Empowering children for a critical and judicious use and consumption of media is a main objective of media literacy. This paper aims to examine the range of television programs available for children in Portugal through a comparative analysis of the programming for children broadcast by the four Portuguese terrestrial channels (RTP1, RTP2, SIC and…

For nearly four decades, Sesame Workshop has brought the joy of learning to the world's youngest citizens through the introduction of locally-produced coproductions of the preschool television series, "Sesame Street". Many of these television shows have been specifically designed to forward important prosocial messages directly linked to…

Tests recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling that marketplace forces will provide sufficient high quality broadcast programing. Finds that in the period 1981 to 1983, the amount of children's programing actually declined on commercial television stations and increased slightly on public broadcasting stations. Notes that cable…

This study examines the messages presented by fictional characters during the family hour, later prime time, and Saturday morning television in the 1975-76 season. Demographic variables of program attributes include type of program--family or medical drama, situation comedy, or action-crime; attributes investigated for the fictional characters…

Discusses a study to determine if anticipatory reactions contribute significantly to children's television-viewing behavior. Four form complexity variables (set, shot, verbal interaction, and modal complexity) and two visual/verbal interaction variables (congruence and independence) are studied using groups of children 4 to 5 years old and 7 1/2…

The intent of this document has been to provide a synthesis of the status of research on children's television that could be used as an information base for planning purposes. An outline or hierarchy of critical television research topics which need further investigation has been compiled from an analysis of major reference documents and personal…

Children's attention to television, measured by visual attention and by self-reports, varied in this study depending on the comprehensibility of the content. Results suggest, however, that comprehensibility may be of limited value in explaining older children's active television viewing. (PD)

The Federal Communications Commission is currently considering modifying or eliminating existing media ownership rules. Children's advocates are concerned that any changes to these rules could negatively affect the already limited amount and types of programming available for children. Children Now conducted the first study to examine the…

This study involved a content analysis of 25 episodes of "Barney and Friends," a popular children's television series by the Public Broadcasting System (PBS). The study examined the literacy elements of "Barney and Friends" through the perspectives of emergent literacy theories. The purposes of the study were: (1) to find out…

Following a content analysis, 85 children's programs were assigned a pacing index derived from the following criteria: (1) frequency of camera cuts; (2) frequency of related scene changes; (3) frequency of unrelated scene changes; (4) frequency of auditory changes; (5) percentage of active motion; (6) percentage of active talking; and (7)…

Describes research undertaken to determine third- and fifth-grade children's television viewing preferences in a choice of adult or children's television shows. Two studies were carried out: (1) distribution of a forced choice questionnaire, and (2) showing of an edited videotape introduction to shows listed in the questionnaire. (SW)

This study briefly reviews the findings of Scandinavian research on children and television in the socialization process. Viewing habits of children, their social situations, and the breakdown of various viewer groups are explored. The interactive nature of television programs that seek active responses from children are discussed, as well as…

This study utilizing data obtained from 695 kindergarten-aged children was designed to examine the effects of "Sesame Street" in a multi-variate framework, and to develop production functions showing contributions to be derived from the production function paradigm, especially the possible results of mixing television viewing with…

Results of this study indicate that violent content in comic cartoon programs is recognized as violent by children, and not regarded as merely humorous. (Author/STS)

Examines first- , third- , and sixth-grade children's abilities to discriminate between the reality and fantasy of television programs. Lengthy clinical interviews were conducted with each of 36 children, including viewing and discussion of 12 videotaped program segments. (SW)