Setting a Research Agenda for Entertainment-Education

This report shares the outcomes of a conference sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Communication held May 23-24 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia. A panel of 14 mass communication scholars expressed that Entertainment-Education (EE) can be an important and potentially vital component of a successful public health strategy, especially given political interest in and advocacy for responsible entertainment programming targeted to children and teens. The Panelists discussed lessons learned over the years, and identified a number of important gaps in research that must be addressed for EE initiatives to be validly evaluated and for future EE initiatives to be based on scientifically sound principles.

The participants reviewed a number of EE experiences including the Harvard Alcohol Project, Sesame Street, and various international initiatives. A number of key lessons learned were discussed:

• Much of what is known about the effects of entertainment programming was learned before the advent of the internet, proliferation of new programming alternatives via satellite and other delivery systems, and new technology-based games and interactive toys. The utility of previous research on entertainment effects is thus of limited value in the new media environment, which strongly suggests the need for new research.>/li>
• There is a fair amount of research on children under the age of 8, a group for which EE interventions appear to have the greatest impact. Youths aged 8 and above constitute a group that is often difficult to research and yet a very important group in terms of health risks and corresponding goals of many public health efforts.
• While the use of theory is clearly essential to EE effectiveness, there is no single theory that must be used to design EE interventions. Social cognitive theory is obviously relevant in terms of predicting likely effects from modeling pro-social behaviours. Ideally, new theory would be developed that would better take into account bio-behavioural factors and individual differences.
• Audience members do not like to be lectured to. The trick is to maintain the entertainment qualities of the programming, capture viewers' attention through portrayals of engaging characters and creative devices, but still promote learning. This is often a challenge for writers.
• The most effective EE interventions tend to be integrated with other communication-campaign vehicles. The internet affords new opportunities for viewers of EE programming to reinforce pro-social messages through interactive learning. Comic books, board games and other forms of entertainment also should be considered as ways of reinforcing EE messages.
• Effects of EE interventions appear to be enhanced when accompanied by and/or followed by structured interpersonal communication about the topic. Experience suggests that efforts should be mdesigned for parents, encourage them to watch EE programmes with their children and to discuss themes presented. Additionally, efforts should be made with teachers as well so that EE content can be reinforced through classroom activities and discussions.
• Many successful international EE efforts have involved season-long shows addressing in multiple episodes a limited number of health-related issues. That model appears more difficult to achieve in the U.S., given the system of commercial broadcasting and heritage of freedom of governmental intervention that exists in this country. Nevertheless, given the importance of repetition of messages in order to achieve effects, efforts should be made to identify opportunities for extended treatments of health-related issues in television series rather than one-shot depictions.
• Media fragmentation makes it more difficult for EE effects to occur and to be measured. Research is needed on new methodologies that can accomplish this with validity.
• Much of the research to date on EE effectiveness has not relied on formal methodologies capable of controlling for other factors. Future EE efforts need be evaluated with greater scientific rigor in terms of design and statistical analysis.
• EE interventions can elicit many outcomes, all of which should be articulated in order for accurate assessments to occur. These outcomes can include: increasing the visibility of health issues; reducing the visibility of unhealthy messages or portrayals; imparting knowledge; influencing attitudes and social norms; promoting adoption of a new behaviour; change existing behaviours; and reinforce existing, desirable behaviours.
• EE efforts do not occur in a vacuum, but rather in the context of numerous influences that can adversely affect viewers' knowledge, attitudes and practices. Product placement efforts for fast food, candy and alcohol represent the commercial analogue of EE efforts, as well as a significant source of revenue for media organisations.
• A caveat should be added about the assumptions underlying EE efforts. We cannot assume that merely providing more information will necessarily result in desired behaviour change. A host of factors can intervene between viewing a pro-social message and making behavioural decisions, particularly where a health threat may be years away from a young person's immediate experience. Our expectations must be set appropriately and in the context of the recent proliferation of competing influences on children and adolescents in the new media environment.

In terms of general recommendations, the Panelists noted that:

• There is an urgent need for funding to sponsor new research on effects of entertainment programming in light of recent revolutionary changes in information and entertainment technologies, options and delivery systems;
• There is an equally compelling need for funding research on the potential efficacy of EE strategies for influencing youths aged eight and above, an important group in terms of public health goals that is often difficult to reach;
• There is a need as well to encourage the development of new theory and evaluation methodologies to guide and develop EE interventions;
• In addition, there is a need to sponsor research to enhance understanding of contextual dynamics of EE effects, such as structured interpersonal communication accompanying EE messages, integration of EE messages with other communications vehicles such as the internet, repetition of EE messages, and the potential for "mixed messages" portrayed in entertainment Programmes.

In addition to these general recommendations, the Panelists identified 63 specific research questions that need to be addressed. Following the conference, the Panelists prioritised these 63 research questions, organised in terms of five major research topics: EE outcomes and effects; EE content and messages EE audiences; The Entertainment Industry Itself ; and Evaluation of CDC-Specific EE Activities. Within each of these topics, a number of key research topics were proposed.