THE IMPACT OF THE NEWER TELEVISION TECHNOLOGIES ON TELEVISION SATISFACTION

This study focused on the gratifications of some of the newer televisi on technologies. Specifically we expected that cable television, video cassette recorders, and remote control devices would increase the grat ifications people receive from watching television and the satisfactio n they derive from television use. Telephone interviews were completed with 615 respondents in a Midwestern town. There was only limited sup port for our expectations. Use of new technologies had an impact on re ceiving, pass-the-time, and companionship gratifications from televisi on viewing. Instrumental viewing motives, television exposure, and rec eiving informational gratifications from television exposure, and rece iving information gratifications from television viewing were the stro ngest predictors of television satisfaction. The discussion relates th ese findings to the ambiguous meanings that the new technologies have in U.S. society.