Effects of a Decade of Satellite Television in the Canadian Arctic

Abstract

This article focuses on the longitudinal effects of Canadian network television relayed via satellite into the predominantly Eskimo community of Frobisher Bay. Comparisons are made among Euro-Canadian and Eskimo adolescents residing in Frobisher Bay, and Eskimo adolescents from isolated, more traditional settlements scattered throughout the region. Data collected in 1974 on a range of information levels and social-psychological postures are compared with those generated by two comparable survey instruments administered in 1980 and 1983. The data analysis revealed that many of the striking novelty effects on "television-town" Eskimo adolescents observed during 1974 were largely dissipated by 1980, a condition that remained essentially stable throughout 1983. The results are discussed within the context of the recently created Inuit Broadcasting Corporation and its potential counterweight role in tempering the negative psychological effects associated with modernization through culturally relevant television programming.

The Cultural Erosion Metaphor and the Transcultural Impact of Media Systems

“…This may help explain the dramatic decline in television use that often becomes apparent a few years after its introduction. A study among Inuit communities in Northern Canada demonstrated that such time-displacement effects diminished by 50% within 6 years (Coldevin & Wilson, 1985). A study in South Africa reached similar conclusions.…”

“…Admittedly, some of these will be challenged by new technologies. The relative isolation of the Inuit, for example, may have acted as an insulator protecting them to some extent from outside influences (Coldevin & Wilson, 1985), only to be challenged by satellite technologies that create new senses of place defying such traditional insulation (Meyrowitz, 1985). The lack of alternative sources for information may be another limit on a culture's capacity to limit the influence of any single agent (Williams, 1974).…”

“…This has been demonstrated in attempts to measure transcultural media impact, which has varied considerably depending on gender (Boyd & Najai, 1984;Kang & Morgan, 1988;Newton & Buck, 1985), income (Oliveira, 1988), religion (Chu, Alfian, & Schramm, 1992), geography (Coldevin & Wilson, 1985), and age (Coldevin, 1979). Attempts to explore abrasionary impact must account for such considerations.…”

“…Biltereyst (1995) highlighted the capacity for such programming to serve as a catalyst for conversation. Coldevin and Wilson (1985) found a resurgence of traditional pursuits following the advent of television among Inuit communities. Chu et al (1992) demonstrated a similar trend in rural Indonesia, which witnessed increased membership in community organizations.…”

TV viewing and physical activity: a segment analysis for social marketing

“…TV holds a prominent place in American culture. Investigators have studied the impact of TV viewing on a variety of social behaviors such as anti-social behavior (Smith et al, 1999), stability of the anti-social behavior (Coldevin and Wilson, 1985), aggressiveness , or physical inactivity (Crawford et al, 1999). Research also indicates that physical inactivity affects cardiovascular disease (Fung et al, 2000;Kronenberg et al, 2000), obesity (Crawford et al, 1999), and causes health problems such as diabetes, breathlessness, and hypertension, among others (WHO, 1998).…”