THE FRAMEWORK OF “USES AND GRATIFICATIONS APPROACH” THE TELEVISION VIEWING PURPOSE OF CHILDREN IN THE 3-6 AGE GROUP

Today’s children are living in environments where technological advancement is rapid and its usage wide-spread. This situation means new life styles for children. In information societies, for children to be able to reach the information that they need, form their own opinions based on this information and express them, constitutes their contribution to society. The most ubiquitous and effective mass communication tool that has entered into our lives with technological advancement is television. Children in front of the television are living creatures who demonstrate the behaviors of seeking, selecting and organizing. In this context, what television brings to them is equally as important as what they bring to television. This study sets forth from the importance of the audience and its purpose is to discover the television consumption of children in the 3-6 age group from the position of the uses and gratifications approach, and their perception and television usage. This study carries importance from the standpoint of learning reasons for television usage and the satisfactions that children gain by watching television in today’s world, and providing information on the conscious consumption of television programs. In the same manner, it will provide data on the development of the parents’ consciousness regarding broadcasted programs that contribute most to the development of their children and on the regulation of the broadcasts by the regulating bodies within pre-determined limits and under certain circumstances