Like other industries, television has its own version of the used-car dealership or second-hand store: off-network syndication. Since researchers who study television have rarely investigated the market for these programs, a study examined program and marketplace characteristics to determine which contributes most to the successful syndication of…

The viewer's perception of television pictures is different from the perception of pictures generated by other visual media. The research findings on the subject reveal that there are four major areas under which the study of television picture perception can be grouped. The "light through" as opposed to the "light on" theory…

Based on data drawn from a larger study concerning what people learn from television news broadcasts, this paper suggests ways that researchers might conceptualize audience comprehension of television news. Following a review of the information processing literature, the paper analyzes several conceptualizations taken from the literature and…

Based on a review of television's influence on social reality beliefs, a model is proposed to examine how individuals use television to construct such beliefs. Evidence suggests that television has some influence on attitudes related to violence, sex, old age, and family values and structure. Twenty-two references are cited. (Author/MER)

Surveys existing research on televised campaign debates; indicates areas for future research; considers the resources needed to expand and improve current research efforts; and encourages more systematic and sustained inquiry. Notes two compelling needs in terms of resources: an archive containing comprehensive records of media coverage of the…

Research on children and media has generally focused on the negative impact of media on developing minds. However, a theoretical framework is proposed for thinking about the role of television for American children from a developmental perspective. Instead of focusing on television's effects, television viewing can be examined as is any other…

This paper reviews the role of television in the lives of blacks and suggests approaches on how to improve the quality of communication research. Portrayals, exposure patterns, attitudes and motives, and effects of blacks on television are discussed. It is suggested that future research should emphasize interpretive analysis or assessment of the…

Research has shown that producers and consumers of television programs are still uncertain about the nature of the "grammar" or "lexicon" that makes up the language of television. Although attempts have been made in experimental television ("video art"), systematic studies on the idiosyncratic nature, unique features,…

Argues that television has unique educational characteristics that separate it from other media and have implications for teaching and learning. Discussion of distributional and social, control, and symbolic (audiovisual) characteristics is based on published surveys and on research carried out at the Open University. Thirteen references are…

Reviews studies of the relationship between television viewing and children's interest and achievement in reading; points out that the relationship is complex and that further research studies using more sophisticated measures of viewing and reading behavior need to be conducted before conclusions are made. (ET)

Discusses differences between the primary functions of the cerebral hemispheres, notes differences between conscious and subconscious responses of subjects in several research studies, and stresses the need for a whole series of questions (so far largely unasked) about how unconscious meanings are made from media. (GT)

Recent research has focused on the faulty implications emitted by factual television accounts of real events, while television news has been described as a pseudo-reality created from the ongoing flow of events. Furthermore, the convenient metaphorical language of television news often creates images of reality in such a way that the reality and…

There are benefits to be gained by integrating social cognition research with communication research, especially with regard to the effects of television viewing on child development. Social cognition brings innovative theoretical and methodological approaches to the field of communication, permits a more complete characterization of the child in…

A review of research on television's major compositional factors was undertaken to determine the status of such research and to note the major variables involved in the structure of television pictures. It was found that such research could be grouped in four categories--lighting and color, staging, editing, and sound--and that these areas covered…

Presents a literature review that addresses sexism and gender misrepresentation on "Sesame Street," the world's most popular children's television program. Discusses the show's content and the correlation between increased exposure to "Sesame Street" and viewers' changes in attitude and behavior. Suggests the presence of gender…