The presentation traces the origination and development of focus groups from the methods beginning in 1941 at the hands of Robert Merton of Columbia University, New York.Attention is given to the intellectual ethos from within which focus groups emerged and how, when introduced to market research, the method lost its original logic to the extent that late in his life Merton attacked market research for abusing the method.Consideration is given to this position and warning offered that unless market research takes steps to counter weakness in the method the consequences for the market research industry as a whole could be grave. This presentation is, in a sense, offered as a lesson from history for current users of focus groups, and as a lesson about its current public/media standing, but is also offered in the hope of recognition by ESOMAR of Robert K. Merton, and his contribution to market research by the development of focus groups over half a century ago. Merton died, aged 92, at the beginning of this year.
The social and technological changes which are under way in Britain, as in most developed countries, have direct implications for commerce and government. The increasing ease of access to new information technologies may well lead to radically different forms of social interaction and consumer behaviour in the coming years. However, relatively little is known about how such pressures for change will impact on society. This paper sets out the rationale and approach which will be adopted in a major longitudinal study of the United Kingdom in a time of change. Data from pilot studies are reported.
The method, described at some detail in the paper, can be briefly summarised as having people act as their own editor. After being shown selected audio visual stimulus respondents are provided with transcripts, still photos, and actual programme material - broadcast and untransmitted. The viewers are then allowed to evolve their own version, creating their preferred reading of the text. Respondents are then assisted in the crafting of these actual audio visual artefacts by professional video tape editors. The technique forces the viewers to articulate their interpretation of material on a frame by frame basis and to produce a physical account of their views about the stimulus, thus reducing the dependence on pure linguistic accounts for understanding viewer responses. The method allows us to examine viewers' engagement with the material, rather than, as in traditional focus groups, understanding engagement only through the linguistic account they give of their understanding to the moderator.
The purpose of the paper is to explain a new method - editing groups - of understanding viewers' response to programmes. The paper begins by questioning the claims that qualitative researchers make for research using focus groups. It argues that, although focus groups may offer a 'closeness' to the audience which questionnaire survey research cannot, nevertheless the communication process between the discussant and the moderator is distorted, and it is distorted for the very reason that linguistic expression is no guarantee of 'pure' communication. The result of this distortion is that we do not have a methodology that allows us to understand in any deep fashion how viewers read or interpret programmes. The paper then moves on to describe the application of a new method for examining the audience - experimental editing groups - applied to a particular type of media output, non-fictional violence. The methodology, however, is shown capable of application to any type of programme output. The method is described in some detail, but can be basically summarised as having the viewer act as their own editor. That is, having been provided with scripts, still shots, and programme material - broadcast and untransmitted - the viewer is allowed to construct their own preferred reading. The technique forces the viewer to question their judgement of material on a frame by frame basis to produce a physical account of their meanings, feelings and views on and about a programme, thus reducing the dependence on pure Unguistic accounts for understanding viewers' responses. The method allows us to examine viewers engagement with the text, rather than, as in traditional focus groups, understanding engagement only through the linguistic account they give of their understanding to the moderator. The final section of the paper shows how, through this method, it is possible to move into the life world of the viewer to create at a substantive level understandings of response by reference to the viewer's social experience, and suggests that the new method can act as a bridge, by good concept development, between qualitative and quantitative research.
This paper looks at the current debate in the UK about the role of 'quality' in television broadcasting, starting from an examination of the ways in which the concept of quality has been used by politicians and critics. Data from qualitative and quantitative sources are used to demonstrate the context-specific nature of what constitutes 'quality' in the public mind. The important role of individual tastes is also highlighted.