This paper is concerned with the recent developments in federal and state legislation regarding cable franchises and their effect on the establishment of a statewide distance learning network. It begins with an overview of recent legislation regarding cable regulations and presents issues regarding distance education. These include linking cable…

When there is something we want to know, we usually ask experts, but rarely do we ask children about their own childhood. This paper looks at children's perceptions and responses in relation to programming on children's television. Topics include: (1) what are children's programs?; (2) when do children become adults?; (3) criteria for quality; (4)…

The public's reaction to the television film "The Day After" demonstrates that when television responsibly and sensitively presents a controversial yet thought-provoking issue, an educational and enlightening experience can result. The film was developed and produced by ABC Motion Pictures to inspire debate and discussion about the…

Television is widely used in Ontario (Canada) public schools and is appreciated for making teaching more effective. Yet studies on the effectiveness of television as a learning tool outside of the classroom are ambivalent: many have claimed television to have a negative effect on learning, while others show neutral or moderately positive effects.…

The Television section of the proceedings contains the following 10 papers: "Financial Commitment and Performance in Local Television News: Applying the Industrial Organizational Model" (Angela Powers); "The Relationship between Censorship and the Emotional and Critical Tone of Television News Coverage of the Persian Gulf War"…

A study was conducted to identify family characteristics and media use patterns associated with subscription to various types of cable television services. Parent interviews, week-long television viewing diaries, and children's Peabody Picture Vocabulary test scores for 237 children, aged three or five years, were subjected to stepwise…

Critics of higher education complain that universities and broadcast television fail to meet the needs of adult learners. The creation by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in 1979 of a project in adult learning was an attempt to make both television and educators more responsive to adult learners. However, the result of this project and…

Television politics, emphasizing emotions over rational decision making, has been accused of warping the political process, especially in the election of the president. In the incomplete medium--the collection of dots--that is television, the viewer completes the circle of communication, filling in the image with his or her own attitudes. The…

A study analyzed the features of nonstandard English spoken on television during the hours when children are most likely to be watching. A grammatical analysis of the speech of 150 television characters revealed that, in general, television presented a homogenized version of nonstandard English. The relative frequency of usage of nonstandard…

Thirty-five books and articles about television and sex roles that were published between l954 and l983 are listed in this annotated bibliography. Among the topics covered in the articles and books are female stereotypes, the influence of television on children's perception of sex roles, a survey and summary of the research on sex roles and mass…

Existing theory suggests that women in the premenstrual and menstrual phases of their hormonal cycle would select and enjoy nonarousing television programs, sucy as nonhostile comedy and game shows, and would avoid action drama and hostile and arousing programs. To test this theory, female undergraduates from telecommunications and journalism…

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…

A study focused on audience selectivity and involvement before and during television exposure. Two types of selectivity were considered: program selection before exposure and changing channels while viewing. The study included four indications of audience involvement: intentionality, or anticipating TV viewing; attention or focused cognitive…

This report analyzes the number of women working in the following six decision making jobs in prime time television: (1) executive producer; (2) supervising producer; (3) producer; (4) co-producer; (5) writer; and (6) director. The women who hold these positions are able to influence the portrayal of women on television as well as to improve the…

Adapted from a series of 20 monthly columns which originally appeared in Highlights for Children, Inc.'s "Newsletter of Parenting," the material in this booklet explores: (1) ways in which television influences viewers; (2) what television teaches; and (3) some positive aspects of television. It also suggests activities for parents which…