Depictions of Alcohol in Australian TV 'Bachelor In Paradise': A Content Analysis

In: Alcohol and alcoholism: the international journal of the Medical Council on Alcoholism (MCA) and the journal of the European Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ESBRA), Band 55, Heft 6, S. 674-680

Abstract

Abstract

Aims
To quantify the depictions of alcohol in the popular Australian reality TV show—Bachelor in Paradise (season 1: 2018).


Methods
All 16 episodes were coded in 1-min intervals for the presence of alcoholic beverage related content and non-alcoholic beverage content, and the categories of actual use, implied use and other references.


Results
Alcohol was highly prevalent in all episodes. Alcohol content occurred frequently, with 70.7% of intervals having any alcohol content. Actual alcohol use occurred in 31.9% of 1-min intervals, implied alcohol use occurred in 63.4% of intervals and other alcohol references occurred in 14.0% of intervals. Alcohol content was present in the first or second 1-min interval of all 16 episodes. Alcohol content was more than twice as prevalent as non-alcoholic content (34.0%).


Conclusions
The high volume of alcohol content depicted in the show is of concern, due to the important influence it may have on the audience. Vulnerable viewers, especially minors and young adults, are being exposed to ubiquitous alcohol references. This may influence their perceptions of normal alcohol use, their attitudes toward alcohol and their own consumption of alcohol. A stronger regulatory regime is required in Australia to protect young people more effectively from depictions in television programs.