The good, the bad, and the mixed? Theorizing the Processing of Heterogeneous Content (PHC) model

Abstract The current paper proposes an integrative theoretical model, starting from the notion that the current television landscape is characterized by heterogeneous content reflecting and reproducing our changing and conflicting societal discourses. Assumptions of prior entertainment television theories, such as those of Cultivation Theory, might fall short when it comes to disentangling the outcomes of heterogeneous content in diverse audiences. Thus, theory building is needed. This article therefore proposes the Processing of Heterogeneous Content model, integrating research on transportation and self-referencing. The model aims to induce an imperative shift in television effects research by urging researchers to step away from a so-called homogeneity approach and introducing a heterogeneity perspective. This way, a more nuanced understanding of television effects can be reached.