Tavern culture and television viewing: The influence of local viewing culture on patrons' reception of television programs

This article is concerned with the relationship between tavern culture and television viewing. The author explores this relationship using ethnographic data collected during fieldwork in an African American neighborhood tavern in Chicago. The author argues that patrons (1) personalize thematic content from television, (2) develop parasocial relationships that facilitate shared group interaction, and (3) challenge and evaluate media information as a way of reflecting on their own moral positions. Patrons use television content to formulate and maintain personal identities, to develop relationships, to maintain traditional notions of masculinity, and to uphold normative standards of face-to-face interaction in the tavern.