Examined the effects of an audiovisual distractor on the visual attention paid to TV by preschool children characterized as distractible. The effectiveness of an audiovisual distractor eliciting a head turn from the TV was diminished when TV viewing had been maintained for at least 15 seconds. (PCB)

Examines the current state of empirical research on religious television, discusses some of the implicit difficulties in exploring this phenomenon and its viewership, and suggests avenues for future research. (MS)

Profiles the educational background of working broadcast journalists in the metropolitan area of Minneapolis-St.Paul, Minnesota. Notes that a high percentage of broadcast journalists hold college degrees, yet a sizable majority do not have degrees in journalism. Comments on the substantial differences between radio and television journalists,…

Examines the locally produced programing on independent television stations and concludes that such programing averages only about 3.6 hours a week and is declining. (FL)

Concludes that major market local television newscasts include substantial doses of helplessness, most of it at extreme levels. Specifically, members of the general public are often presented as helpless, and, by implication, so are television viewers. (FL)

Some effects that television viewing has had on children are described, and ways for parents to regain control of the television are suggested. (MT)

Reports on the perceptions of "Roots" among a nationally representative sample of black Americans. Examines viewing patterns and reactions to "Roots" in relation to seven variables: urbanicity, region, gender, age, education, and income. Suggests that, for Blacks, "Roots" was more than entertainment, and that heaviest…

Surveys of television consumption by 364 gifted children (4-13 years old) and their parents and 386 nongifted children and their parents revealed that gifted children typically watched less televsion than nongifted Ss and the pattern of television consumption differed as well. Parents of gifted children used television less as a reward or…

Describes the use of cable television for social service presentations to serve the community and enhance the status of the profession. Four areas are discussed: information and referral, education and prevention, programs for special groups, and community organization issues. (JAC)

Analyzes the impact of televised ceremonies (such as the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana) as "media events" which allow viewers to vicariously enter into the ceremony. Compares them with cult movies that, over repeated viewing, encourage audience "participation." Focuses on the narrator's/commentator's role in shaping…

Concludes that, while group ownership of newspapers and television stations continues to grow, common ownership of a station and a newspaper in the same market is declining. (FL)

Senior scientific advisers to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) report on television and behavior respond to criticism of that report by officials of the American Broadcasting Companies (ABC). (GC)

Calls for learning-effective research to determine the degree of desired learning that results from the use of instructional strategies facilitated by instructional television (ITV) materials. (Author/ER)

Discusses IBA (Independent Broadcasting Authority) television programing and reports on a new radio course for adults from the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) in Great Britain. (ER)

Discusses the uses of electronic news gathering (ENG) and the degree to which it is accepted by various television stations. (Author/ER)