Describes how values are portrayed on prime-time network television. Looks at the prominence of values incidents in a story line and at how fully the values are explained. Examines how values incidents are structured and linked. Concludes that values incidents play an integral, if not principal, role in television programs. (RS)

Shows that greater exposure to TV entertainment content is associated with beliefs that African Americans enjoy a relatively higher socioeconomic positions with respect to average income, social class, and educational achievement, whereas higher exposure to TV news was associated with perceptions that, in comparison with whites, African Americans…

Investigates the short-term consequences of discrepant information between the commercial message and the parent's evaluation of the product advertised and concludes that all forms of counter-influence fail when a product is made to appear highly attractive. (MH)

Analyzed television programing to determine how recent medical research trends are covered on network television. Found, for example, that the portrayal of illnesses did not reflect today's medical problems. Comments on implications for the general public who receive the bulk of their knowledge about medical trends from television. (PD)

Concluded that the children in this study (ages 10-14) played video games in arcades for some of the same reasons they watched television: (1) escape; (2) a sense of personal involvement in the action; and (3) a source of or substitute for companionship. (PD)

Examines the relationship between exposure to soap operas and perceptions about people and events in real life. Concludes that exposure to soap operas was found to relate to college students' perception of the numbers of professionals (lawyers, doctors, business people) and problems (divorce, illegitimacy, abortions, crimes, etc.) in real life.…

Reviews the history of the most widely used device for measuring mass media audience reactions. Notes that competition and the expensive media environment have led communication scholars and policymakers to a revived interest in this device and qualitative audience measurement. (PD)

Examines the perceptions of elderly viewers about the usefulness of television commercials in making consumer decisions. Variables considered include frequency of viewing, as well as education, race, age, sex, occupation, and income of viewers. Differences in education levels and income seem to be more important than age group. (JMF)

Argues that the thinking behind three legislative proposals intended to protect children from the harmful effects of TV violence is fundamentally flawed. Analyzes a composite week of television programming. Finds that many children watch television after 9 P.M., and the lowest percentages of punishment for aggressive acts and major consequences to…

Investigates differences observed among German students regarding amount of television viewing. Finds a significant negative effect of need for cognition on viewing amount. Interprets this as a manifestation of individual-psychological escapism in which the lower viewers' need for cognition is, the less pleasant they feel when they have nothing to…

Describes a continuing research program concerned with what U.S. preschoolers look at on television and how often they watch and notes implications for the production of television material for young children. (MH)

Outlines a study designed to determine if adult interpretive comments significantly influence children's attitudes towards television entertainment programs and the amount of information learned. (MH)

Examines attempts to provide cultural programing on cable in the early 1980s. Identifies misconceptions about television's cultural audience and suggests limits on the model of "narrowcasting." Indicates that the basic factor for the commercial shortfall of the cultural networks was their striking inability to attract viewers. (JD)

Examines the distribution of age roles in prime-time and weekend daytime (children's) network television drama. Analyzes the content of program samples and survey data on attitudes and opinions to determine how conceptions of social reality are affected by television viewing habits. (JMF)

Presents a study testing the hypothesis that more conservative values are a function of exposure to televised sports. Conservatism is used as a criterion variable to represent a composite score of other political values studies including authoritarianism, nationalism, value restraint/need-determined expression, equalitarianism, individualism and…