Investigates how the presence of cable television affects parental mediation of television viewing. Finds that children whose homes have cable are exposed to more R and PG movies than their noncable counterparts. Finds little differences in mediation behaviors across pay, basic, and noncable environments. (RS)

Among the findings from a survey of 435 third-through seventh-grade children is that substantial numbers of children watch television news in formats designed for both adults and children, that children believe news is produced to serve a number of different functions, and that they receive different patterns of gratifications from viewing. (GT)

A survey of 148 children revealed that although the majority of children from both low-income and moderate-to-high income backgrounds understood the selling intent of television commercials for cereals, there were significant differences between income groups in children's ability to evaluate the nutritional value of heavily advertised cereals.…

Results of a study conducted with 721 fourth, sixth, and eighth graders were not supportive of the assumed role of children's perceived reality of television in determining the impact of exposure to television on children's social behavior. (GT)

Reports that young children characterized as high or medium news watchers, probably watch the news with their parents, watch more as they grow older, have a fairly good idea of the scope and usefulness of television news, prefer stories about topics appearing in popular entertainment programs, and tend to see television news as being about bad or…

A study of the relationships between television use and political socialization indicated that lower levels of political information and understandings of the workings of government are associated with increased quantities of television viewing, but that positive political attitudes and higher levels of political knowledge are associated with…

Presents brief reports of research conducted in the following areas: media credibility, network television news audiences, influences of television newscasters' on-camera image, Blacks in introductory advertisements, children's television preferences, messages in Depression-era photographs, and journalism education issues covered in two…

Examines the effects of exposure to United States television programs on Icelandic respondents aged 11 through 14, with regard to respondents' attitudes toward the United States and knowledge of United States culture. (GW)

Analyzes research in the area of children and the media and concludes that there is no support for the hypothesis that research questions relating to the subject are cyclical and follow a predictable pattern with the introduction of each new medium into the social system. (FL)

When parents were sent television viewing guides listing (1) programs containing violent or otherwise antisocial behaviors, or (2) programs containing positive, prosocial behaviors, both groups of parents discouraged their children from watching some of the antisocial programs. Viewing guides sent to a third group, listing both antisocial and…

A survey of California intermediate-grade children revealed that Anglo and Hispanic children showed a strong preference for action/adventure shows, while Black children chose situation comedies at more than twice the rate of the other ethnic groups. Other differences were observed between ethnic groups and between sexes within ethnic groups. (GT)