Television programs are a rich source of input for which we can utilize in vocabulary acquisition. With foreign language television programs becoming more accessible globally, there is the possibility to better use this input source for learning. Can we incorporate television viewing into classroom learning (intentional learning)? Or use it as a…

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…

This study examined children's media use (i.e., amount of television and Internet usage) and relationships to children's perceptions of societal threat and personal vulnerability. The sample consisted of 90 community youth aged 7 to 13 years (M = 10.8; 52.2% male) from diverse economic backgrounds. Analyses found children's television use to be…

This chapter explains how the show "The Avengers," a popular British television program with an unusual female lead role, captured the imagination of women viewers in England from 1962 to 1964. After describing the show and then the research project investigating viewers' responses to it, this chapter explores the experience of watching…

Demonstrates that the reason for Zenith's Phonevision's failure was the interweaving of such individual factors as the actions of the regulatory system and the opposition of the broadcast and film industries, along with the internal activities of Zenith and prevailing market conditions. (MS)

Reveals that, although there were no differences in the amount of television watched by high sensation seekers (HSS) or low sensation seekers (LSS), HSS preferred music formats and action-adventure programs, and used television to increase the complexity and arousal in their environment. (SR)

Examines those at the margins of television viewing (self-defined heavy viewers and non-viewers who neither own nor watch television) in order to understand how these groups situate television in their lives. Finds that both populations address themes of motivation, consequences, and importance but choose different actions based on those…

Uses three strategies (dividing cultivation into component subprocesses, testing for an intervening variable, and contingent relationships) for elaborating the cultivation hypothesis. Finds evidence that cultivation effects do exist but that dividing the socialization process does not increase the predictive power of the cultivation hypothesis.…

Investigates videocassette recorder (VCR) use in Hong Kong, finding that the VCR does not compete with cinema-going and television viewing, but complements these activities. Confirms research in Western nations regarding VCR use. (SR)

Examines the relationship between well-educated, upper middle-class retirees and their retirement community in the development of discourse that influences television program choices and discussion of content. Finds interest in living in the present, a preference for quality television, and an insistence on "serious" leisure urge residents toward…

Finds that use of new television technologies (cable television, videocassette recorders, and remote control devices) had an impact on receiving, pass-the-time, and companionship gratifications from television viewing. Shows that instrumental viewing motives, television exposure, and receiving informational gratifications from television viewing…

Examines adolescents' television viewing motives, activities, and satisfaction, in an attempt to integrate the audience activity construct into the uses and gratifications model. Suggests that more strongly motivated viewers engage more actively in various audience activities throughout the viewing process and receive greater viewing satisfaction…

Surveys 197 respondents to measure leisure-time activities. Analyzes four different TV groups to look for group differences in two types of channel repertoire: broadcast channel repertoire (BCR) and cable channel repertoire (CCR). Finds differences among groups for CCR but none for BCR. Supports the idea that people who are active in general tend…

Like other industries, television has its own version of the used-car dealership or second-hand store: off-network syndication. Since researchers who study television have rarely investigated the market for these programs, a study examined program and marketplace characteristics to determine which contributes most to the successful syndication of…

Deregulation of the cable industry has been based largely on the assumption of existing diversity and competition and on the promise of promoting diversity within the industry. To test this assumption, a study examined levels of channel diversity for a sample of cable systems at three stages of the deregulation process. A random sample of 326…