Abstract
In this research, it is attempted to record the TV preferences of early- childhood children. The research was based on a random, representative and balanced sample of 204 children, who study at nursery schools of urban, semi-urban and rural areas of the country. The sample was examined in relation with sex, age and financial standing in terms of origin and reference. Personal interview was used for this purpose. Children were interviewed divided in seven groups of closed questions. Questionnaire focuses on time, duration, frequency and easiness of use, the kind of TV programs watched, watching conditions and special preferences of the children. 60 TV programs were chosen from the Greek TV, both children’s and other, Greek and foreign of any kind (cartoons, movies, series, quiz shows, reality shows, entertaining and news programs. The above were all selected from the Greek TV program of the winter season of 2008-2009.
The questions were read by nursery teachers and the answers were recorded for each child separately, in the nursery school. In addition, a separate questionnaire with the same group of questions was given to their parents. There followed statistical analysis of data, recording, analysis of the results and drawing of the conclusions. In the research, besides the statistical recording, different qualitative characteristics of the sample were correlated, using the SPSS ver. 17.0.
It was concluded that the usual watching duration was 17,5 hours per week, referring mainly to afternoon zone children’s programs. The watching percentages which refer to adults’ programs are remarkable. Nevertheless, the main early-childhood children preference is relative to cartoons, children movies and TV series. The data analysis defines the most popular TV show. Finally, from the findings of the research emerges the model of earlychildhood child-viewer and the way in which TV is incorporated in the Greek family