Even when television viewing is limited, by the time the average child reaches the age of eighteen, he or she will have spent more time with television than any other activity except sleeping. The cumulative effects of this much television viewing cannot be ignored; we must learn about television's impacts and effects so we can determine the role it should play in our lives and those of our children. This book grew out of the perceived need for an authoritative sourcebook and compendium of existing research. Each chapter consists of an extensive review of the literature and research relating to numerous aspects of the broad topic, including content, commercials, viewing habits, cognitive effects, behavioral effects, educational impact, and a brief history of children's programming. The first section focuses on the more formal aspects of television and how they relate to children. Signorielli begins with a description of the history and background of children's programming and moves into a discussion of specific theoretical and institutional issues as they relate to children and television. The chapters that follow examine children's comprehension and uses of television. The second section examines the content and effects of television. These chapters focus specifically upon images in children's programming and commercials and the impact these images may have upon children's behavior and their ideas about the world. Examination of content images, relating to topics such as sex, occupational roles, and violence form a natural bridge into discussions about specific behavioral effects as well as attitudes and opinions relating to these issues. The third section examines research relating to learning and academic achievement--how television has helped and/or hindered the education of our children. The final section assesses the impact of new television technologies--video cassette recorders and cable television--as they relate to children. It also takes a hard look at how television's potential for children could be realized from a policy perspective as well as hands-on advice for parents and teachers. The appendix provides specific information about recent advances in children's programming and videotapes. Signorielli's sourcebook will be essential reading for parents and teachers concerned about the impact of television upon children. Communications scholars will also find it a source of considerable insight and direction.

Even when television viewing is limited, by the time the average child reaches the age of eighteen, he or she will have spent more time with television than any other activity except sleeping. The cumulative effects of this much television viewing cannot be ignored; we must learn about television's impacts and effects so we can determine the role it should play in our lives and those of our children. This book grew out of the perceived need for an authoritative sourcebook and compendium of existing research. Each chapter consists of an extensive review of the literature and research relating to numerous aspects of the broad topic, including content, commercials, viewing habits, cognitive effects, behavioral effects, educational impact, and a brief history of children's programming. The first section focuses on the more formal aspects of television and how they relate to children. Signorielli begins with a description of the history and background of children's programming and moves into a discussion of specific theoretical and institutional issues as they relate to children and television. The chapters that follow examine children's comprehension and uses of television. The second section examines the content and effects of television. These chapters focus specifically upon images in children's programming and commercials and the impact these images may have upon children's behavior and their ideas about the world. Examination of content images, relating to topics such as sex, occupational roles, and violence form a natural bridge into discussions about specific behavioral effects as well as attitudes and opinions relating to these issues. The third section examines research relating to learning and academic achievement--how television has helped and/or hindered the education of our children. The final section assesses the impact of new television technologies--video cassette recorders and cable television--as they relate to children. It also takes a hard look at how television's potential for children could be realized from a policy perspective as well as hands-on advice for parents and teachers. The appendix provides specific information about recent advances in children's programming and videotapes. Signorielli's sourcebook will be essential reading for parents and teachers concerned about the impact of television upon children. Communications scholars will also find it a source of considerable insight and direction.

The main focus of this book is to identify the social and cultural impact of television on the psychosocial development of children growing up in a constantly changing multicultural society. The book analyzes major media organizations and projects policies, practices and research directions for the future.

This publication reflects the changes in television, both domestically and internationally and is a useful guide to the legal, economic, and production aspects of the industry.

This seminal volume is a comprehensive review of the literature on children's television, covering fifty years of academic research on children and television. The work includes studies of content, effects, and policy, and offers research conducted by social scientists and cultural studies scholars. The research questions represented here consider the content of programming, children's responses to television, regulation concerning children's television policies, issues of advertising, and concerns about sex and race stereotyping, often voicing concerns that children's entertainment be held to a higher standard. The volume also offers essays by scholars who have been seeking answers to some of the most critical questions addressed by this research. It represents the interdisciplinary nature of research on children and television, and draws on many academic traditions, including communication studies, psychology, sociology, education, economics, and medicine. The full bibliography is included on CD. Arguably the most comprehensive bibliography of research on children and television, this work illustrates the ongoing evolution of scholarship in this area, and establishes how it informs or changes public policy, as well as defining its role in shaping a future agenda. The volume will be a required resource for scholars, researchers, and policy makers concerned with issues of children and television, media policy, media literacy and education, and family studies.

Information for parents and teachers about how to help learning disabled and gifted children.