Application of the AIDA model: Measuring the effectiveness of television programs in encouraging teenagers to use public libraries

The purpose of this study is to measure how effective television programs are in persuading teenagers to use public libraries.

This study is a descriptive survey. The statistical population includes all members of public libraries in the City of Isfahan aged between 12 and 16 years (N = 920). Using Cochran’s formula, the sample size was determined to be 270 individuals. The data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire survey instrument whose validity was confirmed by Library and Information Science experts. Furthermore, the reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed via “Cronbach’s alpha” in the pilot test with 0.73. Having a return rate of 85.93 per cent, the authors were able to analyze 232 sets of responses.

Based on the authors’ findings, television programs are only able to satisfy the first stage of the model (i.e. Attention). So, its role in encouraging teenagers to use public libraries is not significant. Among the items of the model, “Desirability and interest in the program” and “Persuading teenagers to use public libraries” were found to be the most and least effective items, respectively, with average responses of 8.42 and 5.13. Moreover, television shows categorized as kids/teenagers were most likely to attract the target audience to libraries.

There is no any similar study in this scope, especially in the Middle East, where watching the television remains a mainstream activity for teenagers. It is for the first time that AIDA model is used for measuring the effectiveness of television programs in persuading teenagers to use public libraries in Iran.