The portrayal of reading, writing, and other selected behaviors on prime-time network television was examined in this two-part study. First, an interest inventory was administered to a sample of 301 elementary students (i.e., grades 1-5) in South Carolina, Virginia, and Pennsylvania to determine their favorite television shows, books, and school…

This booklet highlights the results of research findings on the impact of television on children and provides advice for parents on why and how they can exercise some moderating influence on television's impact. The issues covered include the effect of the amount of time children spend watching television, the impact on children of televised…

This study examined the portrayal of eight specific behaviors in prime time television in general, and on those television shows preferred by 1,042 children in preschool through grade 6 who were surveyed to determine their favorite television shows, books, and school subjects. Researchers examined prime time television programs for a period from…

Measures children's attention to television programs varying in pace and continuity and assesses recall of the temporal sequence of program events. Attention and comprehension covaried more in animated than in live shows. Age, continuity, and pace effects on recall were not fully accounted for by their effects on attention. (Author/AS)

Emphasizing the influence of television on children, this pamphlet explores some of the major criticisms of television and discusses ways parents can help their children get the most out of television. It is argued that the major problem with television is the amount of time that it steals from our lives, time that could be spent in developing…

This booklet shows parents and other adults how to use entertainment television to spark discussions with children and adolescents about sexuality, values, responsibility, communication, and other sensitive subjects (personal relationships, race and culture, drug use). First published in 1989, this booklet has been updated annually. Discussion…

Aimed at primary care physicians and nurses, educators, and parents, this book reviews media effects on adolescent behavior and psychology. The book notes that television is a powerful medium to which adolescents are uniquely susceptible and how studies have shown television's ability to shape social attitudes. Theories of how television affects…

Ever since television became a daily staple of U.S. family life, its influence on children has been the subject of study and debate. No aspect of the debate has been more heated than violence in the media. But a growing knowledge base has shifted the focus of the debate from whether media violence contributes to violence in real life to what can…