More Alcohol In Music Videos: Research

The volume of music videos depicting alcohol content on New Zealand television has risen from 15.7 percent to 19.5 percent in five years, research by the University of Otago in Wellington found.

The study, released June 18, said the rate was higher in R&B videos, rising from 12 percent to 30 percent.

Researchers compared 564 music videos by international and local acts that aired over two weeks on Juice, C4, and TV2 in 2005, with 861 videos from Juice in 2010.

Ratings showed 70 percent of Juice TV viewers are younger than 35 years old.

Researcher Fiona Imlach Gunasekara said the data was of concern “because we have a serious binge drinking problem in young people in New Zealand.”

She suggested that international videos with booze content be relegated to late-night programs, and that the Government-run funding body NZ On Air introduce a no-alcohol-content policy for locally funded videos.

Public health agencies could also work with the music and media industry to reduce alcohol promotion in music videos.