Based on the pattern of "the pitch" (Hi/Trust Me/You Need/Hurry/Buy), this sequence of questions can be used to focus on the "skeleton" underneath the surface variations of radio and television commercials, and newspaper and magazine ads. The five questions, which include evaluation criteria, are as follows: (1) What attention-getting techniques…

Watching television is not necessarily a bad habit, and when parents monitor their children's viewing habits, it can prove educational. Ways parents might teach their children to view television programs and commercials critically are suggested. (JL)

Notes the correlation between television-viewing habits and children's level of creativity, aggressiveness, and social skills. Highlights better quality programming, noting that most of it is on cable rather than network television. Cautions against the less controllable factors such as commercials and "teasers" for other programs and movies. (HTH)

Four reproducible pages containing activities to help children understand the effect of television, to question what they watch, to study how they use television, and to explore aural and visual awareness. (MT)

This document presents the results of a mandated study of commercialism in the schools carried out by Washington State's Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The study was prompted by the issues surrounding Channel One, a 12-minute televised news program designed for secondary school students that includes 2 minutes of commercials.…

Recognizing the proliferation of persuasive language in advertising and in politics, this guide explains how to analyze political language for its persuasive techniques and why it is important to do so. The first chapter of the book provides a rationale for analyzing persuasion, and an overview of the book. The remaining chapters explore various…

This digest addresses problems associated with children's excessive viewing of television programs and commercials and provides suggestions to help parents guide their children's television viewing. Children who watch television 3 to 5 hours a day have little time for other activities such as play, reading, and talking with others. Excessive…

This ERIC digest addresses problems associated with children's excessive viewing of television programs and commercials and provides suggestions to help parents guide their children's television viewing. Children who watch television 3 to 5 hours a day have little time for other activities such as play, reading, and talking with others. Excessive…

This ERIC digest addresses problems associated with children's excessive viewing of television programs and commercials and provides suggestions to help parents guide their children's television viewing. Children who watch television 3 to 5 hours a day have little time for other activities such as play, reading, and talking with others. Excessive…

Although it is impossible to know in advance the credibility of political messages, such persuasive discourse can be analyzed in a non-partisan, common sense way using predictable patterns in content and form. The content of a candidate's message can be summarized as "I am competent and trustworthy; from me, you'll get 'more good' and 'less…

Presents a list of possible lecture topics on propaganda in advertising and a list of the kinds of propaganda used, particularly in television advertising. (HTH)

Assorted techniques are offered for introducing authentic German video into the intermediate language curriculum. Television commercials, weather forecasts, and news programs are described as tools for enhancing listening comprehension and expanding students' cultural awareness. Various preparatory activities and follow-up assignments are…

Discusses the use of Chinese-language television commercials from Taiwan in intermediate courses on Chinese as a foreign language. Television commercials have been found to be stimulating aural, visual, and cultural input that can provide intermediate learners with interesting, even provocative, topics to discuss. (11 references) (MDM)

This workshop kit consists of: (1) "Leader's Guide"; (2) "Handout Masters"; (3) special issue of the journal "Media & Values" on the theme "Children and Television: Growing Up in a Media World"; (4) "From Awareness to Action: Media Literacy for the '90s," a booklet on the basics of media literacy. The kit is designed for a four-part study of the…

This updated version of a 1977 manual provides information about the television industry, communications regulations, and citizen recourse to improper broadcasting procedures for use in training Parent Teacher Association (PTA) volunteers to work for effective change within the television industry. The first section discusses the operations of the…