Media Anthropology: Economic, Social and Cultural Experiences in the Early Years of Television in EskiÅŸehir/Turkey

Abstract

It could be suggested that the organisation of a visual language as an alternative to writing is the first endeavour that comes to mind when we say visual anthropology. If we look at the historical aspect of the relationship that anthropology has with the visual, we can see the other forms of relationships it has built with the visual and media, new subjects of studies it has created for itself, and the contributions of the matters it has developed on these subjects to the discipline of anthropology (DoÄŸan, 2013: 75). Media anthropology, defined as a subfield of visual anthropology, studies experiences in both production and consumption aspects of media texts in the processes of ethnographic fieldwork (DoÄŸan, 2013). In this study, economic, social and cultural experiences of the early years of television in EskiÅŸehir/Turkey -which corresponds to late 1960s and early 1970s- are presented. Accordingly, in-depth interviews have been conducted with the people from this period in EskiÅŸehir. According to the findings reached, the rich bought television first in those years. Those who could not afford visited the ones with televisions at nights. Television became an important socialisation tool. Located in the seat of honour at homes, it rose to the most important appliance status. People had an intense feeling of excitement when they first bought their televisions. At the time, TV programmes were on air only between 19.00 and 24.00. People used to wait all day long for the programmes to begin. Television had an impact on the public opinions and behaviours. It also determined daily conversations. Family conversations at nights were replaced by television