Examining Reasons behind Tendency towards Satellite TV

The primary aim of any media attempt is to attract an audience to be motivated first and hence, convinced about the message the media are likely trying to convey. The present paper answers this question: what are the university students’ reasons and motives for watching satellite channels’ programs? Research samples were 310 students from private universities, Sama Cultural-Educational Center and Qa’em Shahr Azad University who watched Persian-language satellite channels in 1389 (Iranian Calendar). A survey was conducted and data were collected through researcher-made questionnaires. Research findings indicate that most of the students watched satellite TV to satisfy their informational, cognitive, amusement and recreational and social needs and find their personal identity. In addition, the audience’ demographical attributes (age, gender and education) have a role in the quantity and quality of using satellite TV programs.