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)

Examines the soap opera world by analyzing the conversation and relationship to real-life conversation. Reveals that soap operas provide a subtle blending of the real and the not-real, but that part of the reality lies within the conversation: the relationships of conversants, their topics, and conversational styles. (PD)

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)

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)

Describes patterns of exposure and motivation of adolescent sample group. Correlates findings with race, gender, involvement with peers, attitude toward school, and other personal circumstances. (MS)

Studied the nuances of perceived media bias by examining the television reporting of the 1976 Presidential election campaign by comparing the adjudged positivity of the facial expressions of network anchorpersons as they named or referred to either of the two candidates. (JMF)

Examines the perceptions of elderly viewers about the usefulness of television commercials in making consumer decisions. Variables considered include frequency of viewing, as well as education, race, age, sex, occupation, and income of viewers. Differences in education levels and income seem to be more important than age group. (JMF)

Discusses children as television viewers capable of manipulating the co-viewing setting by interpreting, constructing, and carrying out planned lines of play in relation to television and its content. Examples illustrate program-oriented and free-form improvisational play situations. (JMF)

Examines the differences between Japanese and U.S. television in portrayal of violence. Concludes that while the amount of violence on Japanese television does not differ noticeably from that on American television, the nature of Japanese violence differs with much greater emphasis on suffering and the consequences of violence. (JMF)

Reviews the literature from 1950 to 1978 on public and commercial broadcast television and deaf people. Concludes that deaf and hearing impaired individuals watch as much television as hearing persons, that research on program preferences of the deaf is contradictory, and that, properly captioned, television serves an important information…

Traces the conception, development and formulation of the Family Viewing Plan and contends that Family Viewing represents an important step in the evolution of industrial self-regulation in the public interest. (MH)

Investigates the legal issue of whether the FCC has authority to adopt a rule or policy embodying the family viewing concept. (MH)

Examines attempts to provide cultural programing on cable in the early 1980s. Identifies misconceptions about television's cultural audience and suggests limits on the model of "narrowcasting." Indicates that the basic factor for the commercial shortfall of the cultural networks was their striking inability to attract viewers. (JD)

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)

Cites excerpts from the Keynote address to the Joint Foundation Conference whose purpose was to formulate guidelines for future research on the role of television in the lives of young people. (MH)