In the distance education program at Vincennes University, a business education class was delivered to an adult workplace class, high school seniors two hours away, and 25 traditional college students on campus. The two distant audiences adapted well to the technology and performed better than the traditional group. Faculty had mixed reactions to…

Studies visual discourses and visual modes of viewer engagement structuring negative political commercials. Finds that, using strategies of pictorial direct address and pictorial narrative, texts construct their visual arguments by creating ambiguity around the natural versus symbolic status of pictorial expression. Shows how pictorial realism can…

Examines biographies of talk show host and producer Oprah Winfrey in which conventional narratives construct a token "Oprah" persona whose story reinforces the ideology of the American Dream, implying its accessibility to black Americans despite barriers inherent in a racist society. Develops theories of tokenism, biography,…

Two hundred students majoring in education responded to the Validation of Effective Behaviors of Distance Instructors Inventory. The 41 items measured 2 dimensions: frequency and importance of effective behaviors in delivering distance education. Analysis suggested that the behaviors of interactive television instructors may be lacking in two…

Examines factors that may influence future ties between television networks and their affiliate stations. Surveys by mail affiliate general managers for the three commercial networks, asking programming questions and questions about level of loyalty to the networks. Finds that organization factors appear to be more essential in network-affiliate…

Notes that "Reading Rainbow"'s third annual contest for young writers and illustrators will be held from January-April 1997; it is administered primarily through local PBS stations which hold their own contests and submit winners to "Reading Rainbow." States that children in grades K-3 should submit a story and at least five…

A survey examined the effectiveness of two long-running Nigerian agricultural programs on television and radio as perceived by 198 farmers. Results indicate a positive assessment of their value for improving agricultural production. Although more listen to the radio, the television program also received high marks. (Contains 17 references.) (JOW)

Describes the how school districts use closed circuit television (CCTV) surveillance to improve school safety. Discusses technological improvements in CCTV, including digital imagery. Provides examples of CCTV use in several school districts. (PKP)

Describes how forensic science programs have boomed as students decide they want to be just like the stars of "The X-Files" and "CSI." (EV)

The television technology program at Birchland Park Middle School in Massachusetts is a multimedia exploratory course that shows the interaction of technology and daily lives. (JOW)

Explores Jewish American identity from a communication theory of identity perspective. Analyzes six episodes of the television program "Northern Exposure" for their representation of Jewish American identity, and explains how the episodes were then shown to 26 Jewish Americans. Notes that the study focused on a communal representation of this…

Examines changes in network news production. Finds that, since 1969, emphasis on serious news has continued. Finds the emphasis on news anchors may have diminished slightly. (RS)

A federal grant has been awarded to develop and test a prototype device to make closed-captioned television available to deaf-blind people. The Braille TeleCaption System, with output available in braille and large print, is currently being tested. Such new technology makes real-time viewing of news, weather, and entertainment accessible to…

Examined scenes taken from eight seasons of prime-time television programs beginning in 1976 which depicted incidents involving youth and drinking. Scenes were evaluated as to their appropriateness with respect to youth and alcohol. Results indicated that young people were seldom seen drinking, with the exception of troubled youths. Suggestions…

Argues that, in terms of demography of attention, broadcast economics, the excitation of wide public commentary, and First and Third World media dependency issues, American Olympic television is a worthwhile object of scrutiny for mass communication researchers. Appraises two studies by Thomas Farrell and Eric Rothenbuhler (same issue). (SR)