Despite 162 instances of characters drinking to excess over a six-week monitoring period, only 1.5% of alcohol scenes portrayed hangovers and less than 1% combined showed alcohol-related sickness, crime, regret or anti-social behaviour.
With 42% of 11-17 year olds watching pre-watershed soaps, and research showing actions without an obvious consequence are more likely to be copied, Drinkaware is concerned that soaps’ under-representation of the adverse effects of drinking to excess may perpetuate a view among millions of under-18s that regular drinking doesn’t have negative consequences.
The alcohol awareness charity has requested meetings with broadcasters and has developed recommendations to help soap producers better depict the risks associated with general alcohol misuse.
The Drinkaware study examined the representation of alcohol in the UK’s top four soap operas, Coronation Street, Eastenders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks. Consistent with real life, it finds that soap characters were most often depicted drinking alcohol as an aid to socialising or celebration, or to relieve stress. However, harmful effects of excessive drinking were generally only associated with extreme storylines such as Shadrach Dingle’s death from alcoholism in Emmerdale.
Other observations from the research include:
Chris Sorek, chief executive of Drinkaware, says: “British soaps’ current representation of the substantial role alcohol plays in people’s lives isn’t too far from reality, but with research showing people, and particularly children, make assumptions about acceptable real-life behaviour from their TV viewing, it’s important the negative effects of drinking too much aren’t downplayed. Weaving some consequences of drinking to excess into soaps won’t require fundamental script or storyline changes. Even a passing reference to a hangover will start to nudge reform of the on-screen drinking ‘norm’.
“When viewers sit down to watch a soap, they want to be entertained and certainly aren’t expecting to see a public health campaign. But soaps are still a useful channel to get information to viewers. We need to avoid normalising the idea of consequence-free drinking to excess, especially among under-18s, so people of all ages can make informed decisions about their own drinking based on the facts.
“Challenging habits and social norms is central to reducing alcohol misuse, and everyone can contribute to positive behaviour change, including soaps. When people see issues on screen, they go looking for facts and advice, as shown by the increased number of visitors looking for information about alcohol poisoning on the Drinkaware website the day after Billy Jackson’s death from alcohol poisoning in Eastenders. Drinkaware can support soaps by providing consumers with the real-life facts about alcohol and its effects on health and well-being either on programme websites or at Drinkaware.co.uk.”
Drinkaware recommendations for soap producers include:
Dr Harry Sumnall, reader in substance use, Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University, says: “Health and media professionals face a real challenge in ensuring accurate representations of alcohol use don’t interfere with the soaps’ prime purpose, [which is] to entertain viewers. We know audiences don’t like heavy-handed health messages, but the value of soaps is in their reflection of real life; hangovers, accidents, embarrassing situations and running out of money are real-life consequences of letting alcohol use get out of hand.
“TV producers are in an enviable position in that they can influence national conversations and opinions about particular issues. I think we’re all in agreement that alcohol misuse is something that the public is concerned about, and although just working with media won’t provide all the solutions, its one way that health professionals and charities can challenge some of the misperceptions about alcohol and its effects.”
Source: Drinkaware
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