Effects of the importance of plot-relevant information on 4- to 6-year-old children's memory for four televised stories was examined in two experiments. Free recall and cued recall of idea units rated for importance by college students were assessed. Recognition following failed cued recall was also assessed. (Author/BN)

Considers how definitions of teaching and learning have informed educational broadcasters' rationales for their work and how these are manifested in the textual strategies of specific programs. A theoretical framework for accounting for the ways educational television seeks to implicate its viewers in the learning process is then developed. (RP)

Identifies and analyzes messages related to food and eating behavior as presented on prime time television programing and commercials. Finds that food references occur an average of 4.8 times per 30 minutes and that over half of all food references were for low nutrient beverages and sweets, which is inconsistent with healthy dietary guidelines.…

Examines two issues: whether different modes of presentation used by communication media require their own unique brand of literacy, and whether the consequences of one kind of literacy, e.g., television literacy and all of its skill components, may affect those of another kind. (MBR)

Reports on an experiment that examined the independent effects of television content (violence) and television formal features (action) on preschool boys' attention to programs and their postviewing social behavior. Shows rapid character action facilitated visual attention to the programs and that television action level had no systematic effects…

This study explored traits that adult television audience members perceived to be linked to positive and negative portrayals of women on television, and whether respondents' gender is linked to perception differences. Contemporary criteria for evaluating positive and negative images were linked to most responses. No significant gender differences…

Reviews literature on pronutrition messages in children's commercials and describes a study involving children ages 3 to 14 to test the effectiveness of incorporating health information disclosures into actual television commercials for highly sugared cereal and candy products. Results indicate most children were able to recall and make sense of…

Investigated the role of television as a medium for communicating environmental information to the general public by determining the influence of a Cousteau documentary on viewer knowledge and attitudes and to assess changes in those characteristics over time. Survey form used is included in an appendix. (ML)

Examines various technological and artistic developments in the area of television production via their potential effects on viewers' comprehension and appreciation of televised programs. Developments in television equipment are reviewed, special effects and computer graphics are discussed, and future predictions and suggestions are presented. (47…

Discusses questions of central importance to researchers interested in educational computing, namely long-range, cumulative effects of computer use; cumulative effects on cognition, emotion, and behavior; identification, conceptualization, and study of computers' capabilities carrying the most educational promise; transfer of learning; and…

Describes a survey of U.S. public television programers which identified 11 factors perceived as important in making programing decisions; however, it was found that about 70 percent of total variance was explained by five of the factors: audience measures, personal feedback, program strategy, station resources, and intuition. The questionnaire is…

Decribes age trends in television viewing time and visual attention of children and adults videotaped in their homes for 10-day periods. Shows that the increase in visual attention to television during the preschool years is consistent with the theory that television program comprehensibility is a major determinant of attention in young children.…

Examines major issues and problems for research on television and its effects on children through a critical discussion of Cullingford's book, "Children and Television," which focuses on ways in which children learn and what they learn from television. (MBR)

This study explored patterns of pastime activities that stand as alternatives to television viewing among middle school children. Findings are compared with those of Robinson's study (1981) for alternative media, video games, and sleeping variables, as well as dichotomous measures for group membership, playing a musical instrument, and hobbies.…

One week's network programing was recorded in 1987 to determine character incidence by sex, age, minority group membership, and other variables. Results showed significant changes since the 1950s in the treatment of minority group members but little change in the incidence or nature of portrayals of women. (DM)