To parallel a study done by Schramm, Lyle and Parker (1961), data were gathered from first, sixth, and tenth grade students about television viewing during a week in early May, 1970. Results of analyses of the data suggest several points: Compared to children in the same age group ten years ago, children are spending more time watching television;…

The development of cable television (CATV) requires more decisionmaking by local communities than other relatively new technologies. The nature of CATV and its potential influence on the immediate community demands that local interests--business, government, community groups, and individuals--have a voice in shaping the terms of the community's…

The Adult Learning Program Service (ALPS) is proposed by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It is an effort to involve public television in providing needed educational services to adults who have never completed high school but who have at least a sixth-grade reading level capability. STRIVE is the first in a series of projects. Its…

Two studies conducted at the University of London tested children's comprehension when viewing a continuous television program and compared their comprehension of stories read on television and by a classroom teacher, to discover whether comprehension is improved by appropriate teaching, and to obtain children's views on television and…

This issue of the Canadian journal "Transition," in French and English language versions, examines the impact of television viewing and programming on family life. Major articles in this issue are: (1) "Virtual Unreality: Television, Families and Communities in the Nineties" (Alan Mirabelli), describes the isolating influence…

"Sesame Street," 30-years-old in 1999, is possibly the most influential program in children's educational television. This book collects and synthesizes key research studies since the program's inception, describing the processes by which educational content and research are integrated into production, reviewing major studies of the…

Describes a study of the effects of violence on elementary students which used the television program Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and found increased aggression which parents should be concerned about. Offers suggestions for parents and teachers, including taking action against violent programming, utilizing technology which bans unwanted…

Describes a study conducted in the United Kingdom that assessed recall and comprehension scores of elementary and secondary school children following the viewing of two prime-time science television programs. Predictor variables including age, sex, linguistic fluency, prior television viewing, and reading habits were investigated. (Contains 13…

Maintains that, with an average national television viewing time of more than seven hours daily, the prevalence of violence in broadcasts is a serious concern. Summarizes research on the effects of television violence on children. Includes eight suggested student activities to develop critical media skills. (CFR)

Provides an overview of articles included in this issue that address automatic evaluation of public service announcements about AIDS that are aimed at high-risk, low-literacy individuals; how children construe television programs; the concept of quality in broadcasting; and the use of video for inservice teacher training. (LRW)

Television situation comedies have been criticized for their portrayal of dysfunctional family behavior. An exploratory content analysis study assessed the extent of relationship-enhancing communication skills in family-oriented, prime-time situation comedies, a genre frequently targeted for both scorn and praise. Three episodes each of five shows…

This theme issue explores the behavior of teenagers. "Are the Kids Alright?" (Ish Theilheimer) develops a perspective on the subject of teen behavior, noting that a growing number of young people demonstrate discontent, alienation, aggression, violence, and antisocial behavior, and that a growing underclass of children is likely to fail.…

The Media Management and Economics section of the proceedings contains the following 11 papers: "Umbrella Competition among Daily Newspapers: A Case Study of the St. Louis, MO-IL MSA" (Michael Zhaoxu Yan); "Diversity and the Economics of Television: Why the Prime Time Access Rule Has Given Us 25 Years of the Same Old Thing"…

Support for student learning during distance education experiences is often provided by local site facilitators or tutors. The University of Utah has utilized rural master special education teachers as local site facilitators to assist faculty with various aspects of distance education in its teacher education program. Recently, distance site…

While the influence of television on reading has only been minimally researched, it is obvious that the more television watching children do, the less time is spent on reading. Over 10 years, the cumulative effects of television viewing can be devastating. Watching television is a passive, receptive activity. Children also watch MTV, rent movies,…