In 1969, Senator John Pastore requested that the Surgeon General appoint a committee to conduct an inquiry into television violence and its effect on children. When the Surgeon General's report was finally released in 1972—after a three-year inquiry and a cost of over $1.8 million—it angered and confused a number of critics, including politicians, the broadcast industry, many of the social scientists who had helped carry out the research, and the public. While the final consequences of the Report may not be played out for years to come, TV Violence and the Child presents a fascinating study of the Surgeon General's quest and, in effect, the process by which social science is recruited and its findings made relevant to public policy. In addition to dealing with television as an object of concern, the authors also consider the government's effectiveness when dealing with social objectives and the influence of citizen action on our communication systems. Their overwhelming conclusion is that the nation's institutions are ill-equipped for recruiting expert talent, providing clear findings, and carrying out objectives in this area of delicate human concern.

This third annual report presents comparative year-to-year data on the nature of violence on television across programme genres and channel types in the United States. It contains an analysis of how the new television rating system was initially implemented and tracks trends over three years in the use of programme advisories and content codes. It also evaluates public service announcements designed to prevent handgun violence among adolescents. Finally, it provides new analyses of `high risk' presentations of violence most likely to adversely affect younger audiences.

This book, published originally in 1980, addressed the needs for a profile of televised violence which considered the advantages and disadvantages of various measures and for a furthering of research directions beyond the then-popular emphasis on children. The Committee on Television and Social Behavior was formed in1972 and stimulated new research in order to provide a multidimensional profile of the social effects of television programming. Chapters here look at the effect of television on adults as well as children, particularly special audiences such as the elderly and minority groups. An excellent summary of the various conceptual, substantive and methodological issues around television’s influence.

Does violence on a movie, TV, or computer screen or in a song lyric beget violence in the streets? What about aggression and violence in televised sporting events? What are the known effects of violence in the media on the developing mind of a young child? Do rating systems and warning labels help in the effort to keep overtly violent materials out of the hands of children—or do they act as magnets? Where does violence in the media cross a line from legitimate entertainment and plot development to gratuitousness and even pornography? How do we define media violence, and just how much is there? What methodologies do behavioral scientists use to assess content and draw conclusions about effects, and how do we separate valid inferences from entrenched myths and assumptions? How should findings from research studies be translated into public policy? Students are able to explore these questions and more in the Encyclopedia of Media Violence. Entries examine theory, research, and debates as they relate to media violence in a manner that is accessible and jargon-free to help readers better understand questions from varied perspectives. From "Aggression" and "Animated Cartoons" to "V-chips" and "War Toys," this work provides balanced, comprehensive coverage of this hot-button issue. Features & Benefits: 134 signed entries are available both in print and electronically. Entries conclude with Cross-References and Suggestions for Further Readings to guide users to related entries and resources for further research. Although organized in A-to-Z fashion, a thematic Reader’s Guide in the front matter groups related entries by topic to make it easier for users to locate related entries of interest. In the electronic version, the Reader′s Guide combines with the Cross-References and a detailed Index to facilitate search-and-browse.

Freedman argues that scientific evidence does not support the notion that TV and film violence causes aggression in children or in anyone else. A provocative challenge to the accepted norms in media studies and psychology.

Get a quick, expert overview of the increasingly important topic of technology and social media and its impact on children and adolescents. This practical resource presents a focused summary of today's current knowledge on topics of interest to psychiatrists, pediatricians, and other health professionals working with children and adolescents. It provides current, relevant information on a wide variety of media-related topics as they relate to child and adolescent health and mental illness, making it a one-stop resource for staying up to date in this critical area. - Discusses the effects of violent media; the impact of reality TV on female body image; bullying, sexting, and other negative impact of new apps; sex in the media; media outreach for child psychiatrists; the use of telepsychiatry; the role of media in the destigmatizing of mental illness; media literacy for parents; and media portrayal of modern families. - Includes coverage of dystopian movies and YA novels; media addiction; the neuroscience of media; the use of media by preschool and young children; the use of media regarding minority populations; and more. - Consolidates today's available information on this timely topic into one convenient resource.