"Time for Teletubbies": Childhood, Child Participation, and the Struggle for Meaning

The children's television program Teletubbies and its concomitant controversies are analyzed along with the media attention surrounding the program. A textual analysis is presented, including the methodologies of narrative theory, semiotics/structuralism, and poststructuralism. The context is also analyzed, using a cultural studies and historical reception approach, in order to chronicle and analyze the show's controversies and elucidate how these arguments have affected reception and interpretation of the show. Following textual and contextual analysis, a social science approach is utilized, reviewing literature and research that supports or refutes the arguments at hand. Finally, the results of a qualitative, ethnographical study are presented in order to include the child's perspectives on the show and inform the larger, cultural issues of childhood.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2003

Author dc:creator

• Cowart, Agatha

Contributors dc:contributor

• Sauls, Samuel J.
• Jacobson, Arminta
• Benshoff, Harry

• Teletubbies (Television program)
• Television and children.
• teletubbies
• childhood
• narrative theory
• cultural studies
• television

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• Cowart, Agatha
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 53163773
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4227/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc4227

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc4227