Audience knowledge and expectations of detected persuasive attempts in fictional television shows

Entertainment television is often used to convey educational and persuasive messages, yet little research has explored viewers’ knowledge and expectations of this tactic. To address this need, 19 in-depth interviews with television watchers were conducted, guided by the persuasion knowledge model. Deviating from prior studies, viewers in this study were receptive to perceived persuasive messages in entertainment television, especially those pro-attitudinal and prosocial, which at times enhanced their appreciation of a show. They also held genre-specific expectations about the likelihood and appropriateness of persuasive appeals occurring. Overall, participants reported consistent and strong beliefs about persuasive attempts in entertainment television, including about the tactic, source, and topic. The findings provide several avenues for future research that are discussed, including further investigation of how pro-attitudinal entertainment narratives are processed and the role that genre may play in shaping audience expectations.