Substantially updated, this revised edition of Why Viewers Watch presents recent research, overlooked past studies and fresh survey data to offer an alternative perspective on the role of television and how it serves its viewers psychologically.

Fowles argues that television is a `grandly therapeutic force' - a tension-reliever of great benefit to viewers. He also examines the phenomenon of media snobbery - anti-television attitudes proliferated by those who want to feel superior to others by denigrating television viewing.