Violence and children's programming on Salvadoran television

Abstract

This study demonstrates the violence that is broadcast in El Salvador ́s child prime time channels and also in child cable programming. The method used on this research was a quantitative-qualitative one. A total of 112 TV bands were watched and analyzed. These contained a total of 593 television programs for children. It was found out during the analysis that the Salvadorian girls, children, and adolescents are totally exposed to physical, verbal, and psychological violence. In 78% of the programs, there is one or more violence display. Only 2% of children’s programming is made in the country; the others are made abroad with realities that don ́t have anything to do with the Salvadorian real life. Most of the main characters are Anglo-Saxon and male; however, El Salvador has a mixed race population, being female the majority of it. Children’s programming broadcast stereotypes like the strong man vs. the weak woman. The beauty is focused on a slim shape and a fair skin complexion. Finally, there is also groups’ dispute in the content of each of the programs, for example: fool ones vs. smart ones, good looking ones vs. ugly ones, and stronger vs. weaker.