News media literacy refers to the knowledge and motivations needed to identify and engage with journalism. This study measured levels of news media literacy among 500 teenagers using a new scale measure based on Potter's model of media literacy and adapted to news media specifically. The adapted model posits that news media literate individuals…

In the fall of 2008, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) commissioned a research study comparing the college access provider resources in Virginia to the access and academic achievement needs of the state. That study--conducted by researchers from the College of William and Mary and West Carolina University--resulted in the…

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…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's museums. Museums for America (MFA) is the largest IMLS grant program for museums; it supports institutions by investing in high-priority, high-value activities that are clearly linked to the institution's strategic plan and enhance its value to…

Although circulation of public television increased because of cable's extension, the amount of public television viewing as a portion of total TV use fell. This decrease follows no strong pattern of market characteristic, dial position, day part, or age of viewer, but does relate to the kinds of available competition. (MER)

Reports a survey of the role and function of French television announcers. Possibilities for increasing the personalization, naturalness, and efficiency in communications between announcer and audience are explored. (RAO)

Survey results revealed a curious paradox: people who saw both the debates between local candidates and the presidential debates were more influenced by the local debates and perceived the local debates as more informative; however, they also saw the presidential debates as more interesting and influential. (PD)

This investigation considered description, association, and inference regarding television viewing patterns and motivations of aging persons. Among its findings, this study concluded that television--aside from its important role in disseminating information and entertainment--also functions to occupy idle time and to fill a companionship vacuum…

Children's Television Workshop recently commissioned a nationwide survey in which 736 teachers in grades 3 through 6 were asked how they access and present educational programing in their classrooms. Teachers use educational television, and they prefer 15- to 30-minute shows that focus on a single topic. (MLF)

Describes results of a survey of 225 parents that assessed patterns of television-related interaction, viewing habits, and perceptions. Topics include motivations and implications of mediation versus coviewing; and a typology of mediation patterns that includes nonmediation, optimists, and selectives. (Author/LRW)

This is an annual report on violence in prime-time television. The tabulations, based on 13 weeks of monitoring prime-time programs on three networks, indicate a decline in violence by 24% and a decline in the rate per hour of dramatic violence to 1.9 incidents per hour since last season. The study also indicated that the introduction of the…

An international inventory was made to determine the composition of television programs, particularly from the point of view of program material exported to a country outside. A survey was also made of the international networks for sales and exchanges of program material for broadcast. A report of these studies includes the scope and methods of…

Uses discriminant analysis to investigate the relationship between television non-viewing and a set of variables reflecting "life style." This study agrees with previous ones in finding that the nonviewer is not easy to categorize. (MER)

A mail survey of commercial television stations nationwide was conducted to determine if stations as a whole are accepting program length commercials (whose airing was deregulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1984). Sales managers at 482 of 769 commercial television stations responded to the questionnaire. Results indicated…

A study examined the impact of viewing context on the evaluation of televised content, specifically whether viewers of the final episode of M*A*S*H who watched it at a party evaluated it differently from those who watched it in their usual manner. A group of 181 students, categorized according to the viewing context, were asked to rate program…