Media and Addiction: The Role of TV Broadband Networking Programs in Preventing Addiction

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of TV network programs in preventing addiction in the city of Tehran. To achieve this goal, five components of the research including "informing and making aware", "impacting on social attitudes and values", "providing behavioral patterns", "playing recreational and entertainment roles", and "features of a successful prevention program" were investigated. The research method used in the present research was descriptive-survey. The statistical population of this study included individuals aged 15-60 years old living in Tehran. Sampling was done by random cluster sampling. The tool used to collect data was a researcher-made questionnaire that was set up using a five-point Likert spectrum. The reliability of the questionnaire with an alpha coefficient of 0.95 was obtained. In order to analyze the data, two levels of descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean) and inferential statistics were used. The findings of the research implied that the role of TV broadcasting networks in the top four components of the research (informing and making aware, impacting on the attitudes and values of the audience, providing behavioral patterns of the audience, recreational and entertainment roles) was estimated less than average. In the comparison between the role of research components in the prevention of addiction, there was a significant difference between the fourth component (recreational and entertainment roles) and the second component (impacting on the attitudes and values of the audience). According to the results of the research, it seems that TV broadcasting networks in the prevention of drug addiction have not been able to play an effective role, and this requires a better planning.