Content analysis alone cannot serve as the basis for making statements about the effects of content on an audience. A study of Saturday morning cartoon programs on television might reveal that 80% of these programs contain commercials for sugared cereal, but this finding alone does not allow researchers to claim that children who watch these programs will want to purchase sugared cereals. An additional study of the viewers is necessary

1. 
 Content analysis alone cannot serve as the basis for
making statements about the effects of content on an
audience. A study of Saturday morning cartoon
programs on television might reveal that 80% of
these programs contain commercials for sugared
cereal, but this finding alone does not allow
researchers to claim that children who watch these
programs will want to purchase sugared cereals.
 An additional study of the viewers is necessary
10/14/2022
LIMITATIONS OF CONTENT ANALYSIS
Muhammad Awais
(facebook.com/awwaiis)

2. 
 The findings of a particular content analysis are limited to
the protocol sheet of the categories and the definitions
used in that analysis.
 Different researchers may use varying definitions and
category systems to measure a single concept.
 In mass media research, this problem is most evident in
studies of televised violence.
 Some researchers rule out comic or slapstick violence in
their studies, whereas others consider it an important
dimension.
 Researchers who use different tools of measurement
naturally arrive at different conclusions.
10/14/2022
Muhammad Awais
(facebook.com/awwaiis)

3. 
 Another potential limitation of content analysis is a lack
of messages relevant to the research. Many topics or
characters receive little exposure in the mass media.
 A researcher interested in a topic must be prepared to
examine a large body of media content to find sufficient
quantities for analysis.
 Content analysis is frequently time consuming and
expensive.
 The task of examining and categorizing large volumes of
content is often laborious and tedious.
 If television content is selected for analysis, there must be
some means of preserving the programs for detailed
examination.
10/14/2022
Muhammad Awais
(facebook.com/awwaiis)