Discusses research suggesting that television viewing contributes to negative attitudes and low levels of knowledge about older people. Using the same data set and measurements, concludes that the effect of television viewing on knowledge and attitudes about older people is small and restricted to younger people. (NRB)

Analyzed images of aging presented in five television programs of 1989 most watched by the elderly: "Murder, She Wrote,""The Golden Girls,""Matlock,""Jake and the Fatman," and "In the Heat of the Night." Reveals earlier stereotypes of the elderly have been replaced by more positive stereotypes of them as powerful, affluent, healthy, active,…

Compares Japanese and American television programs most often watched by children and evaluates frequency and quality of portrayal of older characters. American television was found to portray older characters more frequently and more positively than Japanese television. (NRB)