Abstract:

The research objective of this paper is to examine viewing behavior and trends arising from diverse U.S. broadband television audiences and their adoption and use of programming and technologies that provide greater control, convenience, and empowerment in television viewing. It focuses on broadband television audiences and presents measurement evidence of heightened or 'super' activism in both existing and emerging broadband television technologies and programming modalities. The paper further suggests that culturally-based need factors drive 'super' viewing activism among diverse U.S. audiences, and that this activism often results in trends that impact and influence the mainstream. Therefore, diverse U.S. broadband television audiences can now be seen as providing critical measurement intelligence into future viewing behavior, patterns and technologies associated with greater audience control and convenience and the emerging audience of the postmodern era.