sensor, tilt sensor, freeform surface sensor, fisheye lens). The examples should demonstrate the potentials and limitations of optical components produced by additive manufacturing.

The diffusion of the internet in Germany was accompanied by strong attention from the traditional mass media who considered the new medium extensively in their coverage. Their media framing of the internet is analyzed following the four dimensions of framing identified in earlier research on media issues. Central to this process are the argumentation patterns used in this research which were defined with regard to a qualitative analysis of the multimedia discourse. Results of a quantitative content analysis of German news magazine coverage (1995-8) indicate that these media had a strong tendency towards a favorable assessment of the internet. The euphoric and economically optimistic argumentation patterns were most important, and outcomes of the development were evaluated as supporting the emancipation of the individual. However, this particular way of framing the internet issue is only partly reflected in the perceptions of users.