ABSTRACT
Most people seem to agree that children have distinct tastes when it comes to consuming entertainment. Although little is known about how these tastes are formed during childhood, it has been shown that even toddlers firmly express their tastes and preferences regarding what they want to eat, wear, watch, or play with (Bartsch & Wellman, 1995). It has also been shown that as children mature they become increasingly able to voice sophisticated and critical views about television entertainment programs (Clifford, Gunter, & McAleer, 1995). Program producers and marketers of child products have undoubtedly gathered valuable information about what children in different age groups like in commercials and entertainment programs. However, their research findings are, in most cases, not accessible to the academic world. In academic circles, there has been very little systematic research on children’s opinions about and preferences for television entertainment programs, and no reviews organizing the existing literature.
