A typology for the study of entertainment television and politics

General questions concerning the role of entertainment media in politics permeated the 2004 election cycle. Political communication scholars are beginning to systematically analyze potential sociopolitical ramifications stemming from entertainment television viewing, but one difficulty with this emerging area of research is an inability to forge connections between seemingly disparate research agendas. Several distinct lines of research are summarized in this article and forged into a coherent whole through the lens of Zillmann's disposition theory and the broader study of media enjoyment. Extant works devoted to the study of entertainment television and politics are summarized, and a nine-part typology is introduced. This article closes with a discussion of how the typology can serve to advance the study of entertainment television and politics. Keywords: entertainment television; politics; disposition theory; media enjoyment