Designed to indicate the reasons behind viewer program preferences, this 32nd report of an annual opinion poll presents the results of a survey which asked 914 participants to evaluate 3,584 television programs they liked, did not like, and/or to evaluate new programs. Tables summarize the reasons why programs were selected by viewers, their…

A study was conducted to explore the hypothesis that heavy television viewing, particularly the viewing of a great deal of violence, cultivates certain misconceptions about social reality. Four counties in Florida were selected for the study on the basis of geographical location and amount of violent crime. Survey questionnaires were administered…

Concludes that adolescent aggression increases with perceived reality of television violence. (FL)

This study examined female adolescent characters portrayed in over 200 episodes of 19 prime time television programs aired in the spring of 1988, and analyzed the messages these programs conveyed about education and work. It was found that although adolescent girls outnumbered adolescent boys on prime time television, these female characters were…

Designed to indicate the reasons behind viewer program preferences, this report presents results of a survey which asked 1,576 television viewers (monitors) to evaluate programs they liked, did not like, and/or new programs. Tables summarize the findings for why programs were chosen, their technical quality, content realism, overall quality, and…

Argues that there is no principled way to distinguish between the language used in the television program "Scared Straight" and that used by comedian George Carlin on radio station WBAI-FM, ruled indecent by the Supreme Court in "FCC v. Pacifica Foundation." (FL)

Analyzes sex-role portrayals in various childrens' educational television programs and reveals numerous models of sex-role inequity. (MH)

As part of a research program designed to facilitate the development of innovative television programing as well as programing that reaches unserved or underserved audiences, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting commissioned an evaluation of one 30-minute episode of the dramatic series, "Oye Willie," which features a Puerto Rican…

Examines the portrayal of intimate sexual behavior on soap operas and concludes that soap operas have more sexual content than do prime-time programs, but the types of intimacies differ. Notes that soap operas are potentially a major force in the transmission of values and sexual information to youthful viewers. (PD)

Assesses the extent and nature of sexual behavior in daytime soap operas. Concludes that soap operas can be assumed to be presenting a distorted picture of sexual behavior in America, particularly in the ratio of married to unmarried sexual behavior. Suggests that steady viewing may influence young viewers' attitudes and values. (PD)

Annual progress report sums up findings suggesting that fear and inequity may be television's most pervasive lessons. 1978 Index shows violence up in children's hours. (PD)

Examples from the data of a study of television programing for adolescents in Sweden illustrate some of the differences in the ways programs address their male and female viewers. Whereas boy and girl characters in television programs are roughly equal in number, the distribution changes when only leading roles are considered. A marked imbalance…

Elaborates on the cultivation hypothesis: that heavy television viewers incorporate biases present in television content into their own constructions of reality. Suggests that the integration of discrete television events into social reality beliefs requires cognitive skills not available to or unused by younger children. (JMF)

Examines the relationship in adolescents between exposure to various types of television programs and measures of achievement. Supports a differential viewing hypothesis and a displacement of time hypothesis as explanations for the relationship. Indicates no adverse academic achievement affect from television viewing until viewing exceeds 10 hours…

Any attempt to gain insight into the effects of television on the viewing public must also include an assessment of the amount and patterns of viewing by the various segments of the general population. This fourth volume of technical reports to the Scientific Advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior attempts to provide a new picture of…