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Sitcoms
Situation comedies, often referred to as sitcoms, have been a major staple program type for television networks; sitcoms are the only genre represented in the Top-10 rated programs every year since 1949. The sitcom is an extremely popular genre both for viewing audiences and for television advertisers. The context is light and often humorous, and the characters are generally easy to identify with. Although the content of sitcoms has varied over the decades, the genre has remained a constant favorite. Much research has been conducted on the type of messages that are contained in sitcom content, which includes a variety of images that are important in terms of their impact on children and adolescents. The domestic situation comedy, or family sitcom, has a long history of depicting and transmitting images of American families into viewers' homes. Sitcoms also are a source of gender images and sibling relationships.
Sitcom Format and Audience
The format of sitcoms generally features a recurring cast. Each half-hour episode establishes a situation, a complication arises, confusion and humor develop among the characters, and then the situation is usually resolved before the episode ends. Unlike dramatic series, which are often open-ended, conflict does not commonly carry over between episodes in sitcoms. In most situation comedies, character development is usually downplayed in favor of plot twists and humorous situations, making the characters relatively simple and predictable. Characters generally remain largely consistent through an entire series and may often seem a bit silly and contrived. Shows such as I Love Lucy from the 1950s, Happy Days from the 1970s, and Seinfeld from the 1990s all fit into the genre of sitcoms.
Sitcoms are among the most watched programs for families, especially those shows that appeal to children as well as adults. Shows such as Full House and The Cosby Show have been among the most popular sitcoms on television for children, according to the Nielsen ratings. Specifically, The Cosby Show was the highest rated program from 1985 through 1990 as a result of its appeal to children and adults alike. From 1989 through 1995, Full House was consistently rated within the top 30 programs on television due to its popularity with young audience members. More recently, sitcoms such as Malcolm in the Middle have also been popular largely among child viewers.
Analysis of the advertising revenue and program content on television broadcasting channels indicates that advertisers pay premium prices to air their ads during sitcoms. The reasons are generally thought to be that advertisers prefer programs that are light and not challenging in order to set a positive mood for their selling messages; in addition, sitcoms often appeal to broad audiences. It is to the benefit of advertisers that sitcoms remain a popular genre among audiences.
Sitcom Content
Portrayals of Families
Between 1947 and 1990, 85% of families on television were shown in a comedy format during prime time. The number of fictional television series featuring a family as the primary story vehicle nearly doubled from 1950 to 1990, with more than half of those shows in each decade falling into the sitcom category. Plots of this type, depicting fictional families, are believed to carry with them implicit lessons about family life and family member roles for their viewing audiences. Although it may be speculative to draw conclusions from content to effects, exposure to such programming has been shown to change the way viewers think about real-life families, specifically in regard to ideas about marriage, family, and divorce. The portrayal of family roles in television programs may be especially influential for children, based on their limited experience with various family types, level of television exposure, and susceptibility to the influence of role models. Their expectations about their real-life family may be affected by this televised information. In a study conducted by Olson and Douglas of second, sixth, and tenth graders, the majority of respondents said that all real-life families were like those in the family series they watched most often (The Cosby Show and Family Ties were identified with the most regularity) and that the emotions of the characters were portrayed realistically in these shows.
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