Sex appeal, sure, but which sex?

When it comes to watching television, men are, apparently, idiots with the attention span of a flea at a dog show

When it comes to watching television, men are, apparently, idiots with the attention span of a flea at a dog show. In other words, they are less likely than women to be addicted to weekly shows such as ER or even what might seem to be more male-oriented programmes such as NYPD Blue. Do guys lack the more inherently female sense of fidelity to a certain programme? Maybe, but not when it comes to sports. In a desperate bid to win over the lads, US television networks have paid fees exceeding the gross national product of some countries to televise particular football matches over a number of years. Men are very loyal to their teams, be they soccer, basketball or Formula One.

In fact, the more action-packed the better: figures show that more men watch "real TV" stuff such as World's Worst Drivers. Looking at these figures, you'd wonder if men dislike your ER sort of thing because, whatever about the action-packed nature of life in a casualty unit, the TV shows revolve around complicated emotional issues, and men hate emotional issues.

They are happier with something like Never Mind The Buzzcocks, a quiz show which centres on late Seventies music - so music, competitiveness, plenty of trivia and wonderful memories of that first bit of snogging? (Or was that gobbing?)

In fact, according to conclusions drawn by some researchers, the ideal male programme would involve a person being mauled by a wild beast, flatulence-related humour and Pamela Anderson in skimpy attire, on a spaceship.

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However, as a woman, I have to admit this would be a programme I would be very reluctant to miss. But maybe I'm not a typical woman - and maybe there's no such thing as the stereotypical male television viewer.

After all, looking at the same viewing statistics it would be easy to draw interesting conclusions about female viewers. Watchers of The X-Files, for example, are typically male. The X-Files is a complicated business of aliens and conspiracy theories, commanding a very committed weekly audience who would be well up on a range of related issues from the history of the plot line since the programme's inception to real-life CIA cover-ups. Why do men prefer it? Is it because women don't get it, 'cos they're a bit thick?

And, as for male TV viewing habits being motivated by lust, there's not much sex in your average X-Files episode.