To determine if children watch adult programs on weekday prime-time television because more suitable age-specific programming is unavailable, a study was conducted to assess children's viewing preferences using a forced-choice instrument. After a pilot study established the validity of the instrument, four popular children's programs were systematically pitted against early prime-time network programs in a questionnaire administered to 308 third and fifth grade students. The overwhelming majority of respondents indicated a preference for their favorite adult programs even when children's programs were available. When a preferred adult program was unavailable to the child, however, the relative appeal of children's programming increased markedly. The results suggest that even popular children's programs would have trouble competing for the child audience against adult programs in prime time. Further, since much weekday afternoon programming is off-network adult television, children's programming would face similar difficulties attracting an audience if scheduled during that time. (FL)