This review of the research on the role of television in family life considers television both as a medium for which the specific content matters little, and as a source of content, i.e., a purveyor of messages about physical and social life. Television viewing is discussed as an activity in which family members participate and about which they…

Most educators argue that the time children spend watching television detracts from their homework time and leisure time reading, that television watching cultivates skills different from those needed for print literacy and encourages preference for its easier means of acquiring information, and that television content is often nonintellectual and…

Describes a study of 460 second, sixth, and tenth graders that was conducted to explore the effects of content and development on children's perceptions of the social reality of television series featuring families with children and teenagers. Hypotheses tested are explained, measures used are described, and future research is suggested. (42…