Youth experiences of deviant behaviour as portrayed in some television programmes: A case of the youth of 21st century

Abstract

In the past, television programmes were meant to educate youth. Youth of twenty first century are living in a fast moving society whereby access to television and other resources such as cell phones and computers becomes a basic need not a luxury. Access to such resources exposes youth to television lifestyle which ultimately shape their behaviour. The identity of young people is constructed by the portrayal of deviant behaviour in some television programmes which becomes a national concern. Television plays a major role in the lives of young people. Since the dawn of democracy in the 1990s, South Africa has witnessed rapid expansion in the use of television in households. Economic pressures oblige parents to go out to work, which makes it impossible for them to monitor and regulate what their children are watching on television. Children are left alone and vulnerable to television programmes that promote deviant behaviour. Of course, not all television programme promote deviant behaviour. However, the study focuses on programme that affect the behaviour of children in a negative way. The aim of this study was to explore how the portrayal of deviant behaviour in selected television programmes influences the youth to adopt similar behaviour in their lives. The study followed qualitative approach with phenomenological research design to describe the meaning of the lived experiences of young people in the sampled population. Twelve young people between ages fourteen to nineteen years were interviewed using unstructured one on one interviews. This study’s findings revealed that the portrayed of deviant behaviour in some television programmes result in the following forms of deviant behaviour among young people: premarital sex, the perception of women as sex objects, the use of profane language, the abuse of drugs and alcohol, involvement in gangster activities and sexual confusion. The study recommended that parents should monitor and regulate what their children watch on the television.

Keywords: Young people; Broadcast; Behaviour, Music, Portrayal, Gangster, Sexual Confusion.