Title
Advancing entertainment education: Using the Rosie O'Donnell Show to recognize implementation strategies for saturated markets
Abstract
Entertainment-education (E-E) has been widely and successfully implemented in developing countries around the world, but it is much harder to utilize in media-saturated countries. However, talk shows can be a niche market for E-E campaigns. As evidence, The Rosie O'Donnell Show has made a significant contribution to the television industry and to entertainment-education research by redefining how advocacy, education, and entertainment can work through a variety talk show format. An extemporaneous talk show can implement E-E campaigns through four main strategies to target its viewers: (1) Variability, or using a variety of forms to provide campaign information, (2) using multimediated synergistic avenues and online connections, (3) creating audience proactivity by using a small group elements to promote self and collective efficacy, and host appeal to bridge the local to national gap, and (4) the host's use of instinctive intentionality in aggregating campaign messages. As executive producer and host of her show, Rosie O'Donnell affected awareness, disseminated educational information, and encouraged proactive behavior with social, political, and philanthropic agendas through repetitive, positive, and proactive entertainment-education messages.
Department(s)
Media, Journalism, and Film
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2885.2009.01337.x
Publication Date
5-8-2009
Recommended Citation
Larson, Deborah L. "Advancing entertainment education: using The Rosie O'Donnell Show to recognize implementation strategies for saturated markets." Communication Theory 19, no. 2 (2009): 105-123.
Journal Title
Communication Theory
