Discusses the availability of research on the makeup of audiences for public television as well as the need for and uses of such data. The public television audience is characterized as generally the well-educated, affluent minority. (JMF)

Data analysis from television-viewing surveys suggests that people are not "glued to the box." Rather, the level of repeat-viewing of television--about 60 percent--suggests that television fills the gap between other activities and that the reason people watch television is that they have "so much time to kill." (PD)

Discusses the capabilities of three qualitative television rating systems and possible application of resulting data by public television. (JMF)

Results indicate that hearing-impaired students watched more television, expressed more affinity toward the medium, and were more likely to perceive it as depicting reality than did their hearing counterparts. (PD)

Examines the 1978-79 prime time television season on the three major networks to determine the frequency and portrayal of sex. Results were compared with data from the 1975 and 1977 seasons and demonstrate an increased frequency of references to physically intimate and sexual behaviors. (JMF)

Reports the results of two sets of large-scale national studies on the effectiveness of television as a means of acquiring news information. Concludes that those who derive news information from television have less comprehension of events and issues reported than do those who obtain information from other sources. (SG)

Applies the Gerbner, et al, theory of television "mainstreaming" to political orientations. Analyzes survey data to show the political attitudes of heavy, medium, and light TV viewers. Suggests new ways of thinking about television and the formation of political perspectives. (PD)

Examines the distribution of age roles in prime-time and weekend daytime (children's) network television drama. Analyzes the content of program samples and survey data on attitudes and opinions to determine how conceptions of social reality are affected by television viewing habits. (JMF)

Discusses the problems of evaluating the ability of public television to perform a teaching role. (JMF)

Studies the effects of the visual component of television news upon viewer recall of content. Asserts that story brevity, background information scarcity, and the combination of visual and verbal information in television news militate against learning by viewers. Concludes that visual elements tend to be more memorable than verbal ones. (SG)

Discovers that having cable television in the house may result in more viewing sanctions as well as more unsanctioned viewing for children, although younger children receive more parental attention to their television viewing whether or not they have access to cable. (PRA)