Avinash Thombre - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Avinash Thombre

American Journal of Qualitative Research

The United Nation (UN) lists ending poverty in all its forms as the number one prerogative among ... more The United Nation (UN) lists ending poverty in all its forms as the number one prerogative among seventeen sustainable development goals. One organization that is seeking to make an impact on those who live in poverty is Heifer International, a global nonprofit organization based in the United States, whose mission is “to end world hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth.” By using Values-Based Holistic Community Development, Heifer has helped to lift millions of people out of poverty. In this article, we present the results of a study we conducted in Bihar, India to assess the impact of Heifer International programming on participants’ communication competency. Grounded in over 100 interviews with women across four time periods, the results show that women who have partnered with Heifer International experience significant qualitative changes in communication competency across five areas: expressiveness, assertiveness, persuasiveness, openness, and positiveness. We discuss th...

Journal of Applied Communication Research, 2008

Examining the concept of transformative experience--defined as an event that changes an individua... more Examining the concept of transformative experience--defined as an event that changes an individual’s life so as to refocus priorities and self-identity—this chapter begins with the personal transformative experience of one of the authors, followed by the examination of personal interviews with 10 other cancer survivors. The concept’s implications for communication research and action are explored. I felt a close relationship with other cancer survivors; several individuals that I scarcely knew (one was a total stranger) disclosed to me their own experience with cancer. While sitting in a waiting room to see my doctor or other specialists, I found it easy to talk with other cancer survivors, including those who were ethnically or socio-economically quite different from me. I tried to help other individuals with cancer, aiding them in understanding what they were going through. My general feeling of altruism became much stronger. Having received prayers and other types of support from...

/ This article explores the meanings given by Indian viewers to a series of health-related episod... more / This article explores the meanings given by Indian viewers to a series of health-related episodes dealing with ‘Tony’s HIV ’ in the Hollywood television soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful. Forty-two respondents in six focus group interviews and in 17 in-depth personal inter-views were asked for their interpretations of this television health content. Indian respondents inter-preted the sexual explicitness and the assertiveness of female characters as characteristic of the US, but not as a part of Indian reality. The sexual openness in The Bold and the Beautiful ‘shocked’ Indian viewers, and led some to watch the episodes only in private. Indian respondents generally had positive reactions to the ‘Tony’s HIV ’ episodes, although they felt that self-disclosure of HIV/AIDS status could not happen in India, where HIV/AIDS is highly stigmatized. In general, Indian respondents felt that ‘Tony’s HIV ’ showed an ideal situation regarding HIV/AIDS, but one that was far removed from Ind...

An exploratory investigation of Trinidad and Tobago's Indian music format radio stations in 2... more An exploratory investigation of Trinidad and Tobago's Indian music format radio stations in 2003 found that despite the stations' use of foreign music and the ability to broadcast globally, their focus remained local. New media, while available to the stations, did not seem to fundamentally affect the scope of the broadcasts at that time. The intervening decade has seen maturation of these stations and the further spread of globalized media technologies including social media. The present study examines and compares the content of these stations ten years later with particular reference to whether they have expanded their scope in keeping with the global reach of the Internet-based technologies. In the present paper the authors employ content analysis of radio programming to evaluate the interplay of local and global forces and how those are reflected in Indian music format radio in Trinidad and Tobago.

Good air quality in poultry houses is crucial for animal health and productivity. In these houses... more Good air quality in poultry houses is crucial for animal health and productivity. In these houses, air is generally contaminated with noxious gases and microorganisms, the concentrations of which depend on numerous factors including microclimate. In this case study, the relation between microclimate and air concentrations of noxious gases and microorganisms was investigated in extensively reared turkey house. The study was carried out at a family household in Dalmatia hinterland, Croatia, with 50.3±3.1 turkeys kept in the house during the study period. Air temperature, relative humidity, airflow rate, concentrations of ammonia, carbon dioxide, bacteria and fungi in indoor air were measured three times per month from September to December, in the morning, prior to releasing turkeys out for grazing. Air temperature ranged from 9.73 to 26.98 °C, relative humidity from 63.29% to 75.08%, and airflow rate from 0.11 to 0.17 m/s. Lowest ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations were measured in September (2.17 ppm and 550 ppm, respectively) and highest in December (4.50 ppm and 900 ppm, respectively). Bacterial and fungal counts were lowest in December (2.51x10 5 CFU/m 3 and 3.27x10 3 CFU/m 3 air, respectively) and highest in September (6.85x10 5 CFU/m 3 and 1.06x10 5 CFU/m 3 air, respectively). Air temperature and relative humidity showed negative correlation with concentrations of noxious gases and positive correlation with air microorganisms (P<0.05 all).

Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 2017

Starting in the 1990s, the Caribbean two-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago witnessed the estab... more Starting in the 1990s, the Caribbean two-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago witnessed the establishment of several Indian-music format radio stations, most of which now stream their content on the World Wide Web or otherwise make their content available beyond the range of their terrestrial radio transmitters. The convergence of traditional terrestrial radio with audio streaming technology combined with the spread of high speed broadband connections has expanded the audience of a typical radio station from a few kilometers to a globally dispersed set of listeners who often include those physically displaced from their native cultural programming. The present investigation examines the Facebook comments of domestic and foreign listeners to Indian-music format radio stations from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

International Communication Gazette, 2004

This article explores the meanings given by Indian viewers to a series of health-related episodes... more This article explores the meanings given by Indian viewers to a series of health-related episodes dealing with 'Tony's HIV' in the Hollywood television soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful. Forty-two respondents in six focus group interviews and in 17 in-depth personal interviews were asked for their interpretations of this television health content. Indian respondents interpreted the sexual explicitness and the assertiveness of female characters as characteristic of the US, but not as a part of Indian reality. The sexual openness in The Bold and the Beautiful 'shocked' Indian viewers, and led some to watch the episodes only in private. Indian respondents generally had positive reactions to the 'Tony's HIV' episodes, although they felt that self-disclosure of HIV/AIDS status could not happen in India, where HIV/AIDS is highly stigmatized. In general, Indian respondents felt that 'Tony's HIV' showed an ideal situation regarding HIV/AIDS, but one that was far removed from Indian reality.

Journal of Health Communication, 2005

Survivor stories have been an important part of therapy and social support for persons living wit... more Survivor stories have been an important part of therapy and social support for persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)=acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS (PLWHAs), and the World Wide Web has made these stories accessible to a vast audience. These stories are examined in the light of the concept of ''transformation perspective'' defined as a self-communicative experience that changes an individual's life so that priorities and self-identity are refocused. The trigger event that alters the individual's life might be a diagnosis with cancer, HIV, diabetes, or some other serious illness; divorce; financial tragedy; unemployment; or retirement. The ''disorienting dilemma,'' according to Mezirow, leads to self-examination, and thus to changes in the individual's frame of reference. The present study found that PLWHA's stories with more details were more likely to reflect transformation perspective Q1. Stories are weapons against disease. W. M. Diggelmann (1927-1979). I have lived with this disease [HIV] for about 2 months now, and don't know how to deal with it. I've affected a few people with this disease and am sorry for that. I am married and continually cheated on my wife without her knowledge (we were separated at the time). I feel badly for what I did, but at the same time, things happen for a reason. I acquired this disease through unprotected sex. I hope none of you make the same mistake I have made. You can't run from this disease. When you do that, you become like I have.

Family Medicine and Community Health

Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2010

Cancer patients sometimes report positive life changes in addition to more harrowing ones. Theore... more Cancer patients sometimes report positive life changes in addition to more harrowing ones. Theoretically, several cognitive processes are thought to contribute to posttraumatic growth, but few studies have examined these relationships empirically among cancer patients. Moreover, most research has been conducted in western developed countries. This preliminary study offered a novel examination of posttraumatic growth and its cognitive correlates among cancer patients in western India. As hypothesized, in bivariate analyses perceived growth was significantly associated with greater meaning-focused coping (sensemaking, benefit-finding), and with reappraisal of worldviews. Growth was not related to subjective appraisals regarding illness threat or stressfulness. In multivariate analyses, reappraisal of worldviews was the strongest concurrent predictor of posttraumatic growth. Results suggest that deliberative cognitive processes merit further study. Keywords Posttraumatic growth Á Perspective transformation Á Cancer Á India Á Worldviews Á Culture Research among patients with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses suggest that debilitating physical and functional changes are sometimes accompanied by unexpected positive sequelae as well. Some individuals perceive growth

… of controlled release, 2004

Swellable-core technology (SCT) formulations that used osmotic pressure and polymer swelling to d... more Swellable-core technology (SCT) formulations that used osmotic pressure and polymer swelling to deliver drugs to the GI tract in a reliable and reproducible manner were studied. The SCT formulations consisted of a core tablet containing the drug and a water-swellable component, and one or more delivery ports. The in vitro and in vivo performance of two model drugs, tenidap and sildenafil, formulated in four different SCT core configurations: homogeneous-core (single layer), tablet-in-tablet (TNT), bilayer, and trilayer core, were evaluated. In vitro dissolution studies showed that the drug-release rate was relatively independent of the core configuration but the extent of release was somewhat lower for the homogeneous-core formulation, particularly under non-sink conditions. The drug-release rate was slower with increasing coating thickness and decreasing coating permeability, and was relatively independent of the drug loading and the number and size of the delivery ports. The drug-release rates were similar for the two model drugs despite significant differences in their physicochemical properties. Tablet-recovery and pharmacokinetic studies conducted in beagle dogs showed that the in vivo release of drug from SCT formulations was comparable to the in vitro drug release.

Gazette, 2004

This article explores the meanings given by Indian viewers to a series of health-related episodes... more This article explores the meanings given by Indian viewers to a series of health-related episodes dealing with 'Tony's HIV' in the Hollywood television soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful. Forty-two respondents in six focus group interviews and in 17 in-depth personal interviews were asked for their interpretations of this television health content. Indian respondents interpreted the sexual explicitness and the assertiveness of female characters as characteristic of the US, but not as a part of Indian reality. The sexual openness in The Bold and the Beautiful 'shocked' Indian viewers, and led some to watch the episodes only in private. Indian respondents generally had positive reactions to the 'Tony's HIV' episodes, although they felt that self-disclosure of HIV/AIDS status could not happen in India, where HIV/AIDS is highly stigmatized. In general, Indian respondents felt that 'Tony's HIV' showed an ideal situation regarding HIV/AIDS, but one that was far removed from Indian reality.

Journal of Health Communication, 2005

Survivor stories have been an important part of therapy and social support for persons living wit... more Survivor stories have been an important part of therapy and social support for persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)=acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS (PLWHAs), and the World Wide Web has made these stories accessible to a vast audience. These stories are examined in the light of the concept of ''transformation perspective'' defined as a self-communicative experience that changes an individual's life so that priorities and self-identity are refocused. The trigger event that alters the individual's life might be a diagnosis with cancer, HIV, diabetes, or some other serious illness; divorce; financial tragedy; unemployment; or retirement. The ''disorienting dilemma,'' according to Mezirow, leads to self-examination, and thus to changes in the individual's frame of reference. The present study found that PLWHA's stories with more details were more likely to reflect transformation perspective Q1. Stories are weapons against disease. W. M. Diggelmann (1927-1979). I have lived with this disease [HIV] for about 2 months now, and don't know how to deal with it. I've affected a few people with this disease and am sorry for that. I am married and continually cheated on my wife without her knowledge (we were separated at the time). I feel badly for what I did, but at the same time, things happen for a reason. I acquired this disease through unprotected sex. I hope none of you make the same mistake I have made. You can't run from this disease. When you do that, you become like I have.

International Communication Gazette, 2006

The present article compares lndian and American audiences' interpretations of the Hollywood sitc... more The present article compares lndian and American audiences' interpretations of the Hollywood sitcom Friends. ' The article is guided by Olson's narrative transparency theory, which posits transparency as 'the capability of certain texts to seem familiar regardless of their origin, to seem a part of one's own culture, even though they have been crafted elsewhere'. Thirty-seven regular viewers of Friends in lndia and 35 from the US were interviewed personally and in focus groups. lndian viewers questioned the truth-value of the content to conclude that Friends portrayed a universal American culture that is completely different from an lndian standpoint. These interpretations made the media text opaque, and the lndian audience members rejected the safe sex message AiscusGd in the episode studied. The American audience found Friends overly exaggerated, but safe sex and sexuality messages somewhat more culturally proximate. Keywords I Friends I lndia I narrative transparency theory I safe sex messages I sitcom I television I United States Friends is so similar to the friendships I have. .. there is no stopping me [from watching it].

American Journal of Qualitative Research

The United Nation (UN) lists ending poverty in all its forms as the number one prerogative among ... more The United Nation (UN) lists ending poverty in all its forms as the number one prerogative among seventeen sustainable development goals. One organization that is seeking to make an impact on those who live in poverty is Heifer International, a global nonprofit organization based in the United States, whose mission is “to end world hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth.” By using Values-Based Holistic Community Development, Heifer has helped to lift millions of people out of poverty. In this article, we present the results of a study we conducted in Bihar, India to assess the impact of Heifer International programming on participants’ communication competency. Grounded in over 100 interviews with women across four time periods, the results show that women who have partnered with Heifer International experience significant qualitative changes in communication competency across five areas: expressiveness, assertiveness, persuasiveness, openness, and positiveness. We discuss th...

Journal of Applied Communication Research, 2008

Examining the concept of transformative experience--defined as an event that changes an individua... more Examining the concept of transformative experience--defined as an event that changes an individual’s life so as to refocus priorities and self-identity—this chapter begins with the personal transformative experience of one of the authors, followed by the examination of personal interviews with 10 other cancer survivors. The concept’s implications for communication research and action are explored. I felt a close relationship with other cancer survivors; several individuals that I scarcely knew (one was a total stranger) disclosed to me their own experience with cancer. While sitting in a waiting room to see my doctor or other specialists, I found it easy to talk with other cancer survivors, including those who were ethnically or socio-economically quite different from me. I tried to help other individuals with cancer, aiding them in understanding what they were going through. My general feeling of altruism became much stronger. Having received prayers and other types of support from...

/ This article explores the meanings given by Indian viewers to a series of health-related episod... more / This article explores the meanings given by Indian viewers to a series of health-related episodes dealing with ‘Tony’s HIV ’ in the Hollywood television soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful. Forty-two respondents in six focus group interviews and in 17 in-depth personal inter-views were asked for their interpretations of this television health content. Indian respondents inter-preted the sexual explicitness and the assertiveness of female characters as characteristic of the US, but not as a part of Indian reality. The sexual openness in The Bold and the Beautiful ‘shocked’ Indian viewers, and led some to watch the episodes only in private. Indian respondents generally had positive reactions to the ‘Tony’s HIV ’ episodes, although they felt that self-disclosure of HIV/AIDS status could not happen in India, where HIV/AIDS is highly stigmatized. In general, Indian respondents felt that ‘Tony’s HIV ’ showed an ideal situation regarding HIV/AIDS, but one that was far removed from Ind...

An exploratory investigation of Trinidad and Tobago's Indian music format radio stations in 2... more An exploratory investigation of Trinidad and Tobago's Indian music format radio stations in 2003 found that despite the stations' use of foreign music and the ability to broadcast globally, their focus remained local. New media, while available to the stations, did not seem to fundamentally affect the scope of the broadcasts at that time. The intervening decade has seen maturation of these stations and the further spread of globalized media technologies including social media. The present study examines and compares the content of these stations ten years later with particular reference to whether they have expanded their scope in keeping with the global reach of the Internet-based technologies. In the present paper the authors employ content analysis of radio programming to evaluate the interplay of local and global forces and how those are reflected in Indian music format radio in Trinidad and Tobago.

Good air quality in poultry houses is crucial for animal health and productivity. In these houses... more Good air quality in poultry houses is crucial for animal health and productivity. In these houses, air is generally contaminated with noxious gases and microorganisms, the concentrations of which depend on numerous factors including microclimate. In this case study, the relation between microclimate and air concentrations of noxious gases and microorganisms was investigated in extensively reared turkey house. The study was carried out at a family household in Dalmatia hinterland, Croatia, with 50.3±3.1 turkeys kept in the house during the study period. Air temperature, relative humidity, airflow rate, concentrations of ammonia, carbon dioxide, bacteria and fungi in indoor air were measured three times per month from September to December, in the morning, prior to releasing turkeys out for grazing. Air temperature ranged from 9.73 to 26.98 °C, relative humidity from 63.29% to 75.08%, and airflow rate from 0.11 to 0.17 m/s. Lowest ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations were measured in September (2.17 ppm and 550 ppm, respectively) and highest in December (4.50 ppm and 900 ppm, respectively). Bacterial and fungal counts were lowest in December (2.51x10 5 CFU/m 3 and 3.27x10 3 CFU/m 3 air, respectively) and highest in September (6.85x10 5 CFU/m 3 and 1.06x10 5 CFU/m 3 air, respectively). Air temperature and relative humidity showed negative correlation with concentrations of noxious gases and positive correlation with air microorganisms (P<0.05 all).

Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 2017

Starting in the 1990s, the Caribbean two-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago witnessed the estab... more Starting in the 1990s, the Caribbean two-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago witnessed the establishment of several Indian-music format radio stations, most of which now stream their content on the World Wide Web or otherwise make their content available beyond the range of their terrestrial radio transmitters. The convergence of traditional terrestrial radio with audio streaming technology combined with the spread of high speed broadband connections has expanded the audience of a typical radio station from a few kilometers to a globally dispersed set of listeners who often include those physically displaced from their native cultural programming. The present investigation examines the Facebook comments of domestic and foreign listeners to Indian-music format radio stations from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

International Communication Gazette, 2004

This article explores the meanings given by Indian viewers to a series of health-related episodes... more This article explores the meanings given by Indian viewers to a series of health-related episodes dealing with 'Tony's HIV' in the Hollywood television soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful. Forty-two respondents in six focus group interviews and in 17 in-depth personal interviews were asked for their interpretations of this television health content. Indian respondents interpreted the sexual explicitness and the assertiveness of female characters as characteristic of the US, but not as a part of Indian reality. The sexual openness in The Bold and the Beautiful 'shocked' Indian viewers, and led some to watch the episodes only in private. Indian respondents generally had positive reactions to the 'Tony's HIV' episodes, although they felt that self-disclosure of HIV/AIDS status could not happen in India, where HIV/AIDS is highly stigmatized. In general, Indian respondents felt that 'Tony's HIV' showed an ideal situation regarding HIV/AIDS, but one that was far removed from Indian reality.

Journal of Health Communication, 2005

Survivor stories have been an important part of therapy and social support for persons living wit... more Survivor stories have been an important part of therapy and social support for persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)=acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS (PLWHAs), and the World Wide Web has made these stories accessible to a vast audience. These stories are examined in the light of the concept of ''transformation perspective'' defined as a self-communicative experience that changes an individual's life so that priorities and self-identity are refocused. The trigger event that alters the individual's life might be a diagnosis with cancer, HIV, diabetes, or some other serious illness; divorce; financial tragedy; unemployment; or retirement. The ''disorienting dilemma,'' according to Mezirow, leads to self-examination, and thus to changes in the individual's frame of reference. The present study found that PLWHA's stories with more details were more likely to reflect transformation perspective Q1. Stories are weapons against disease. W. M. Diggelmann (1927-1979). I have lived with this disease [HIV] for about 2 months now, and don't know how to deal with it. I've affected a few people with this disease and am sorry for that. I am married and continually cheated on my wife without her knowledge (we were separated at the time). I feel badly for what I did, but at the same time, things happen for a reason. I acquired this disease through unprotected sex. I hope none of you make the same mistake I have made. You can't run from this disease. When you do that, you become like I have.

Family Medicine and Community Health

Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2010

Cancer patients sometimes report positive life changes in addition to more harrowing ones. Theore... more Cancer patients sometimes report positive life changes in addition to more harrowing ones. Theoretically, several cognitive processes are thought to contribute to posttraumatic growth, but few studies have examined these relationships empirically among cancer patients. Moreover, most research has been conducted in western developed countries. This preliminary study offered a novel examination of posttraumatic growth and its cognitive correlates among cancer patients in western India. As hypothesized, in bivariate analyses perceived growth was significantly associated with greater meaning-focused coping (sensemaking, benefit-finding), and with reappraisal of worldviews. Growth was not related to subjective appraisals regarding illness threat or stressfulness. In multivariate analyses, reappraisal of worldviews was the strongest concurrent predictor of posttraumatic growth. Results suggest that deliberative cognitive processes merit further study. Keywords Posttraumatic growth Á Perspective transformation Á Cancer Á India Á Worldviews Á Culture Research among patients with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses suggest that debilitating physical and functional changes are sometimes accompanied by unexpected positive sequelae as well. Some individuals perceive growth

… of controlled release, 2004

Swellable-core technology (SCT) formulations that used osmotic pressure and polymer swelling to d... more Swellable-core technology (SCT) formulations that used osmotic pressure and polymer swelling to deliver drugs to the GI tract in a reliable and reproducible manner were studied. The SCT formulations consisted of a core tablet containing the drug and a water-swellable component, and one or more delivery ports. The in vitro and in vivo performance of two model drugs, tenidap and sildenafil, formulated in four different SCT core configurations: homogeneous-core (single layer), tablet-in-tablet (TNT), bilayer, and trilayer core, were evaluated. In vitro dissolution studies showed that the drug-release rate was relatively independent of the core configuration but the extent of release was somewhat lower for the homogeneous-core formulation, particularly under non-sink conditions. The drug-release rate was slower with increasing coating thickness and decreasing coating permeability, and was relatively independent of the drug loading and the number and size of the delivery ports. The drug-release rates were similar for the two model drugs despite significant differences in their physicochemical properties. Tablet-recovery and pharmacokinetic studies conducted in beagle dogs showed that the in vivo release of drug from SCT formulations was comparable to the in vitro drug release.

Gazette, 2004

This article explores the meanings given by Indian viewers to a series of health-related episodes... more This article explores the meanings given by Indian viewers to a series of health-related episodes dealing with 'Tony's HIV' in the Hollywood television soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful. Forty-two respondents in six focus group interviews and in 17 in-depth personal interviews were asked for their interpretations of this television health content. Indian respondents interpreted the sexual explicitness and the assertiveness of female characters as characteristic of the US, but not as a part of Indian reality. The sexual openness in The Bold and the Beautiful 'shocked' Indian viewers, and led some to watch the episodes only in private. Indian respondents generally had positive reactions to the 'Tony's HIV' episodes, although they felt that self-disclosure of HIV/AIDS status could not happen in India, where HIV/AIDS is highly stigmatized. In general, Indian respondents felt that 'Tony's HIV' showed an ideal situation regarding HIV/AIDS, but one that was far removed from Indian reality.

Journal of Health Communication, 2005

Survivor stories have been an important part of therapy and social support for persons living wit... more Survivor stories have been an important part of therapy and social support for persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)=acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS (PLWHAs), and the World Wide Web has made these stories accessible to a vast audience. These stories are examined in the light of the concept of ''transformation perspective'' defined as a self-communicative experience that changes an individual's life so that priorities and self-identity are refocused. The trigger event that alters the individual's life might be a diagnosis with cancer, HIV, diabetes, or some other serious illness; divorce; financial tragedy; unemployment; or retirement. The ''disorienting dilemma,'' according to Mezirow, leads to self-examination, and thus to changes in the individual's frame of reference. The present study found that PLWHA's stories with more details were more likely to reflect transformation perspective Q1. Stories are weapons against disease. W. M. Diggelmann (1927-1979). I have lived with this disease [HIV] for about 2 months now, and don't know how to deal with it. I've affected a few people with this disease and am sorry for that. I am married and continually cheated on my wife without her knowledge (we were separated at the time). I feel badly for what I did, but at the same time, things happen for a reason. I acquired this disease through unprotected sex. I hope none of you make the same mistake I have made. You can't run from this disease. When you do that, you become like I have.

International Communication Gazette, 2006

The present article compares lndian and American audiences' interpretations of the Hollywood sitc... more The present article compares lndian and American audiences' interpretations of the Hollywood sitcom Friends. ' The article is guided by Olson's narrative transparency theory, which posits transparency as 'the capability of certain texts to seem familiar regardless of their origin, to seem a part of one's own culture, even though they have been crafted elsewhere'. Thirty-seven regular viewers of Friends in lndia and 35 from the US were interviewed personally and in focus groups. lndian viewers questioned the truth-value of the content to conclude that Friends portrayed a universal American culture that is completely different from an lndian standpoint. These interpretations made the media text opaque, and the lndian audience members rejected the safe sex message AiscusGd in the episode studied. The American audience found Friends overly exaggerated, but safe sex and sexuality messages somewhat more culturally proximate. Keywords I Friends I lndia I narrative transparency theory I safe sex messages I sitcom I television I United States Friends is so similar to the friendships I have. .. there is no stopping me [from watching it].