Viewers Influenced by Impres- Why American Values Aren't What They Sions from TV? a Study by Dr

Home , George Gerbner, Leo Rossi, Manimal

What is TV doing to us?

.- - - - Themythof-

- - the crooked businessman Television, more than anything else, businessmen are bad, evil people, and shapes how Americans see the world- that big businessmen are the worst of all!' and themselves. Which helps explain Are viewers influenced by impres- why American values aren't what they sions from TV? A study by Dr. George used to be. Gerbner, dean of theAnnenberg School Take, for example, how TV depicts of Communications at the University of businessmen and businesswomen. Pennsylvania, found that the more peo- . J.R., of course, is a slimy caricature of ple watch television, the more insecure the unscrupulous entrepreneur. . and mistrustful they tend to become. But what about the wealthy realtor on So, we say, TVS myth of the business- another show, who learns that a private 'ma% as a crook and a villain =color the investigator is on to his scheme to rob his way viewers look at their workplaces, . clients to pay gambling debts? He tries to their bosses, the products they buy, and murder the sleuth. Then there's the-not- the companies they buy them from. And so-wealthy storekeeper who reneges on that, insidiously, could threaten our free- her promise to pay some neighborhood inarket system. children for the honey they sold'her. Sure, businessmen make mistakes. Why are business people so often por- But in the real world business is the trayed as villains? Lawyer-journalist Ben source of livelihood for millions of Stein, in his book, The Viewfrom Sunset Americans, and the producer and sup- Boulevard, found that most of Holly- plier of most of the things we need and wood's TV writers and producers have a want. And if the strong, free business deep-seated dislike for those who suc- sector is damaged or destroyed, all of us

ceed in business. Wrote Stein: I',. .one of will suffer. the clearest messages of television is that 'Including the TV networks. Penn rejected gift of Field's Ch. 48

By Ron Wolf diary acting on behalf of Field Enter- Inquirer Sraff Wrller prises who asked if the university .. The University of Pennsylvania's would accept such a gift. Annenberg School of Communica- After briefly considering the offer. tions declined the proposed gift of Gerbner turned down the donation. I'hiladelphia television :tation He said that the idea was discussed WKBS (Channel 48) several months first with several people knowledge. before the owner of the property, able about the operation of TV sta- Field Enterprises lnc., made the deci- tions and with certain university fac- sion to take it off the air. ulty members and administrators. After failing to find a buyer for the "They were unanimously against Station, Field announced on July 15 it," he said, because they felt that that it would cease operation of running a TV station did not fit the WKBS by Sept. 1 and sell its assets goals of the university. "We needed a piecemeal. Before making the deci- money-losing television station like sion to dismantle the station, howev- we needed a hole in the head," er, Field executives examined the Gerbner said. feasibility of donating it to the University officials did not exam- school and claiming a tax deduction ine the WKBS frnancial records or for its value. perform a thorough analysis of its Virginiq Butts, vice president of operations, but Gerbner said that "it public relations for Chicago-based didn't require too much evaluation." Field Enterprises, confirmed yester- Besides, he added, "we wanted no day that the company held "prelimi- part of a tax dodge." nary talks" with the university. She Several sources have indicated said Field had envisioned an ar- ' ' that Field Enterprises might realize $10 million from the sale of the sta- George Gerbner rangement in which the school Dean of Annenberg School would run WKBS as a nonprofit station's programming rights, building. tion. equipment and transmitter. Howev- George Gerbner, professor of com- er, Gerbner said that tax regulations not a real estate dealer," Gerbner munications at Penn and dean of the would have prevented the university said. Annenberg School, said yesterday from accepting the station, then Butts said that Field did not offer that the talks never got very far. He quickly disposing of its assets. the station to any other schools in said he was contacted by an interme- "We're an academic organization, the area. -- If Viewpoints- We are what we see - on-N i While there has been a great deal of For example, because persons over of their television counterparts do. And more than hialf of all prime time TV comment and criticism recently about age 65 are greatly under-represented on fewer than 10 percent of the characters characters are involved in violent the impact of things like video games television, heavy TV viewers believe in W's workplace hold blue-collar or confrontations once a week, while the and the professional football strike on that the elderly make up a smaller service jobs, while about 60 percent reatlife figure is one percent. This people's Lives, a noted researcher has proportion of the population than they hold such jobs in the real world. attitude may be particularly prevalent reached a much more ominous con- did 20 years ago, even though quite the among older persons, who are among clusion about the impact prime time opposite is true. They also believe in- What deeply concerns Gerbner and both the most frequent television television may be having upon our correctly that older persons are less others is the impact which such inac- watchers and the most common victims perceptions of reality. healthy today than they were two curateportrayals appearto have on the of TV-portrayedcrime. George Gerbner argues that heavy decades ago. beliefs and opinions of habitual TV While Gerbner does not expect watchers of prime time television - viewers. For instance, the Annenberg television to conform completely to the those who watch more than four hours In general, according to Gerbner, survey found that the more a person truth and reflect total reality, he argues per day - tend to accept TV's distorted portrayals of old people on television watched television, the more likely it that TV has a special responsibility picture of the real world more readily transmit negative impressions. They was that he or she would respond "yes" because of its unique power. "No other than reality itself. are generally cast as feeble, silly, to questions such as: "Should there be medium reaches into every home or Dr. Gerbner, dean of the University has a comparabie, cradle-to-grave of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Schoolof influence over what a society learns Communicationsand one of the nation's about itself." experts on the social impact of television, bases his conclusions upon He also believes that viewers need to an exhaustive 15year research project be given a more active role in deter- in which he and his assistants video- mining the content of television, rather taped and analyzed more than 1,600 than being forced to merely accept ~rirnetime Dronrams involvine an whatever thenetworks offer. Television - content should be part of the public ! estimated 15,060crharacters. Using multiple choice questionnaires stubborn, sexually inactive and ec- laws against marriages between blacks agenda, he says. "Candidates talk i that offered both correct answersabout centric. He finds it particularly un- and whjtes?" or "Should whte people about schools, they talk aboutjobs, they the world's realities and answers that fortunate that Young people, who have have the right to keep blacks out of talk about social welfare. They'regoing ' reflected what Gerbner perceivedto be the greatest o~~rtunit~"to learn their neighborhoods?" And heavy TV to have to start dscussing this all- the distorted view of the world about growing old with decency and watchers agreedmuch more often than pervasive force." projected on TV, the Annenberg grace ... are the most susceptible to light viewers that "women should take TV's messages." Although he may not be able to single- researchers questioned large samples care of running their homes and leave handedly alter for the better of citizens from all socioeconomicand Among others cited by Gerbner as running the cointry to men." television's almost total preoccupation age groups. "TV's hidden victims" are blacks, Another disturbing finding of the with ratings and demographically I study is that heavy TV viewers ' Inevery survey, Gerbner found that women and blue-collar workers. Most - "desirable" audiences, Gerbner is blacks on television are cast in "sup regardless of age, income or neighbor- doing a commendable job in warning heavy TV watchers (an estimated 30 hood are more likely to seriously percent of the population) almost porting, subservient roles," he says. - the American people of W's potentially Women are generally portrayed as overestimate the chance of e-n- harmful side effects. His research 1 always selected the TV-influenced countering violence in their own lives answers while light TV viewers (who either mothers or Lovers, while men .findings are truly "a public service have a far wider variety of roles; and to harbor an exaggerated mistrust message." I watch less than two hours per day) of strangers. Such behavior, described usually chose the answers that although more than 50 petcent of (Cyril F. "Cy" BrfckfieldIs the executive dlredw American mothers actually work by Gerbner as the "mean-world syn- of the Amerlmn ~ssoclofbnof Refked Perruns corresponded more closely to actual drome," may stem from the fact that Life. outside the home, fewer than 20 percent In Woshlngton. D.C.] MEDIA

Gerbner went on, specialized programs are unlikely to attract enough of an audience to interest advertisers. Any program that fails to attract advertising is not likely to survive, Gerbner said, since revenue from advertising will probably become as much of a factor in cable television as it is in standard broadcasting. Last month, for example, CBS Cable, which for 14 months of- The multiple channels of cable tele- fered cultural and informational vision theoretically make possible shows, went off the air due to insuf- dizzyingly diverse programming ficient ad income. "To say that en- that includes local special-interest tertainment or information is the shows. But veteran television re- primary purpose of television is like searcher George Gerbner recently saying that the primary purpose of voiced some caustic doubts about putting a nice, juicy worm on a whether the cable cornucopia will hook is to nourish the fish," come to pass. Gerbner said. "The advertisers buy Popular professional hypnotist Knocking "the cable fable" in a the fish-not the hook and not the Sarrie Konicov's self-hypnosis recent speech, Gerbner, a sociologist worm. Television [programming] is tape programs quickly help and dean of the Annenberg School simply the bait required for the ad- you break bad habits, of Communications at the Universi- vertiser to sell his product." establish good ones, and help ty of Pennsylvania, said he doubts Jack C. Horn you better yourself! that many people will watch local L programs. "In a country where we LOSE WEIGHT LOWER are accustomed to a certain 'slick- .HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE ness' of production," he said, "the According to a skybythe A. C. STOP PAIN DEVELOP amateurish quality" of current local Nielsen company, the average fam- SELF CONFIDENCE programs puts them into "the cate- ily in 2'okyo uses its television set SPEED READING PEACE gory of home movies. One can hard- for eight hours, 12 minutes a day, OF MIND PROSPERITY ly suppress a yawn, just thinking compared with six hours, 54 min- r ASTRAL PROJECTION about it." utes for a family in New York City. DEVELOP E.S.P. POWERS Even if their quality improves, - AND MANY MORE. Results guaranteed or your money refunded. Send today for your latest FREE catalog with over 100 program titles, books, etc. Potentials Unlimited Dept. PT-101 4808 Broadmoor, S.E. Grand Rapids, MI 49508 Please send my FREE CATALOG today! Name

I City I State zip fz PSYCHOLOGY TOD.1Y/JANUARY 1OA MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1983- USA TODAY

OPINION I John Seigenthaler, Editorial Director John J. Curley, Editor Allen H. Neuharth, Chairman The Topic: VIOLENCE ON TV Each day, USA TODAY explores a major issue in the news. Today's page Includes our opinion that television programming is the pro r concern of the public, not of Con ress, other views Ern Celifomia. lows, Mississippi end ~emsylvania.and voices from across the USA. 1 Keep the Congress 1

If your child is 14 years old, chances are he fias watched 11,000 murders on television. But do these flickeringimages warp minds or encourage violent behavior? Yes,says the National Coqxfition on Television Violence. wh!ch Iast week demanded an altematlve. Clting a higher leire1 of violence on cable TV, the group called for the cre ation of a non-violent cable movie channel. Cable iranchfses with more than 12 programming channels would be required by Congress to carry the new movie channel. And networks would be required to carry warn- in@ that TV violence is dangerous to the health of those , who consume it Those are good intentions, but bad public policy. If the coalition and other groups like it want to cmdefor nonviolent programming, more power to them. PressUre from groups like the coalitionls one reason that there are other options on cable television - children's networks, performing arts networks, ail-news networks. True, some people have directly copied the violence they saw on the screen. At least 29 people shot themselves after watching The Deer Hunter's Russian-roulette scene, John Hhckley Jr, shot President Reagan after Wing obsessed with Taxi Driver and its heroine. Still, both are serious movies with redeeming social value. And most viewers do know the difference between fantasy and reality, The link between violence on TV and violent behavior among viewers is not clearly established, although many studies suggest that children and teen-agers may become more aggressive, fearful, insecure and intolerant atter heavy television viewing But asking Congress to regulate TV violence because of suggested influences is a mistake. How would Congress da fine what constitutes a violent act? By any definition, violence is an integral part of life and literature. It would be wrong to deprive 225 million Americans of their right to choose because a few ate abnormally impressionable. The fad is, most people like to be entertained by vie lence. They always have. Count the dead in Homer's Iliad, or Shakespeare's Hamlet. What is disturbing about television is that so many shows are mindlm and contrived. That Is a matter of taste, not censorship. The answer Is not to make TV bland, but to make it better. Not even children need more insipid family fare Like Jounie Loves Cha- chi, or Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Finally, people must act as their own censors -at home. Those who want to watch violence on television must have the right to do so. Those who don't must have the equally inallenable right to turn it off. "I wouid guess that 25 percent of the violence in our ( .,:bum- mps as mu& as-- -+ mwedby-. :- . the glorification of violence on television." - Dr. Thomas Radecki, chclimn, TV Violence. National Coalition on j "We stand .. . on the threshold of a new television age that promises to revolutionk our habits as vfewers, as con- sumers and ultimately as citizens." - Professor Benjamin Barber, Rutgers University "Sex and violence are used to generate high rating!' - hieSemsky, Batten Barton Durstine & Osborne "On balance, TV is better for us than bad for us!' 1 - Veteran broadcaster Eric Sevareid "Hollywood is playing a dangerous game. If folks don't get some more selfcontrol, it's going.torequire legislation." - The Rev. Frederick Foster, Monroe, La. "We have to build into our educational process an expia- muon of how to watch television, just as we've taught children how to read a newspaper." - Dr. Jerome L. Singer, Yale University "No one should tell the American public what to watch." - Lee Rich, president, Lorimar 2T productiom 1 GEORGE GERBNER s A To& qr0/,3p3 ' Guest columnist J 11 TV violence makes people fearful PHILADELPHIA - Vio- to brutality; after dl, they are Dr. George Gerbner is dean lence Is not a simple act. It Is a only just learning how to think of the Annenberg School of scenario of a social relation- and act like grownups!) Communications, University ship. Somebody forces some- We aren't talking about of Pennsylvania. body else to do something Shakespeare or great art. We against his or her will on pain aren't talking about the Nor- become more violent, pmcti. of being hurt or killed, or actu- man Lears and others who use cally all viewers become more ally hurts or kills the other per- most themes responsibly. We insecure, ~~1,anxious son. That's how we define vie are talking about a cheap infor protection, intolerant of lence in our W research, now dustrial ingredient built into personal rights and freedoms, into its 15th year. Hollywood's assembly lines, and willing to accept repres- The most common purpose filling network orders to hype sion that appeals to their fears. of violence in life, as on TV,is lagging ratings and to grab That is the real social and to demonstrate power, inspire large audiences at the lowest political message of violence- fear, dominate - in other possible cost. laden television. words, to control. In 15 years, the rate and na- We shall break the vicious ture of TV violence hasn't cycle when citizens, actlng in Televfslon has not invented changed much. concert, decide that the price Is violent imagery but has Violence is a demonstration too high and liberate the medi- streamlined it, put it on the as- of power. It shows, with mvnot- um from the constraints that sembly line, spread it to every onous regularity, which social limit and distort its uses. We nook and cranny of the land, typescan dominate which oth- shall then find the resources to and filled our homes with it at er social types and get away support a freer and more dem- the rate of six violent incidents with it It makes some pebple ocratic program structure, one per hour in prime time, and more aggressive but most - that can afford to show vi~ over 25 per hour in children's especially women and minor- lence In its tme consequences, weekend daytime programs. ities - more fearful. and other aspects of life in (Children evidently need a While relatively few viewers their fuller and more equitable bigger dose of accomrnodatton of massive doses of television human dimensions. -. - I 4 By David Seavey. USA TODAY -. -- " NICHOLAS-J_O_HSQN - _. .. , .-- -. -- --=-,- .,.. -^-. .. . ~,.~- -- ... ,. . ~uestcolumnist Audience deserves a right to regulate IOWA CITY, Iowa - There to say what they like. So should Nicholas Johnson, a fonnet is almost as much violence broadcasters. fedeml communications com- over the subject of TV violence But the First Amendment missioner, is a teacher and as there is in the shows them. doesn't immunize publishers public lecturer. SeIveS. from libel actions. It doesn't Let's be honest about the mean they can practice mb Criminals imitate the vfo- subject: We're all a little bit leading advertising. Nor should lence they see. Someday a right and a little bit wrong. it protect broadcasters from court may Wmt a victim to ~,-thti~freedom? *- damages - Or other limih- find a network olence in great literary works? tiom on -hl programs- Maybe violent progamrdng why not jut off the could be limited to a pay cable Of course. But that's not what's an involved when a network exec- TV? Come On. A porn0 theater jndepen- utjve injections of fights Can argue, with some logic, dent hortatory group for brcEid- and car chases over the prG .that its audience knows what's casting could do what "Press tests of writers and actors, coming and pap for it. mte. councils" do for newspapers. en can be told to my away Publicity and moral suasion An audience right to pm rather than close it down. might help ~atisrycomplaints. test? Definitely. But that But ~v~different ~t really So far, however, the industry doesn't mean any individual Or is. Telpson involve a continues to insist on nothing small @OUP(in or out of a net- intea* whether or not me short of totally unrestrained work) Should be able to Ulncel sells out to beindustry. power to be irresponsible. a favorite show of millions of sets are running seven hours Of course product boycotts satisfied viewers. a day. mt's the reality. The the danger that skittish ad- TV violence is the main audience simply must be given veerswill avoid all c0nt.m cause of violent behavior? some right to affect what versY.ButsolongastheFCC Don't be silly. That there is a di- splashes out of the set onto the has abdicated, and industry ar- rect relationship, however, kids and the living mmfloor. rOganuY insists we keep hands now seems beyond question. Offering them nothing but the Off "its" program bo~cottsare First Amendment rights? opportunity to write letters of the audience's only effective Yes. Publishers should be able protest Is not enough. response. . . -- - -. . - -THE REV. DONALD WILDMON Guest columnist Pressure advertisem to change television TUPELO, Miss. - Recently, The Rev. Donald E. Wild- after watching a similar scene mon, United Methodist minis- on "The Executioner's Song" ter, is chainnan of the Coali- on NIX, Jeffrey Alan Cox of tion for Better Television, Hamilton, Ala., murdered his which has worked for advertis- 77-year-old grandfather and er boycotts. his 72-year-old grandmother by shooting them each four times percent of all allusions to sexu- in the head. al intercourse are between Jeffrey Cox had no criminal people not married to each oth- record. Family members and er. law officials say they believe Television Is teaching that the show trigger* the mur- vulgar and crude language is ders. the way intelligent people ex- The networks' denial of the press themselves; that hardly relationship between the dra- anyone ever attends worship matic increase in real violence or takes religion seriously, and to that on TV is a farce. The those who do are usually mal- same forked-tongue network adjusted hypocrites. official tells advertisers: "Put How can a caring public your products on our network change television? One must and we will sell them." realize that money Is the only .. TV is the most effective common language among all means of selling products. And involved - networks, sponsors ' the networks are also selling and viewers. While the net- values, morals, goals and other works don't care about your Intangtbles. opjnion, advertisers do. It's : Network television Is domi- their money which makes pro- nated by a value system of he- grams possible. It's your mon- donism, narcissism and mated- ey which allows advertisers to alism. When there is a public make them possible. outcry or the networks' free- In a capitalistic, democratic dom of irresponsibility is society the most effective threatened, they always fall means you have of changing back on the lofty principle of television ls to purchase the the First Amendment. products from advertisers It's not principles networks which sponsor constructive are Interested in, but profits. programs and to refuse to pur- "If you don't like what is on, chase the products of those ad- turn it off." Good and fine. If I vertisers who sponsor sex, vio- don't like crime in the streets, lence and profanity. stay in my house. Thus goes the Only when your concern Is narcissistic reasoning of the felt in the pocketbook of the networks. sponsor will constructive Television is the greatest change come, Until then, the educator in our soclety. What, story of Jeffrey Alan Cox will then, b it teaching? That if you be repeated again and again, want something, you get a gun The very foundation of WM- and take it. That adultery is an em civilization could depend acceptable way of life. Eighty on what you do or fail to do. +-- - NORMAN LEAR Guest columnist Blame the networks for feeble progranxs LOS ANGELES - I have Norman Lear, creator of spent 32 years in the television "All in the Family," founded business. In the Golden Age of People for the American Way, Ilve television, the accent was which works to protect First on Innovation and creativity Amendment rights. and there was considerable joy - - - in our work. These days, the would Jelp those -who idb networks' fixation with short- programs to learn firsthand term bottom line thinking, what frustrates the viewer, and meryling instant success in the the viewer would beneflt from ratings has stifled innovation learning about our production and all but destroyed creattv- problems. t ty - The sort of TV behavior that I -donit.knew that aftythuyl. manyAmericao$T~~- new can be said about pressure fensive is ndt necessarily moti- groups like the Coalition for vated by the artistic needs of Better Television and The Mor- the writer, director or actor. It al Majority and their cam- is all too often motivated by the paigns to force TV to reflect needs of the three networks to their own narrow view of win in the rating next Tuesday American society. Happily, at 8:30, an obsesion with the most Americans seem to be bottom line that results in a lieve that it is television's duty deadening array of shows that to reflect the diversity of imitate each others' jiggles and Americans' religions, races, violence and smarm. viewpoints and life styles. This obsession, possibly the And yet, to live up to its re greatest societal dtsease of our sponsibilities to the American time, more than any other fac- people, the television industry tor including pressure groups, must respond to the millions of is squeezing the creativity and viewers who are legitimately integrity from our efforts and frustrated with the content and those of most other Industries quality of television. as well. I'm convinced that if we fo- - How many cars smashed cus more on innovation and heads and burst into flames creativity over the long term, on TV last week? Do we really the new shows that emerge will need young women in braless rate higher because they will sweaten running and bouncing simply be better. across a set whenever some- If television programs are at- - , one announces that dinner is lowed to reflect a commitment ready? We in the television to the best instincts of writers, business must leave Hollywood producers, directors and ac- once in a while and talk to our tors, they will also reflect the viewers face to face. best instincts of the American Instead of censoring each people, in all their glorious va- other, we need to listen and riety, complexity and human- learn from one another. It ity. - - . -- VOICESFROM ACROSS THE USA/Do you think there is too much violence on TV?

HUEY THOMPSONI46 LILLIANBOWbENI 35 RAYMONDHEIL, 54 TERRY MA YER,20 JANE McGOLDRICK,51 Manager Electronictechnician Self-employed U.SArmy drill team member Bank mana er Oakland, Calif. Baltimore. Md. Longmont, Colo. Alexandria, Va. New Civ, AfY. I'm not at all concerned I'm more concernedabout Parents don't care about 1 don't plan on prohibiting It's already beenproven that about my childrenwatching crime on TV than sex.Just re- their children. They'd rather my youngson from watching too much violence on TV can . too much violence onTV. cently,some teen-agersbroke spendthe afternoonat a Happy TV. Sure, I'll explainto him have a negativeeffect on chil- They're good boys and they've into our home. We've had a lot Hour, than be close to their that the,violencehe sees isun- dren. It'sin their ideas, their never done anythingwrong. of trouble with that. My son kids. Whatelse can a kid do but healthy,but it would be unreal- language,and their everyday My wife and I give them their wasrobbed by someteenagers watch TV? A strongerchild istic of me to stop him from lives. Children have become values,not the TV. She's more at gunpoint.I know what would beless susceptible to the watchingit. Cartoonsaren't g@ passive from watching too concerned aboutit than I am they're doing. They're watch- violenceon TV than a weaker ing to make him a criminal. much TV.I like to see kidsde- betause she's very religious, ing it on TV,acccepting it as re- 'one,but if no one isthere to tell There's violence on TV, but velop hobbies and outsidein- but it doesn't bother me,I love ality, Ulen goingout and doing them right from wrong, even there's violencein the streets, terests. I don't even watchTV TV myself. It'sa nice escape. it themselves. the strongchild suffers. too. Why hide it? anymore.It's offensiveto me. HENRYKING, 62 SANDYEATON, 14 Farmer Student Shelbina,Mo. Nashville,Tenn.

Violence on TV doesn't do Between homeworkand childrenor adultsa bit of good. skating,I don't havemuch time Fortunately,my grandchildren for TV andI'm glad I don't. The don't have timeto watchmuch violencesends a negativemes- TV.They work on their lessons sage to young people. My par- and they're involvedin athletic entsrestrict me from R-rated programs and church activi- movies, butyou can't tell how ties. TV has a way of working violent TV will be until you're on your mind if you watch it actually watchingit. I don't too much.An idlemind always mind them restrictingme. 1 meanstrouble. don't wantto see it anyway. When the World Future Society assembled to find today's solutions to tomorrow's problems, we climbed aboard Spaceship Earth . . .

By Gina Maran to henI arrived at the Sheraton Washington Hotel for In his own way. that perplexed eight-year-old had asked one I the opening ceremonies ar the Fourth General As- of the main questions that the Assembly was supposed to answer: I sembly of the World Future Society. the central air Given that there is information in i he world, how does one get i W was in overdrive. It was a hot. humid Sunday after- I access to it'! hlore important. with the proliferation of so-called I noon. typical of D.C. weather in July. In a cordoned-off area in / communications technologies-cable television. video, com- I front of the registration desk. waited several dozen luggage- ' puters. fiber optics. direct transmission satellites. and a horde of strapped people. "Futurists." 1 noted. were capable of being permutations and cuinbii~ationsthereof-who will have access late. to wlzat information? And what will they do with both access i Several thousand on-time futurists. meanw,hile, were weaving ' and information? through labyrinthine chrome and mirror corridors. dressed in a I too, of course. had to find the press room. And then I had bewildering array of styles. There were people wearing polyester to wade through a flood of information. to learn that the theme three-piece suits. people wearing bleached Levis. Summer wool would be communication. with 600-plus speakers and 3.200-odd pinstripes, Indian-print cotton dresses, digital watches. long hair participants. Over five days. there were to be several dozen . and beards, Birkenstock sandals. high-heeled open-toed shoes. symposia and seminars. nightly "Paper Fairs" (where authors j khaki shorts, close-cropped hair and clean-shaven faces. Was would discuss and defend their notions). and 290 90-minute ses- this Berkeley, the boardroom. or the boardwalk'? sions in which artists. computer specialists. corporate long-range On my way upstairs to the press room, 1 crossed paths with a planners. economists. educators, full-time futurist networkers. i pigtailed little girl wearing espadrilles. She was yelling up to a I military advisors. professorsand others-would attempt to scope cornpadre leaning over the mezzanine rail above. "You have to out the role that communications would play in times to come. get your briefing packet from the press room." the girl shouted. In the process. they would attempt to forecast the fate not only very harried. "Then you'll know everjrlring you need to know." of societies. but also of humanity and life itself. Her cornpadre contorted himself against the rail. "But where." I made my way to the opening ceremonies through a maze of he plaintively asked. "is the press room?" branching corridors. atria. and areas with too many exits to the Sheraton Ballroom. It \vas gargantuan. badly lit. and two-thirds 1 full. About halfway up thc aid'. a row of yellbn-shlrted ch~ldren. including the espadrillcd girl and compadre. fidgeted and chat- tered. Thcg were reporters for the Children's E.vpre.ss newspaper. IS 1984 8 and two teenage staff members were having a hard time mar- ' shalling the restless ones. A petite blonde in braids flipped the conference volume open and read aloud. " 'The future of the arts is one that will be modified and undoubtedly impaired by COMINGTRUE? . . I I the technological society in which we live.. .. Slapping the year would be just an- thcm. and have their names struck : shut. she repeated with worldly exhaustion. " 'Undoubtedly im- other yc;~rif it nwcn't for Irom any records. Theoffender be- paired.' oh. I can tell I'm not going to like this." I wasn't at all George Onveil's novel 1984, comes an unperson and the offense nightmarish vision published ceascs to exist. I sure whether she meant the next 50 ycars or the next few days. I hat ,, 1949, Orrr.ell.s - Development of new crimcs: 1 WFS president Edward Cornish tuijk the podium. Cornish. a I coming truc? Hcrc is a checklist, rhvugb,crime. to cnsure pood- I powdery-]ooking man. has ~.rittenthat the Socicry's purpose is 1 -Big Brother. The rulcr of thinkful citizens. and sr.xcrirne, to I to further the -creation of a world future net\x?ork that can pro- Oceania. his enormous Face pzcs I ensure that all of a citizen's vital our frc~mpclstcrs hung evcryuhere. energies are focused towards the ; vide a basis for the global wisdom we desperately need to manage ..RIG IS ,VATCH- good of the Partv. instead of being our planet during this period (lf convulsive changc." In his Open- ING YOU...the Dosters oroclaim. squandered in &[fish of I ing. speech.. Cornish reiterated that message. and said it was the I and Big ~rorher'seese\'ervthinE. I picasure. And to make'sure that I task of futurists (the society boasts close io3().0()() members in He is also infallible. and is Ihvughrcrime nor sexcrime 80 to find solutionsto the world's problems. alld tha~way h!. the Ministry of there is face- (hlinirrue). st which Winston use new technologies to help people ~rnderstandtheir options, Each da?> Snlith is given : can.t always catch you in the act of I He admonished the audience. "Your task is urgent and important cooics [JI ohsolete neus articles. I criminal thouehts or ~leasures.but because the real changes that will lead us ro a sustainabie plan- books. and speeches that nccd to they can alwivs fali back on the i etary future won't happen openly, hut in the hearts minds be rectified. For instance. when Rig old standby: they don't like the look 1 Brother makes a spccch prcdicting on your face. of people. You should take your task seriously. but enter into I a Eurasian offensi\.e.but the Eur. -Two-way television. bet- it with a festive spirit." asian front remains quiet. Smith has : ter to monitor Party members. Each I Several items in that brief speech were to re-echo throughout i to ,.rcwritc ;i paragraph of Big morning Smith is awakened by his , the conference, First, Cornish used t]le global "we," always 1 Brother's speech In such a wa). as television. which turns on auto- I to niake him predict the thing that i matically and orders him and every I in terms of ..our planet... ..our options... and ..wllar we had actuallb happened." All cop- other citizen to take part in "the must do to so1b.e our problems." This usage reflected the view ;,, or the iriginalspeech arc Physical Jerks... the morning cal- (not a new one) that we're all in this thing topether and that the destroycd. In this way BipBrother isrhenics. When Smith does not life of. say. a lesser bureaucrat in India 11% a bearing on the life is never wrong. quite touch his toes in one exer- of an auto mechanic in Montana. and \:ice versa. - Do~~hlt-ihitrk.u,hich enables cise. the television screams at him: most citizens to acccpt such blatant " '6079 Smith W! Yes. you! Bend , Then. the term "sustainable future." "Future." as the word contradictions, ,., Form of lower. please! You can do better : was used at this conference. did not always mean tolnorrou' and c~ntrol...donh/plhink allows one than that,' .. one can the dav after. but referred to a pervasive svstem of organization.- I ..to beconsciousofcomplere truth- I the channel or turn the TV off." I I (Capitalism, 0,. nation stales. or Rom;m Calholinsm. to name a fulfle~while telling carefull) con- ! -A new balance ofworld power 1 structd lies." This process makes that ensures perpetual peace , few. are such systems of organization.) A ,.sustainable future... possible the three Parry slogans: I through continual war. The three , then. meant a system able to last for a long time. without de- ..wilri, ~~~~d~~~isslaver., u.orld poncrs-~ccania. Eurasia. stroying itself or life in general. (Of course. precisely what such Ignc~rancc is strungth." Unfortu- and Eastasia-keep their ccono- / a system would entail depended upon the perspective of tile nately. Winston Smith finds him- rnies humming by waging war speaker imagining it. and perspectives mried.) self unable to practice dorrble- against one another. It hardlymat- ~hirrk; hc is thus guilty of tcrs who is fightingwhum-Oceania Finally. Cornish's speech. there was the notion that people in thorrai7rc.ril,le~an offei,sr punisha- has allied itself in the past with I working together. "thinking globall!'. acting locally." to use a tllc the ~houghrpolice in what- Eastasia against the brazen enem? phrase coined by the late RenC Dubos. can change the world for ever fashion they choose. Eurasia. and has switched its alli- the better, There are several assumptions here, One. that those ! - Newspeak. a language in ance LO Eurasia to fight Eastasia. with power, whether governments or indi\,iduals. must which unnecessary words are de- The point is. an enern! is vital. stroyed. thus diminishing the range -New sociological advances. , ally give in to the will of the people. And. two. that access to of ,,,, ,s,ar ,, For in- j such as the ($-,-hour work week and I information gives people power. And, that an individual's free stance. Smith gets this assignment: the public hangings of prisoners of i determination of his acts is the most desirable condition of human '.times 3.12.83 reporting hb day- war: as well as breakthroughs in ' orcler dnuhlepIusungoc>ct refs un- the arts, such as the novel writing persons rewrite full~,iseupsub an- machine and the "versificator" (or , At this point. however. man!. futurists diverged. Some wanted teliline.. Trnnrlatcd into less songu.riting and new individual freedom worldwide. and believed that easy access to i efficient standard ~~~ji~h:..~h~ ! forms of community activity. such : I cornrnunications technologies-computers. satellites. tele- / reporting of Big Brother's Order as Hate Week. (It is supplemented / phones-would bring about worldwide democratization. In this for the Day in the Titnirnp.7 of De- by the daily TWOMinute Hate.) economic and politicalsystems would become cembcr 3rd 19.83 is extremely un- If you don7 see these develop- : way. satisfactory and makes rcferences rnents b!: next ycar, though, you solete. giving way to holistic, organic arrangements. Others, though tc, nonexistent persons, ~~~~i~~ it , can-t relax yel-,his might a desiring much the same end-democratization-did not either in full and submit your draft to : checklist for 1985. For at the start ! anticipate or want current systems to wither. Governments. they higher authority before filing.'' of the novel, when Smith writes the said. are necessary and have simply to adapt. I , -A new. efficient way of deal- i date in his diary, "he did not know rng w~thcrime: vaporization. The with any certainty that this was "Man." the soft-s~OkenGeorge began his , Partv needn't waste time putting 1984. , . , It was never possible j speech. "is an animal who lives in. of. and by his fantasies. He , crimlna]s on trial: the ~h~~~hlpo. rlowadays to pin down any date * ; is a slorylelling anirna1.. Gerbner. dean of the Annenherg School I lice simply arrest offenders. kill within a year or two." -PR

FEBRUARY 1983 V 1 of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania. thinks that I art. medicine. statecraft. law. and the rest are fabricated through , three sorts of stories which intertwine to shape the world: stories , POPULATION about how things \\:ark (fiction). about how things are and were I- (news and legends). and about values and choices (sermons. , instruction. commercials). In pre-Industrial society. Gerbner said. ritualistic storytelling I ' 1RENDS was a "centralized. stylized. institutionalized. socializing ele- ment." During the Tndustrial era. now passing. the printing press decadeago. the Club of the same as thc nine million in its Rome ..Limirs to 3[M5 age group. Asdevelopment and its issue. the book. weakened the ritual. "A book. an en- A Growth" had questioned proceeds, says ~antne~,.lanan,~ capsulation of knowledge." explained Gerbner. "could be smug- ' I whether the planet couid supply the I iype of "~lah-iided"pattern is'what eled across hitherto impenetrable boundaries." NOWable to com- i i , resources-food. water. energy. t-h; aurld is coming'to. i lnunicate over long distances of time and space. storytellers received i clean air. sheer breathing room- The consequences of [his new needed to support continued erowth pattern'! One can he secri as the information about other societies. Conscious of different inter- I of popula~ion and industrG, D~.U,S. what to do \virh the rsts, they began to break up narratives and tell tales from rnul- i moprapher-. John Kantner doesn't , Social Securit\- svstern, now that I tiple. points. of viebv. question that such inherent limits I proportionareiy fewcr young pco- Today. Gerbnrr said. in the post-Industrial age. the cycle has to growth exist. He just doesn't I ple support a growing eldcrly pop- come full-circle and stories are told mainly by television. Akin ; think world population will ever ulation. What Kantner calls "a dif- reach the point where resources are fcrent oppc~rtunitystructure" in the to the storytelling of the pre-Industrial age. TV is "an instrument stretched LO the breaking point. I working world may be anothcr. of mass ritual." Americans watch, on the average. 6!;: hours of Kantner. who heads the popu- I marked by more secundcarccrs. Hc TV a day. The?. ha\,e few programs to choose from. Conse- Iation dynamics department ot' the even sees high I.!.?,. divorce rates as quently. this "tribal religion" is able to convey an extremely I Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene an almost inevitable by-product of' and Public Health, sees birth rates these demographic trends: a low homogeneous and limited set of stories to a great number of plummeting arorlnd the world-in birth rate yields fewer children to people-stories about a world that is shown as male. white. I east Asia and southcast .Asia. in ..hold the famil!. together." Ltving middle-aged. and crime-ridden. Costa Rica. Chile. parts of thc apart hecomes more affordable. Cable TV. video. direct transmission satellites. and computers Caribbean. The situation in less And as populations shift. says offer a way out of such a world. Gerbner feels. because they developed countries. he declares. Kantner. the world's gcopolirical "is more optimistic rhan we could i landscape ischanging. blipretion is give \.iewers more choice and more chance for control, Instead have thought ten years ago." ' niaking Germany more Turkizh. of being run by distant corporations. such channels might be Countries along China's perim- Britain more Pakistani. the United collcctivel\: owned and locally. operated.. "The question to ask I eter wcrc first to &cord a drop. Tn . St;lres more Latin. And ..hctcro- ! about new media." he ..is not places like Korea or Taiwan, says geneity." hc comments. "means concluded. i '\Vill they make our offices more efficient?' but 'Will they make Kantncr. "they're not squeamish problems." .Mean\vh~le.the slow- their people whar to ingol~pronthin the West, coupled our humanity more efficient. humane. equitable. and peaceful'!' do." In other countries. iridustrial with co~~rinuedgro\vth for the next LVe should ask about the stories ue'll be able to tell and weave. and urban development sent hus- I feu. generations in thc developing Will tt1ey enrich and diversify. or limit and confirm inequities? bands off to the cities for work. , countries. could mean "an ent~rely we construct our future commun~ca~ionsnetuorks-uhich I leaving their wives alonc back in new \vorld"-in which nations like the pro- Indi;,. Indonesia. or Brazil be- determine how \ve are able to tell stories-we define ourselves." grarns have also helped. puuers be reckoned \\-ith, The lights came down. and for the next 12 minutes-it seemed , ; h'ot that population n- on'^, for n I -RK I longel-we were bombarded by a multi-image presentation on I

time. continue to climb. According ( to World Bank and L.S. esri- 5 mates. a ccntur! from now there z

will be about 10 billion people on ' C( i z, the globe. "Thcrc is a momenturn E to popularion growth." Kantner ' +.L savs-'.sort of like a llvn-heel that i stores energ!.." ~outhfulpopula- I tions. a legacy of once-high birth rates. produce new babies. Thar. combined with a precipitous decline in dcsth rates since World War 11. rncans it may still bc sc\-cral i generations before uorld population level> off. When it does, there a-ill be far- ! reaching side effects. Until rc- i cently. demographers spoke 01' a "population pyramid" in which the young are markedly ovcrrcprc- sentcd: for insrance. Intlonesia's 135 million people in 1975 included ' about 23 million younger than 5. I but less than half that man! hc- tween 30 and 35. In more "ma- lure" Japan. on the other hand. a population ro~lghlythe samc as In- donesia's had onl!- 10 million pea- Photograph of the residents of the world. Missing: Wong (China). Lambert (U.S.A.). ple in its under-5 category-ahour Gonzales (Mexico). ! I communications technology. prepared not by WFS but bv the / I National Audiovisual society. A star wars-type soundtrack: dec- ibels too loud. accompanied fast-cut stills of gleaming equipment. smiling workers. absorbed students. vivid charts. A voice-over 1 AN ARTIFICIAL1 narrative offered a paean to technology. In the future technological society, the narrator boomed. everyone will have access to information via computer. satellite. teleconferencing. I PANCREAS? picturephone3". KO one will commute to work: they will "tele- ! ' commute." hooked up to offices by phone and computer. Shop- ping will be done right at home. too. Through cable television. ; ' :I video. interactive television. entertainment will take on whole I , new dimensions. As mankind gains "ever greater" ability to I acquire. manipulate. transport. deliver. and duplicate informa- ' tion. all human life will be enriched. People rvill begin to realize i their true potentials! A triumphant crescendo. Magenta and char- ' 1 1 [reuse images machine-gun across the screen. The thing was over. I as were the opening ceremonies.

n Day Two. near the entrance. someone was handing g,ji out flyers. They proved to be a warning: '.BEWARE "'" .. THE REVENGE OF PROhIETHELTS." Its diatribe I 0was compellingly senseless: If pou believe this conference is anything hut a huge psyche- delic brainwashing session. read the program again. . . . The -mapine this: You are one of the tients. In this applicarion. as with futures movement is the 20th century update of the Rurnan 10million Americans who have the "artificial pancreas." a key fea- [lire is that PlMS can deliver such : Empire's bread and circuses policy for social control in a period I diaberes mellitus. the disease in of collapsing living standards and population. . . . As the popu- which the pancreas fails to produce , a finely calibrated dosage. \blith di- , enough insulin to control blood I aheric patients. for example. blood lation \\.as deci~natedb!: waves of plagues. famine. and the in- sugar level \~:ouldnever swing far resultingfrom the popularity of homosexuality. in- sugar levels. Yet you need no in- famous Roman sporting events wcre expanded until they sulin shots. nor is your diet rc- from normal-thus perhaps elirn- occupied almos~as much time as do rock'n rall. television. stricted. Instead. a three-inch. inating some of the long-range ef- I pancake-shaped device has been fects of diabetes such as blindness video games' and P~~~P~?.'~~~'~~~Yfads in the life of a Futurist today. implantedin !lourbody. It and cardiac In pain pa. i a microcomputer. a tcn-gcar bat- tients. the pain bvould never he al- 1 decided to take my chances and headed for session 1101. a ter!. and a vial of insulin: your , lowed to grow unbearable. doctor has programmed the com- ' Another advantage of PlMS is seminar on "lmages of the Communications and Information p,lte, meter our your insulin over that it can deliver a drug straight Era: An Overview." a 24-hour cycle. In addition. you ; to the affected organ. as well as to Ii Willis Harman. already 5peakirlp as J squeezed into the au- ' can tell the computer to prepare ' the blood system as a whole. Thus j ditorium, is a sanguine-complexioned professor engineering for. say. a "light snack." (Ac- it may eventually prove a good way and systems at Stanford. and social scie,ltist t~""~.Fou punch a code lo deliver cancer chemothera~!; :, on a control box.) And the implant a particular organ. such as a kid- i at the Strategic Environment Center of SRI International in exactly insulin to ney, cancerdrugs are engineered : Menlo Park. California. As 1found a space on the floor. Harman take care of a light snack. just as to kill cancer cells. hut they injure was saying. ..mefuture of the globe depends on our reevaluating 1 ?.our body should do The corn- I dl cells. cvusinf ride effects like - our situation. We.re nloving into a time lv.,en a major fraction i puter records blood sugar fluctua- I nausea :ind hair loss. If tileg could flons and can deliver the records be released slowly. steadily. and in of our workforce is going to be engaged in the processing of to \..our doctor over the telephone: [minute amounts direcflg into the 1 information and the creation of technology lo handle that in- if necessary. thc doctor can rcpro- affected organ. the cffcct on the formation. But I think we neecl to ask ourselves what all that gram your implant. Your insulin cancer should be maximized. the technolog! and inforlnation is for., \ye've heen very good up comesin a highlyconcentratedform side elfects minimized. until noH, at answering the .how-to' questions-how to put a man developed especially for this de- The obvious question: Could a , vice. You go in to thc doctor's of- ' microcomputer be programmccl and ' on the moon. how to split the atom-but we haven't been so fjce every few months lor a refill, equipped to detect. saj9. a rise in i good at the 'what for' questions. It's important to realize that ; , This device is callcd a Pro- blood pressure (or drop in blood i economics and technology aren't goals. but tools." , gra~nmable Jmplantable Medics- sugar) and respond appropriately? H~~~~~ byas lakine up where ~~~b~~~ left off. with talk of i tion System, or PI.L.IS. and it is not Yes. it could. and such a device. 1 a daydream. Used to dclivcr in- rhe SAX4S-Sensor Actuated assessing 1,alues. He went further and pinpointed two currently sulin. it is working in Medication in accepted assumptions which. he insists. milst be discarded if there dogs. A variety of other applica- planning stage. Here. youdon't or- is ever to be a "global society." One, the assunlption that people tions are being developed by a team der the device to respond to "light can be defined by their role in the economy. the of cnginwrs and scientisrs at thc lurich": it X-no~vsyou need the insulin and delivers ir accordingly. past years. Harman >aid. people have stopped thinking of Johns Hopkins Applied Physics 30 Laboratory and physicians at the "The likelihood that continuous themselves as people. Instead. the)' consider themselves "con- Johns Hopkins Medical Instiru- automatic control of blood pres- I rumerr. or rpecialisls. Partly as r result. he argued. economic tions. (This is the same team thar ; sure can he achieved is high..'sags 1 logic has been the prime shaprr of society-but economic im- developed the firs1 rechargeable APL's Robert E. Fischell. inven- perative isn't a witable basis for social decisions. Though Har- pacemaker in 1973*) tor of PIRIS. SAhIS might also be The first human PIMS implant , effective for hemophilia. recurring man believes people should rise up and insist that econonlic logic ,ill likely call for of mar- I blood clo,s. and various diseases of is no longer legitimate. he also hinted that the current System. phine into the spinal fluid. to rc- the nervous system. "kept going in large part by armaments production." will even- lieve intracrahle pain in cancer pa- --William Buchanan

FEBRUARY 1983 1/11 I tually collapse. "In order to have a world economy that continues As Harman finished, I hurried upstairs to Session 1109. "Corn- - ' to grow as it has over the last 20 years or so. we would have to munication for a Sustainable Society." There, Russell Peterson. create one billion jobs by the end of the century. Where are who is also chairman of the Global Tomorrow Coalition. echoed ! those jobs going to come from?" Harman's theme. the inefficiency of economic logic. "The GNP ' The second outworn assumption: War is an acceptable means as a measure of productivity is blind. Whether a country is pro- for solving international problems. "War is impractical and crazy. ducing carcinogens or rice doesn't make any difference in the I It's obsolete:. said Harman. Like Tlre Fort of Be Ewh author 1 GNP. Where it doer make a difference. though. is in the quality , Jonathan Schell. he sees nuclear war as the end to civilization I of life. 1 i as we know it. "There's no way we can feel secure as long as "What determines quality of life? Well. I think we can certainly I world peace is based on the balance of terror. And I think. as say that the opportunities for life and quality are reduced by does Schell, that there can be no solution of the nuclear dilemma ' putting toxic chemicals into the environment. or by blowing up with the present economic and political configuration. There's the world some afternoon." The bulge of laughter subsided and no solution short of reinventing the world. Yon-proliferation Peterson continued. "I think work is one of the things that de- I

measures merely buy time. They may not buy very much time." , termines the quality of life. It's hard to find a human being who i The aside. .'if we d0n.t blow ourselves up first.'. was made doesn.t want to have a job. And yet we have huge numbers of I : again and again by various speakers. Buckminster Fuller said it. people unemployed in this country. My own feeling is that we / Russell Peterson. president of the Xudubo~lSociety. said it. ought to give available jobs to those least able to compete for I Nearly everyone threw it in as a subclause somewhere-with the them-the rest of us could take care of ourselves." At that. notable exception of Herman Kahn. head of the Hudson Institute Peterson sat down to enthusiastic applause. and proponent of the winnable war theory. Then Peterson. Lester Brown (president of U'orldwatch In-

allDisney's greatest become is Epcot Center. a spec- which the history of communica- ! offer thumbnail h~srories.rapidly dream." the Experimental tacular. hillion-dollar "educational tions is colorfully prcscntcd using bringing thc audience from prc- W Prototype Community of entertainment park." Parr of Walt's audio-aniinarronics (robotic ani- hisfor? to the present, with only Tomorrow (EPCOT).has opened plan. however. EPCOT as a show- mation) and electronic special ef- the most perfunctory nod to the I i to an expectant public. EPCOT was case for the latest technology. has fects. Other pavilions. on motion future-a car shaped like a rear- : an idea that absorbed Disney dur- been retained by Disney's heirs. (General Motors). energy (Exxon). drop. a recreational vehicle that in- ing the last years of his life. Almost The heart olEpcot Center is Fu- ; and imagination (Kodak). use sim- I; flates for use. 20 years in the making. EPCOT ture World. a striking collection of ilar approaches. : There is one exception. Pcrhaps was initially intended LO be u,hat architecturally intriguing pavil- Withall theshou.manshipinrhese i the pa\,ilion closest to Disnev's its name implies: an experimental ions. Each pavilion has a corporate vcry popular pavilions. the "ex- original concept is The Land. I city. rnaster-planned by the engi- soonsor. and each oavilion sends I nerimental" conceots have keen I neers of the imagination-the im- agineers. , Accordinp to Walt's vision. in I EPCOT private enterprise could ' demonstrate its ability to solvc tomorrow's problems. using an actual. inhabited city as laboratory. 1 inspiration. and showcase. EP- 1 C0Tu.a~to he a city without slums. unemployed. or political rna- I chines. a city to which science and 1 technology could be applied in an 1 innovative and experimental way. : Perhaps even more importantly. the I city was ro inspire new science and technology to erncrge from the wellsprings of privare initiative. For this purpose Disne): ac- quired a huge parcel of land near Orlando. Florida and sought (and I received) the cooperation of the I Flonda srate legislature and local ' officials. But the concept has evolved swag from Disney's original idca. Even a complaisant Flor- ida legislature and Disney show- manship could not turn a town of I living people into an experimental prototype-me without politics and ' some measure of self-deterrnina- tion. A community cannot be engineered as if it were a transportation system. What the dream has Gerbner is no knee-jerk, TV-hating Robert Guillaume [left] arid Danny Thomas in a scene from a recent "Benson" snob-and even appreciates much of episode: TV is lying through its cathode ray tube. what the medium has done-makes his findings doubly disturbing and credible. soclal chanae and o~~nionswavlna ., x .d Gerbner has found, for example, that Most newspapers don't even cover TV N crime makes people more fearful of aoci when they do, they tend to dwell on their world, that it stereotypes women as Ron gosslp and fluff Most scholars don't subservient to men, that it shows the Alridge treat the med~umser~ously Classroom elderly to be less powerful. less healthy TV-rad~ocritic teachers are only now gettlng Serious and less numerous than they are. about helplng thelr students come to Blacks, Gerbner observes, are shown grlps w~ththe tube Hollywood producers to be generally inferior to whltes. It's seldom worry about anything beyond true; even "Benson." played by the their individual shows and the ratings talented and proud Robert Guillaume. a day--about 30 percent of the popula- they get. ~eanwhiie, the commercial bega? as little more than a servant. tion-tend to share prime-time's de- networks keep claiming that TV is a Occupaton-wise, Gerbner finds ordi- cidedly distorted view of. reality. And mere mirror of reality. nary blue-collar workers greatly under- that's people in general, not just child- It would help if the networks were less represented while high-powered profes- ren, imbeciles and grade-school defensive. After all, it's their world, too. sionals, such as doctors and lawyers, dropouts. For starters, each could assign someone dominate the prime-time landscape. And If you are a heavy N viewer, you the sole responsibility for worrying about Gerbner notes that poor nutrition and probably think the world is meaner and the collective impact of all TV program-

heavy alcohol consumption are the norm more dangerous than it is, that young ming. not just a single show or a single , among N characters, yet most of them white males are about the only folks who network. Such a person could get a remain trim and healthy. do anything worthwhile and that the best better idea of what Gerbner is talking In short, TV is lying through its cathode kind of work you can do has something about and perhaps solve some of the ray tube. Males aren't superior; blacks to do with law, medicme or one of the problems he cites. aren't inferior; the elderly are the fastest other professions. You also probably I have yet to find anyone on a network . growrng group in America: and bad food think alcohol is a lot more popular than it payroll who is respons~blefor taking a leads to bad health is. And nothlng that ~eorge'Gerbneror I truly broad vlew of N.Until such a Many of us have been ranting about can say to you is llkely to convince you creature comes into existence, there will prime-time distortions for years, but what that your views are distorted; television, is be no one who has both the power and makes Gerbner's views most-fascinating a lot more persuasive and pervasive the knowledge io solve some of are his added flndings that heavy TV than TV criticism and scholarly research. television's most serious problems. UI- viewers believe such lies and garbage. Compounding this most serious prob- timately, the TV industry itself will be the Gerbner has found that people who . lem is- a near-total abdication of respon- worse for such malevolent neglect. So watch television for more than four hours sibility by society's major instltutiofls of will the rest of us.

Ron Alrldge appars weekdays In Tempo. 9 i

A i;fii-;.i,: kf~i~#~~i~kj*:\) >:' -&;1 j4$2 /2 I' u Sevare d compares cr Can we my that telev&ion causes an hdiviiduai to want id t& b@kat to commit a crime he otherwise might not commit? ("It's probably one of mdeeki elaimed thh was so, but Danish poiated out heard on thh subje~t~~' s effect sn real-life vhhce that while crhh81s sometimes mhie erjmes they"@ The only problem, of seen on televkion, they ailready were predhposed to By QroI A. @em committing some kind of antisocial act. Herald staff writer As the wrangling &conclusively went on into the wee bourn. CBpundit e~aeritusSevareid, halfdozing ""Sorim of violence bombard us where we eat, during most of the show, rumbled awake in the closing ills of society. Televhlon does make a contribution to sleep, live, grow up and grow old, as never before," I5 mhinuees to ask, ""en I make a general comment, the kind of violence that is committed, but it is by no mC anchorman Ted Koppel began. ""Television is Ted? It seem to me that we tend to look at problems means the major contribution. Jobs, sounder families, chwk-a-blwk full of vislenee and our lives are full of like crhe and violence like artichokes ---- they're equal opportunity, no more stupid warn bere or abroad telev&i~n-~' supposed to have a heart cause, mey9rrenot artichokes, - these are the things that contribute to a sense of 8~ that heady note, 'V"ViewpohtW"late they're mio om^*' violence and lawlessnes~.'~ ?%urnday night began its 1%-hour wrestlbg match (Camera switched to audience, where heads hbbed Nevesthele~;;,Gerbner biked about televhion9s with an hue of our day: the violence we see on in approval.) "mean world syndrome99in whieh the world is shown televhioa, in enterbhment and news program, "They're nothhg but layers9" "vareid continued, as far more dangerous than it actually is. Though it spawq violence ia ae ra1 world? obviously pleaed with the way his vegebble theme may not cause an bdividual to commit a crime, A panel of eight exper@, sitthg ia Washington, was develophg, ""Maybe televhion violence is one of B.Cb, and M-athn studios, Qlked Live with host the lagem of tbh bushes of violence, but I would "VlewpointVB-5, Col. 3 Ksgpl who ww sftthg la a fsled auditorium at the

Uafvemfty of Miami, mey struggled gamely, and mueh pd.-----mp- - tm plitely, over the main topic as well as the astute guestis~sposed by &heMian~i audience. menthe dust bad settled, the poht seemed to be a rebas$ of that old joke about the guy who telk his doctor, '"t bur@ wbe%l jj do thh." "So don" 80 that," "&he doctor mys. KopgeFa and sever@other panel&&came 4s the conclaslsn that if you don" be violence on televhisn, don" watch j violence op television, I ABe is very ymud of 'Viewpoiat" -- a recent 1 Altreoi I. duPonl6olumbia University Eichool of / JournaIbm award-winner - which provides a nlueh- ne&ed forum for publie crltlekm of televh""t8Ei In pat sessions, ""Viel~psfnt""has dealt with such &sues as hvaslsn sf privacy by news orgqaizations and

chairman of the National Coalleaon Agamsr 'iaeievlsion ; Violence; Roy Danbh, director of %Be badustry" 1 Television Infomattian Office; Peggy Charren, presi- i dent of Action for Children" Television; John Corporani senlor vice presicieat. of New Vorkk Bloeal : N7P1X news sation; aad Erie Sevaseid, Porn~erpundit , and now consu%lQntfar CBS. 1 &%oat01 the program wsan unen%ighteningbattle sf vague rweareh s@t&tics---- mdmki elaiming "m different seientllie studies. . - sverwhelming1y ahow that there k a direct causal relationships9between televbion and real-life violence; Danhh countering that ""tethkds of media special&&and scholars see very little or no impoPtance in television's sole as an 1 Sneitor of violeaee." "veral panel&&chose the middle i ground, syhg that even though there may never be 1 conclusive proof that television violence causes actual 1 vislenee, it can't tbe good for US --- Giuliani called this 1 line of thought "common sense." There was common I sense from Charren who %id paren& should eontsoe 1 %hetype of televbion their ;;children w~s%t@h i hnd yet. tbere was no winner on the seal question: 1 6 I I ------2 1 Saurday. February 26, 1983, .Lbs Angeles Herald Examiner

But Koppel's simplistic conclus~onthat television 1s 'viewpoint ' -.;;#%+F, above all a democratic institution. and executives T, respond best when viewers change the channels, was , ,. ,I- , , -rq+ : Continued from page E3 something of a, well, Kopout. As news director Corporan pointed out, news oraanizatlons sometimes Gerbner said, it does teach viewersa stiff lesson in how do &ad wiih a gory story to catzh viewer attention. 1f to be a victim, which has made our population more violence racks up hefty ratings points, the American paranoid than it need be. audience clearly has an appetite for it. The declsion of Regrettably, there was no outline of just how many how much of this type of programming to dish out lies shows were considered violent - gratuituously or wfth the discretion of the men nrnning the business otherwise - or whether the number of violent shows had decreased or increased from past deades. %re was no clear distinction made between real violence reported on nightly television news and the violence in entertainment shows. There was no way of evaluating the panelists' expertise or the validity of the statistics they so freely quoted. This confusion, however, is only mirrored by the attitude of the American population: Correspondent Richard Threlkeld reported at the outset the results of an ABC poll, which found that while seven of 10 Americans feel there is too much violente on television and twethlrds believe television violence is harmful to soctety, six of 10 said television violence doesn't bother them pemnally. Hovering over the discussion and cowing the panelists was the ghat of censorship. One of the best questions of the evening came from a gentleman who pos~tedthat there was so much violence on television because the American people like it and -that -- fact_@ reftec-ted- in the high ratings. "The problem is diversity and choice," Cbarren , responded. "When we talk abut violence like this. it always sounds like the next statement will be, 'And we bave to get it off the air.' The fact is, censorship is aobably worse than any kind of content on television. But what the broadcasters are not doing is providing enough choice." The best part of the show was the audience's questlous, w&h, under Koppel's strict supervision, were thankfully short and provocative. To the question 1 of whether exposure to television violence might 1 become a trendy criminal defense, Giulianl answered i no, it would not be a recognizable defense. To the assertion by one woman that television prejudices blacks by always showing them as criminals, Xadecki responded that the proportion of television crime committed by blacks is no higher, and may be slightly lower, than in reality. Koppel, as always, was a marvel of discipline, cracking the whip if any questioner or panelist began wandering off the topic path. He even snapped old Eric around once.

- prime-time! N presents distorted images, \ :By ~nce~hawke~ 1,600 prime-time programs and15,OUO world - people who are more vigor- of.thisfact, said Gerbner,and so they Of TheState Journal ,.' characters and found the world of ous, have more power and who are packagea series of programsknown pmetime quite differentfrom our morehealthy now thanever before." as 'prime time" designed not- to pre- ! Imagine a world where men out- own What happens topeople who tune sent reality,but to presenta package numberwomen 3 to 1 where only 10 "Six times everyhour on prime- into a world where crime occurs 10 of entertainmentthat hopefully will - percentof the populationare bluecol- time television, someoneeither com- , times more than it does in real life? beat out the othertwo networks for )u workers and wherepeople .exist mits a crime or isvictimized by a Gerbner and his colleagues found the almighty ratings ' almost entirelyon junk food, yet man- crime. For children's programming, at 46 percent of heavy TV viewers "What we're seelng here is a pri- age to remain slim and beautiful. the fiis 25 times an hour." hose who watch more than four vate ministry of culttire,controlled by That's the world of prime-time Gerbnerfound that only 6 percent three men, all of whom are corpo- television.And according to George of the charactersinjured in prime- rately appointedand who decidewhat Gerbner, professorof Communica- time TV ever requiremedical atten- W and what won'tbe aired," he said tions at the Universityof Pennsylva- tion or hospitalization.And when a nia, the averageAmerican household doctordoes enter the scene,he or she Gerbnersaid he did not blame the stateof primetimeTV on anyone in- , is bombarded by this slanted world is usualty portrayedas an omniscient iI?i hows every day. character,able to cure the falleahero dividual,nor did he indicatethat tele- ' "The world of prime-timetelevi- in a single episode. visionwas thesole cause of our mispl sion is hope1esslyskewed," said Gerb One of prime time's tjieSt in- erceptions.Be did say, however,that er, 'addressing the Madison Civics sults, accordingto Gerbner,is its por- said televisionis not only prime-time TV does contribute to Club Saturdayat the Inn on the Park *trayalof the elderly."When they are but a We style. Remarch them. "And the more we watch it, the more cast, they are usually portrayed as television is so much a He urged listerkrsto become ac- -we tend to believe that the world helpIW, innocuous, powerless: giely involved in the ,prograrpnhg really is that way." &aracterswho usually end up being, .'"process,w'aming that simply turning , For the past15 years, Gerbnerand victimized.What an injusticeto the. the TV off only deniesthat the prob- a team of researehershave analyzed fastest-growgroup of peoplein the 'lem eldsts MADISON CIVICS CLUB MADISON. WISCONSIN - I6K6 w~llget you one way or another:

By Jan Grhonsrn . . Poughkeepsie Journal 3/28/1983 JO& Ild . . J.R. may finally topple Ewing oil, the cayote may cook the roadrunner's'goose - the shows may, end, but their influence will last. TBousands of television stories seep into the minds of milliois, nurturing a ragtag political perspective with a power that is just beginning to be debated, according to Dr. George Gerbner, 63, professor of communications and Dean of the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania. He predicted recently before a Dutchess Community College audience in the Town of Poughkeepsie that the control of television, which he likened to a pre-industrial :ireligion, will become as much a political issue as arms

,Control and education. . , "We find out what the norm is, what we thii realitpis -we acquire our standards, our yardsticks by which we judge ourselves and other people - by telling stories." Gerbner said. "Whoever tells most of the stories of the culture really controls that culture!' Television's godlike cast 01 characters offer a "world- view." Gerber said, which teach audiences their place in society. It shows them how social types behave, and- " what their opportunfties are for success or failure. The lesson is taught in part by omission -by underre-~ presenting the young and old, women and minorities from television's scheme of things. Gerbner knows because his team of analysts has been, scrutinizing a week's worth of television characters and their behavior lor 15 years. . A variety of organizations, including the American "They're almost out 01 sight and practically out of mind,? television is, in effect, run by a private ministry of cul- Medical Association, the President's Commission on the . he said. ture,composed of profit-minded executives whom the pub- Causes and Prevention of Violence, the U.S. Office 0fEdu- . Viewers, particularly -hildren. conclude that these un- lic dws not know, he =id. Production is geared to appeal cation, have funded thorough examinations of each char- ,derre~resentedgroups face a restricted set of opportuni- to the largest common denominator, using conventional acter - his sex, color, profession and behavior, the theme ties, he said. "You FOVi up thinking you have less than images, to offer advertiseis the greatest number of of hi show, the numbe- of times he kisses a girl or smacks Your share of opportunities in life. This is how we perpetu- . viewers. her and whether be finally ends up somebody's victim. No .ate an unequal and unfair basic conception of huban The key competitors, ABC, NBC aqd CBS, have stream- stone is left unturned. abilities and opp0rtunit:as." lied their production to cut costs, so that actors perform "Every drink that J.R. takes is recorded," Gerhner Violence, which occws six times per hour on prime , for dozens of unrelated sequences at once, without know- said. time, and 25 times per hour during children's daytime . ing the story. If the show palls, specialists are hired to add The companion surveys. which his department con- programming, provokes aggression on ,a low level, he violence or slapstick as an "industrial ingredient." ducts, show that an individual's outlook is directly geared said. More frequently, i; cultivates insecurity and a fear . Gerbner said. to his amount of television viewing. Heavy viewers are ..of victimization. The ro;jtine depiction of a mean world Alternative funding, whether through taxes, federal more resistant to chaitge. and more riely to eadorse,the encourages viewers to seek protection and acceptrepress-. grants or other means, could create a greater variety of status quo which they see on television. . ion in the guise 01 security, he said. programs, reflecting values which ultimately can be de- Heavy viewers said they were less likely than light - It's nosecret t!ai television strays far from the com- termined only by public consensus, he said. viewers to vote for a a woaan who Was wel!qualified U ,-inonplace.Ji ieievision' : 300 major characters, % are in "It would be refreshing tu hear 'TNSis noi lor you. Why be president, for example, and less likely to disagree with. law enforcement, 33 are crim,inals. 12 are doctors, six don't your turn it off and do somethiig.else?' instead 01 the statement that a woman is happiest at home with her . are lawyers, three are judges and one is a scientist. . hearing 'Stay tluied.' c children. Children, who frequently see members of the world's most . Turning it off entirely is an implausible solu- Heavy viewers were also likely to agree with .untrue ' elite professions, tend to know more about being a brain tion. "There are a lot of compelling attractions in lives ,statements that the elderly are less numerous and vigor- surgeon than they do abut their parent's jobs:fie said. that are otherwise not so rich, where there used to be a lot ous than they were in the past. "They know very little about service and blue collar -:of boredom. It's unfair to say you can turn it off - , "The more you watch, the more You think Censer- occupations that 60 percent of them will have to 101- you can't. Youlive in a world where 999 of 1,000 people are vative - questioning the rights and liberties of other low." watching - are part of the over-the-air ritual. In a real people - the more you demand services like a liberal, Eating and drinking ixcurs on television about nine . sense. You can no more turn it off,than hold your breath in although, paradoxically. You think taxes are too high times per hour, but the characters rarely sit doam for a polluted air. - and at the same time, you call yourself a moder- balanced meal, according to a study that was partly com- "The way to change it is not to look down on people who ate." missioned by the Amerkan Medical Association. are monopolized by it -but to see how we can enrich it, These attitudes spring 'from the way people are Par- The consequences are rarely.shown, which encourages how we can make it more diverse, ... how we canin- trayed on the tube. complacency about health and the powers of medical crease through it the dreams that heal." Men outnumber women three to one in prime time, six science. he said. About two percent of the women char- to one on the news and 12 to one in children's daytime acters on television are while six percent of A,reading list about television is available. Write: programming. The proportion of Women andblacks on the men are overweight. Less thanone percent show any George Gerbner television 'is one-third of their proportion- jn-Amer&an ill effects from drinking. Dean, Annenberg School pf Commtinications society, the proportion of Hispanics is less than half. The . American television, o!course, could readily offer other University of Pennsylvania elderly are represented least of all. - fare, if its funding strueixe yere changed. As it stands. Philadelphia. Pa. 19104. - -~ In the National Coalition on TV Violence's latest report, "Hill Street Blues' averaged 11 violent acts an hour. ~etectiveMick Belker, played by Bruce Weitz (I.), comforts a wounded film star (Leo ROSSI)In an eplsode of the h~ghlyacclaimed NBC serles Tv group fears rise in violence By DIANE MERMIGAS ing record levels of prime tinre tv violenre next season If this seasan's limited spring "We have identified more series and the descriptions of high violence series on network pilots in development for fall prime time tv so far this season are an" indication, the three than at any other time durlng

commercial networks will opt the three .,wars ~ ~ we have been for a quick way out of declining monitoring programing." said audience shares and program Thomas Radecki, a Southern Il- ratings nexr fall via more action linois University School of adventures filled with car hledicine psychiatrist and foun- chases and fist fights. der of the Champaign, 111.-based However, at least one special coalition. interest group. rhe National Co- He said a "hiah violence" alition on TV Violence, is call- program is one &at has 10 or ing the potential trend "pro- more acts of "physical vio- graming for prof~twithout so- lence." which his group defines --cial conscience" and is predict- fCo,zliriued or, Pogr 191 ~~~ 1 ELECTRV.:ICMEDIA March 31, 1983 Coalition fears increase in violence on tv (Continued Jrom Page I) the rernalnder of the list). Ironi- Although ABC doubles each of tial harm that can come from bring more action or violence to as "the intentional, hostile use of cally. CBS' recently canceled its competitors in the number of se- watching violent entertainment.'' television, and I'm certainly not force of one person against an- "Walt Disney" averaged 12 violent ries it claims on the coalition's list Dr. Radecki's coalition is prepar- selling clones of 'The A Team' to other." acts an hour and NBC's highly ac- of top 20 (which includes six of ing ta petition the Federal Com- ABC or CBS," he said. However, he said, coalition man- claimed "Hill Street Blues" A.C. Nielsen Co's 20 most popular munications Commission and Con- Mr. Cannel said that on the basis itors lend different weight to such averaged 11. shows this season). Dr. Radecki gress on the matter and continues of the coalition identifying his lat- things as an angry push versus an The coalition has monitored only said he is concerned about what to wage a letter writing campaign est prime time series as the most attempted murder. the first one or two episodes of apparently will he a gravitation to- against top advertisers of prime violent show on tv, he will "take a The coalition's latest list of mast other limited-run spring series that ward more series violence on all time violence. look at what we're doing before we violent prime time programs puts have registered a high incidence of three networks next fall. Harvey Shephard, senior vp- begin production for the fall. NBC's highly rated "The A Team" violent acts. These include ABC's He believes that the only way it programing for CBS Entertain- Mayhe without changing about at the top with 39 acts of violence "Renegades" (42), ABC's "High can be countered is if Congress re- ment, said his network continues what works in the show, we can an hour, replacing ABC's "The Fall Performance'' (26) and CBS' "Wiz- quires the networks to air messages to refrain from action series with- eliminate some of the action they Guy," which has 34. (See chart for ards & Warriors" (15). "warning the viewers of the poten- out strong characters, relationships are objecting to. -.2nd .- .h,,mor. -. .. -.. "I made a gentle, fantasy ro- ABC has jumped into the new mance with no violence titled 'The wave of series action drama this Quest' that the critics ripped to Tv's most violent spring with "High Performance." pieces and that viewers didn't take Ths IS the latest lslcompled by the Nat~analCoalltlon onW which has placed 40th in the sea^ a look at this season, I'd like for VlOlenCe 01 lhe most violent network prlme tlme shows The coaltlon son-to-date rankine af oraerams. somebody to explain that to me if ,ale5 the shows accordlnq to number of volenl acts an hour averaeine a 15.8 razne. i4 scare td people really are all that concerned Per 12th-;la&d "The A yeam's" 20.2 about seeing more nonviolent Show Network Hr.- rating and 30 share. (Rating is the shows on television," he said. percentage of tv households, and The bottom line 1. The ATeam NBC 39 share is the percentage of tv house- 2. The Fall Guy ABC 34 holds with sets turned on.) Action- The bottom line of his action 3. Tales of the Gold Monkey ABC 31 embellished series in development shows is that "no one gets hurt," 4. Voyagers NBC 30 for fall include CBS' "Crossfire" Mr. Cannel said. "In the case of 5. Gavilan NBC 27 and "Savage of the Orient," NBC's 'The A Team,' that is more in the 6. The Dukes of Hazzard CBS 23 "Manimal" and "The Naturals" fantasy realm." 7. Greatest American Hero ABC 22 and ABC's "Rolling Thunder," Ralph Daniels, vp-NBC hroad- 8. T.J. Hooker ABC 20 "Masquerade" and "Automan." cast standards, agreed that hecause "The A Team" is a fantasy styled Simon and Simon CBS 20 Tredding the fine line show (although it is based on the 10. Magnum. P.I. CBS Stephen Cannel, whose credits realistic premise of a soldier-of- ABC Monday Movie ABC as a producer include "The Rock- fortune team of former Vietnam 12. Knight Rider NBC ford Files." "The Greatest Ameri- veterans who tackle impossible 13. TheQuest ABC can Hero" and "Ten Speed and crime-fighting tasks), the limit of Matt Houston ABC Brown Shoe." is the creative force acceptable action can be stretched. Hart to Hart ABC behind "The A Team" and at least "The audience is in on the game NBC Sundav Movie N BC two series pilots in development and is looking for plenty of action 17. Fantasy lslaild ABC for the fall. Although he believes when they tune into 'The A Team,' that tredding the fine line between but not for the same kind of vio- 18. ABC Sundav Movie ABC titillating action and gratuitous lence they might periodically see CBS ~aturda~Movie CBS violence in series could become an on a show like 'Hill Street Blues,' " CBS Sunday Movie CBS issue in the fall. Mr. Cannel said he Mr. Daniels said. "1 don't see a 21. ABC Fridav Movie ABC continues to create series according trend this fall." 22. Tucker's witch CBS to his own values and instincts. Stephen Bochco, executive pro- 23. Walt Disney CBS "I don't set myself as an expert ducer of "Hill Street Blues," said 24. Powers of Matthew Star NBC on this. Ir's very hard to know how he attempts to use "rcal life violent Hill Street Blues NBC much to listen to special interest acts" selectively in the series. "We Cagney and Lacey CBS groups, especially when they can't deal more with the philosophical 1 Action from 'T. J. Hooker' he more specific about what they and psychological consequences of .. .- - 27. Devlin Connection NBC are identifvine" as violence. I'm that violence more than with the I I certainly not on a campaign to I act itself,'' he said.# Battle lines drawn I , over impact of tv By CHARLENE CANAPE must testy tug of wars with the tv networks, whnse programs George Gerbner, the soft-spa- he contends are dangerously out ken dean of the Annenberg of touch with reality. School of Communications at The National Institute of the University of Pennsylvania, Mental Health relied heavily on does not appear lo be the type of Mr. Gerbner's work for its 1982 person who could anger any- report an tv. The report, re- one. But with each report Mr. leased in two parts in May and Gerbner writes. tv executives October, endorsed hlr.

from coast to coast feel their G~rhner's~~-~ ~ ~ so~cnllpd -~~-~"cultivation - ~ ~ blood pressure rise. theory" that tv influences a Mr. Gerbner's studies con- viewer's attitudes. The report cenr the impact of tv on peo- also found a causal relationship ple's attitudes and opinions. between tv violence and aggres- After more than 30 years of sive behavior. studying tv. Mr. Gerbner is in- All three tv networks critic- volved in oerha~sone of hls (Continued on Paqe 191 Battle lines drawn in fight over tv's im~actA

(Continued from Puye I) In addition to finding a relation- misconceptions about real life climb the~ wells" .-..wid Pal11..-. M- -. 1 I I ized the institute report and ABC ship between tv violence and ag- based upon what he sees on tv. Hirsch. an associate professor of so- went a step further. In February. gressive behavior, the institute These misconceptions include: ciology, the Graduate School of ABC sent to its affiliates and men,- study also found evidence that a That the majority of US. citi- Business. University of Chicago. bers of the academic community a clear consensus exists among most zens are dortors. lawyers or enter- Although hlr. Gerbner commis- booklet that attempts to counter researchers that tv violence leads tainers. In fact. most-60%-toil as sions many surveys, some of his in- the institute's conclusions to aggressive behavior, a point the blue-collar and service workers. formation comes from existing The ABC booklet has touched ABC report disputes. That women are the minority studies done by Arbitron Ratings off another round of contraverrv The NIMH study's other two sex and that most of them do not Co. or another polling organira- conclusions have their roots in Mr. work outside the home. In fact, tion. As long as a survey asks the Gerbner's research. Mr. Gerbner women are the majority and 50% of respondent whether he watches tv served as a member of the NIMH them now hold outside jobs. But on and if so how much, Mr. Gerbner is are so upset, they are preparing an advisory committee, a relalionship tv. women are more likely to be able to identify that person as a open letter to answer ABC's ABC has cited as a conflict that un- working in the laundry room light or heavy tv viewer. From claims. Mr. Gerbner called the justly influenced the report. rather than in the board room, Mr. that point, Mr. Gerbner can study ABC booklet reprehensible. "It Citing work done by Mr. Gerbner said. the person's other answers to de- picks up everything that is good Gerbner, the institute report said That the viewer is in danger of termine how his opinions may for them. it's a blatant attempt to the amount of violence on tv has becoming a crime victim every have been affected by rv. provide nothing but propaganda remained high during the past 10 time he leaves his home. On tv. for their point of view," he said. years. But ABC points to a recent more than half of the characters in 'Got different results' Alan Wurtrel, director of news, study by the CBS Office of Social prime time are involved in a vio- Tv executives have several developmental, and social research Research as evidence that violence lent confrontation. Yet in the real problems with this method of re- at ABC, said the network had two has gone dawn. The major differ- world, less than 1% of people be^ search. "He picks out those ques- purposes in releasing the report. ence is the manner in which vio- come crime victims. tions that he feels relate to tv," said "Our affiliates were eettine- - criti- lence is defined in those reoorts. That the elderly are a vanish- Barbara Lee, manager of research, cism-including many newspaper 1 Mr. Gerbner's definition ing breed and thai most of them design and implementation for editorials-that was unfounded are helpless and senile. In fact, Mr. CBS. "When different people went and they were asking us for a re- Mr. Gerbner's definition in Gerbner said, the elderly are the in and selected different questions GEORGE GERBNER sponse." Mr. Wurtzpl said. "We cludes not only serious and realis nation's fastest growing age group rhat they felt were symbolic of tv, Claims tv programs are dan- also wanted to get th? academic tic depictions of violence, but also and many of them lead highly pro- rhey got differen~results." - ~ community to look at the research comedy and slapstick, accidents durtivelives. Mr. Wurtrel of ABC said: "Dr. gerously out of touch with reality and evaluations. Our report shows and acts of nature, such as floods, Network executives acknowl- Gerbner has a theory which is fa- of what the person watches." that there are serious shortcomings earthquakes and hurricanes. The edge Mr. Gerbner has studied tv scinating. but it's not a scientific Mr. Gerbner, however, tosses in the NlMH report." ABC has no1 CBS study excludes those. longer and written on it more ex- fact. His surveys do not take into astde such criticisms. "It shows that released the report to the press or Mr. Gerbner's contention that tv tensively than anyone else. But account age. sex, race or where a they have not really read my re- to the public, but a copy has been can influence a viewer's attitudes that doesn't keep network execu- person lives. The way he classifies search," he said. "We do control for obtained by ELECTRONICMEDM The and opinions, cited by the NfMH tives or those conversant in polling a heavy viewer varies. Sometimes other variables, such as demo- 32-page ABC report includes a re- report, has been attacked vigor- techniques from disagreeing vehe- it's someone who watches three graphic elements, such as other buttal of the four main points in ously by the networks. Mr. meutly with hismethodology. hours of television, other times media, income, location and the the institute study plus a discussion Gerbner said a viewer who "Thoseofuswhoknowanything four or six. In addition, Dr. major variables. which are always of ABC's policies. watrhes a lot of tv may develop about polling and sampling start to Gerbner does not have any sense income and education."#

COVER STORY This Man Watches TV for a Living ... He Doesn't Like What He Sees by MARY ALICE KELLOGG people watch TV, the more they tend who appears most frequently-and to perceive older Americans in unfa- who gains the most-on TV. More HEN GEORGE GERBNER,vorable, negative terms. This is so than half of TV's dramatic popula- Ph.D., watches anoth- because anyone past 50 on television tion is between 25 and 45 (the age er situationcomedy on islikelytobeconfused,silly,evendot- group that in real life buys the most television, he is seldom ty-and, invariably, powerless. products). On TV, only 2.3% of the wamused. Nor is thissober, intellectual Dr. Gerbner has been a researcher fictional population is over 65; in real critic entertained by sagas life, the figure is 11 % . about quarreling rich fami- There's an abundance lies or daredevil detectives. George Gerbner & one of younger women for older The fact is. Doctor Gerbner menonTV, butthereareno is not too happy about any younger men for older of the shows programmed media e.xpe~who believes women. And women on TV for prime-time viewing au- "age" faster than men, be- diences. and he suggests we You Can ~hdngethe way ingconsistently castin roles all do something about this that decrease romanticpos- condition. who is this professorial TVdominatesyour &e. sibiaies.Older people, especial- criticand wheredoes he get -- lymen, arelesslikelytopor- offwith high-minded viewooints? To for 15 years and his provocative find- tray serious roles than younger men, begin, ~r.-~erbner,at 63:is dean of ings have prompted wide publicity and they are much more likely to be the University of Pennsylvania's An- and even some superficial soul- cast in a comic role as being befudd- nenberg School of Communications; searchingwithin theindustry. Yet, he led, powerless, etc. and quite possibly, he has watched states that precious little has been Therefore, young people per- television with a more critical and done to change TV's gross distortion ceiveolder Americansin negative and energetic eye than anyone in Ameri- of the way Americans truly live their unfavorable terms. Heavy viewers ca. lives.. . and sadly, nowhere is this are likely to believe (based on the For all these reasons, the doctor is more apparent than in the way TV shows) that older people are not regarded as a leading social critic and represents men and women over 50. open-minded or adaptable, are not a video pioneer. Indeed, he is genu- In 1979 Gerbner and his colleagues bright and alert, and are not good at inely concerned-and a little dis- published a landmark study on TV's getting things done. turbed-with the ways television image of mature Americans. These The chilling bottom line: "More (the industry) portrays our society. findings, culled from carefully ana- oldercharactersare tredtedwithdis- Further, he believes that we all are lyzed videotapes of 1,600 prime-time respect than are characters in any responsive to television's distorted programs involvingmore than 15,000 other age group. About 70% of the and inaccurate portrayals. characters,should beenough tomake older men and more than 80% of the For example: The more young most older viewers downright fu- older women are not held in high rious. They raise some very basic esteem or treated courteously.. . Mary Alice Kellogg is a New York-based questionsabout how theimageof old- and a much larger proportion of older free-lance writer and editor whose work er Americans is shaped by business. characters are portrayed as eccentric appears in TV Guide, New York, and Harper's Bazaar. She also lectures on Among the more startling Gerbner or foolish." media issuesandowns two TVsets which conclusions: Evenmore alarming is the fact that require frequent dusting. Age is a strong determinant of things have not changed much since CONTINUED 14 APRIL i983/50 PLUS PHOTOGRAPH BY AM)" UYN/WISTAR

The All-Time Prime Time Schedule

'Iii 1 I i I I I ~il~r.\ye aiiuld gl;idIy w;itc.h thpir :icltnit :il>i:~sto\var(I sit~~iitio~~(~,,t~~~ I.It I 1 I iil' sh\vs. two I I I't111 I many lirst :rppearrcl in the lllios. 1 furtnats peri'r~,tt'r,r 'I'V. But c,;~ch I trtI I. I 'I'V's so-callrd "(:olden Agr" S;id ; .howmirrorrd itstiil)~.vntrrilii.to I were i'~,r<.r~lti, spcnd ri1c.h ?\enins ' ti,s;iy. only hve ofthr :{:iprograins mass tastes. 01' <.i,llrhr. Ijrlt ol1e11 ,I:I t I I:I I I I , ;ire, still in their network slots. \Ve i prodding. ~>~ikinc.a11d il~~>ckillg

7:OO 7:30 8:OO 8:30 9:OO 9:30

~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~- - ---

60 Minutes The Ed Sullivan Show Bonanza SUNDAY 1968- 1948-1971 1959-1973

~~~~ ~~ -~ ~- ~ - ~ ~- ~ ~.~ Gunsmoke Rowan and Martin's M'A'S'H The C MONDAY 1955-1975 Laughln 1968-1973 1972-1983 1970-' TheMary All in the l Love The Milton Berle Show Tyler Family Lucy TUESDAY 1948- 1956 Moore1970-1977 Show 1971- 1951- 7 The Beverly The Dick Van Maude The Waltons WEDNESDAY Hillbillies Dyke Show 1972-1978 1972-1980 1962-1971 1961-1966 - -- The Red Skelton Show ~y Three The Twilight The Carol Burnett Sho! THURSDAY 1951-1971 Sons Zone 1967-1979 1960-1972 1959-1964 ------The Jack Dragnet Maverick Dallas FRIDAY Benny Show 1952-1970 1957-1962 1978- 1950-1965 .- - -. .. Arthur The Smothers Brothers Godlrey The Jackie Gleasan Show SATURDAY 1952-1970 Comedy Hour et 01. 1967-1970 1948- 1959 usually castin the roleof patheticvic- sion is present about ten times more vice, point outcrimes against the eld- tim." often than it is in real life. Outside of erly and really end up reinforcing the With mature Americans watching TV, less than 1% of the population is image thatolder peopleget from tele- more television than any other age involved with violent confrontation. vision. This victimization syndrome group (the national average for wom- but 55% of fictional TV characters does communicate itself, and is often en over age 55 was 39 hours per week are. Fear of victimization can set in, reflected in a higher degree of inse- in 1982;formen in thesamegroup, 36 and set in fast. "Older people think curity and fear than corresponds to hours), the danger comes in truly theworldisalotmeanerthan younger the facts. The facts are that older believingthatwhatyouseeisan accu- viewersdo,"saysGerbner. Moreover, people by and large are not as vulner- rate portrayal of the real world. This "older people can become virtually able to attack and assault as newspa- is particularly true when the subject terrorized because too often the pers and television portray. Yet you is violence and crime. Crimeon televi- newspapers, in what they see as a ser- can't argue with fear. It becomes an indelicate matter to tell someone they shouldn't be afraid, because that person can point to so many examples why he should." Following their studies, Gerbner WHATDOYOU and his aseociates have concluded thatte1evision"may well be thesingle most pervasivesourceof health infor- I. What's your lavorlto TV show mation. Its overidealized images of ol all tlmo? medical people leave both patients and doctors vulnerable to disap- pointment, frustration, and even liti- 2. Who Is your tavorlto malo TV gation." While this can foster unreal- pononallty? isticemphasison themiraclesof medicine, there is another aspect that Dr. Gerbner believes is of importance to 3. Your favorlto Iomalo TV per. ronallty? 50-plus people, and that is a form of cultural denial. "What is being ig- nored is an entire breed of older 4. What's tho most momorablo people who are extremely vigorous moment you'vo soon on TV?- andwhose problems are more the role in which they are placed, or forced to play, than problems of either money orhealth.And theyaresuffering from 5. What's tho most dldurblng cultural deprivation, not from physi- moment you'vo soon on TV?- calor internalemotionaldeprivation. They are being placed in positions, being looked at and related to as feeble, old men and women." In Gerb- 6. What'syourlavorltocommor. ner's view: "That has an effect on clal? one's self-perception. It's vital to remember that social security implies cultural security as well." 7. Your load lavorlto commor. clal? LTHOUGH this seems a thoroughly dismal state of af- 8. Whkh program most accu. fairs, Dr. Gerbner explains ratoly portrays SO.pluuors? - Athere are bright spots in this video world. Oneof the brighter onesisday- time programming, notably soap 9. Whlch program portrays 50. operas, because"thedaytimewor1d is plussors In tho poorost llght?. a world of interior turbulence and issues of personal relev~nceto most people. Prime time is by and large a 10. How many hours a day of TV time of macho adventures with a few do you watch? situation comedies-and it's inter- esting to note that when television 11. Aroyouwllllngtojolna WPlul deals with a family, it has to be fun- consumor movement to change ny." adds Gerbner. "The daytime TV? world is both more equitable and more relevant. There is almost an CONIINUED TV SIDE EFFECTS: THE GOOD AND BAD NEWS 1 TV's pervasive influence on us is the individual who smugly an- some faceless network executive in nothing new. But TV has less ob- nounces, "I never watch TV," in- NewYork. If hewanted youto watch vious side effects, some good, some variably is able to fill you in an the BonanzaonSunday nighta, then, by not so good. First, the bad news: latest installmentof Knotshnding golly, you'd watch Bonanza on Sun- It hbs lew staWs: As an intellec- or Hill Street Blues? Arecent baok, day. Notanymore. Nowyoucanvid- tual activity, TV viewing rates well Breaking the TV Habit, by Joan eotape programs for later viewing, below re-reading Proust's Remem- Anderson Wilkis (Scribners), ar- you can subscribe to dozens of cable branceof Thingspast in theoriginal gues that adults-mare than chil- networks that cater to your every French and only a notch above gos- dren--deceive themselves about interest,and withthegrowthof pay- siping on the phone or walking the their TV addiction; they underesti- per-view TV, you can purchase a dog. It does not have as much mate their hourain front ofthe tube. one-time showing of aspecial event. redeeming social value as jogging, Willtins' book offers a four-week It Ir Inlormotlvo: For better ar practicing the piano, gardening, agenda to wean addicts from TV: worse, TV has surpassed newspa- woodworking, doing volunteer Week I, list your complete viewing persfor repartingthenews.It is fast. work. or fixing a leaky faucet. TV schedule; week2, consciously decide concise, graphic. Moreover, the TV has low statusbecause; in this era of whet ahows you'll watch, why you camera now seems able to go any- self-awareness and self-fulfillment. watch them, and critically appraise where. (There is a negative side to it doesn't tmprove you. them afterward; week 3, cut down TV's instant news. Even Walter n makes you n*: Dr. Gerb- viewing to one hour a day; week 4, Cronkite admitted that TV news is ner's Annenberg School of Commu- turn the set off. little more than a "headline" ser- nications reports heavy TV viewing It can bo a pod companion: vice. This leavea the print media to is not good for your health. TV It'safactof lifeformany singlesthat fallow up with longer informative addicts are more sedentary, eat and the TV set functions as a "second pieces, plus analysis and editorial drink more, and exercise less than person" in their home, a friendly if comment.) average Americans. slightly Orwellian contact with the It's great lor rporh mns: No It makes you tool gulny: TV world at large. Less forgiving social doubt about it, TV is so good at viewingmay spawn more benign lies observers consider this an indict- broadwting sports events that than any topic in the U.S. (money, ment of 20th-century life. most spectators prefer home view- sex life, and golf handicaps are m- It Is conhdlablo: Not too long ingto thestadium. It may be the one sible exceptions). Ever notice bow ago,TVviewers wereat themercy of area whereW is beyondreproach. even man-woman character ratio. Because of it, nobody is 'out in the ed by the buying power of the 18-to- Older people play more important sticks' anymore. Nobody has to be a 35 age group, Gerbner says, "is not a and responsible roles. They often hick; you have the same cultural fad."Eventhoughmature Americans have that power to do good or evil." experiences via television as people make up this nation's most rapidly Along with that power comes the who live in a penthouse. TV becomes expanding age group, Gerbner says power of romance. Those profession- part of a style of life. If your style of that demographics won't force al observers who monitor daytime life is limited, or more remote from change. Then how can change come serials report that "autumn ro- the mainstream, then it becomes a about? Through the following steps: mance" story lines currently have more important lifeline to the main- First, write letters-of com- high appeal and response from stream. For some older people, the plaint and of praise-tothe sponsors, younger as well as older viewers. television set can be the last faithful stations, and networks. Show them Gerbner's position is that, like any companion that never leaves and to you are an active, critical viewer. ritual or "religion," television has the theextentthey feelisolatedorwish to Second, Gerbner states that it is capacity for good as well as had, and be a part of the mainstream culture, important to "raise your own con- that more energy should be spent on TV becomes extremely important. sciousness and that of others to the making things better. He likes to But then the question is: Does your representation of older people on stress the cultural importance of tele- self-imagegetshapedby what yousee television. Discuss it, don't just ab- vision. "For the first time since tribal on television?" sorb it. Form critical viewing groups. religion, we have something that ties Since the industry has shown little Play this game as you watch: Ask, elements of a diverse community to- desire tochange its portrayal of older 'What is the message behind these gether. Print had a fragmentizing Americans, it would seem that people characters?' It's fun to do and can influence, but television has a unify- 50 and older are facing a bleak video make even dull programs seem inter- ing influence. TV provides access and future. Dr. Gerbner says that doesn't esting. Playing an analytical game is allows the famous and beautiful and have to be the case-television can the first step in viewing actively, ugly and notorious to come into your change if viewers will commit them- aggressively, and critically." home every day. It has abolished dis- selves to being the instruments of Third, team up with young tance, it has abolished parochialism. that change. The fact that TV is guid- people. "Itdoesn'tmatter how youdo

18 APRIL f983/50 PLUS it," explains Gerbner. "Such relationships can be a tremendous force. Help young people form more realistic images of older people. This relationship teaches young people how to grow older, and alerts them to look at television portrayals more critically." Fourth, look to the schools. Gerbnerstrongly believesthat "every school should haveaprogram incriti- cal viewing, just as they have programs in literature, drama, the liberal arts." Fifth, form citizens groups that have "some muscle and clout. Unless you organize seriously you'll just be related to as the 'public' in public relations. If you have clout, you'll be relatedtomoreseriously. Organizeon a national level." It is difficult to imagine George Gerbner curled up in front of the tube with a cold beer watching Dynasty. What does he watch for entertainment? This area, alas, is a mystery: He never reveals what programs he watches or even how many hours he watches, wishing to keep his research business and personal life separate. "When I watchtelevision, Iget alot Discover the fun and economy of seeing America from your own more out of it than most people," he Winnebago" motor home. saysinanobvious understatement."I Set your own pace. Stop whe~you want. Enjoy the peace and play the criticallanalytical game. quiet of a secluded campsite. Or the warm companionship of a Once you begin toplay it, trying tosee traveling caravan of friends. the message behind the message, I In a Winnebago, you've got it all. Comfortable beds. A full bath- assure you there is no such thing as a room. An efficient galley. A cozy lounge with mom for company. dull program." arr George Gerbner's own life story In fact, the only things this home doesn't have property taxes could very well make a prime-time and lawn mowing. adventure show. He was born in See your Winnebago dealer. With 14 different models to Budapest, and still has soft traces of choose from, including an incredible 22 MPG* motor home, the& his native accent. During World War 11, he parachuted into the mountains of Yugoslavia to fight the Germans with the partisan forces. Later, after the war, he tracked down and arrest- ed a number of high Nazi officials. A Ph.D. in communications, he has been married for 35 years to Ilona Gerbner, herself an accomplished professional. Her offices-she is a professor of theater at the University of Pennsylvania-are housed in the building next door to her husband's. A slim and elegant woman, she is as dynamic as her husband. George Gerbner's pioneering work has already caused some discomfort up and down network row in New York and Los Angeles. But, plainly, the good Dr. Gerbner intends to continue his watchful eye and, to all serious viewers, that is good news. .Highaay mirage based on pmorype U.S. Auro Club terung. Your milcage may vary. a1983 Winnebago Indurtrier, lnc.

nn. Dean Takes I At TV'sRpleIn 1 ibt% tnsfiliq Giu~alMyths; - Washington. April 5. Colleges should provide "an ana-! Iytical and crilical approach to, mass media, especially television1 viewing" through their rcgular, courses, according lo George Gerb- 1 ner, dean of the Annenberg School! of Communications a1 the C,011 Pennsylvania. Speaking before the National Conference on Higher Education in (Cnnlinutd on p;igr W) i --- ~ L PemDm 1 lcontinued from .oaee .. 1) Wasbnflon. D C. I;~stSunday 27). Crrrbnrr di:ussed thr power and pervasiveness of tv in current society and suggested, "We have to build a fresh amroach to the li- krdl ,trk 1 del;nc the I~Criilam ds those skills 2nd tun1 wts th.~tIr- berate individuals from an un- questioning dependence on the irnrnediatc culturnl environment." In the past. he said, this was accomplished throughachievingliter- acy, while the tube is the major route to culture today. "It gives us n highly coherent m.ythology," said Gerbner. "It does not, however, represent images of fairness or thc equitable distrihu- tion oi resuurcrs. It hurls women, minorities and anyone who dopa not subscribe to the inast conventional values. It is restrictive. It tends to slereoty~,It represents :I culturi:l mainstream which confirms m;in) of our most damaging prejudices Y/ZL p> w!G?= IEJ 1Penn 4'esearcher Yj? isputes ABC on violence I By Dick Pothier since the ABC rebuttal was issued in ullowcver,a careful examination The ABC statement examinesfour Inquirer Slnlf Brllcr January. of the research which was used to specific conclusions reachedin the The ABC television network is try- "It is ironic,"said Eli Rubinstein,a sllpport the NIMHposition indicates FilMH report: whetherteieviSi0n v~o-. , ing to mislead the public aboutthe professor in the School of Journal- That the evidence doesnot warrant lence causes aggressive behavior, amount and effects of violence on ism at the Universityof North Caroli- such a conclusion.ABC feels, there- whether there is a "clear consensus television,a top Universityof Penn- na and anotheradviser to the update. fore, a responsibility to place tlje among researchers"on the issue, sylvania communicationsresearcher "that 11 years later, whenthe scien- NIMH report - and other research whether it is true that violence On said yesterday. tific evidence on the violence issue regardingte]evisionVs effects - into television has remained at consis- George Cerbner, dean of Penn's is even inore conclusiye, IIHC mis- perspective." tently high levels, and whethertele- Annenberg School of Communica- represents those findings, ignores ABC objected to Gerbner's "via- vision cultivates distorted attitudes tions and oneof the key researchers the growing body of knowledge on lence index." through which he re- and conceptsof reality. in a 1982 study of televised violence, otner effects of tclevisiot~viewing corded the amount of violence on In his ~esearch,for example, said he believed that a recent ABC and has not fulfilled its pledge lo network television,as "an arbitrary Cerbner has found that people who critique of the rcport bore similar- make constructiveuse of that in for- and idiosyncratic measure' which watch a 101 of television believethat ities to the tobacco industry's at- mation in program planning." does not accuratelyreflecl program there is more crime in the STeetS lempt to rebut medical findingsthat The AMC report was a lengthy. content." 'The network contended, than do people who watch less televi- smoking is harmful. point-by-pointattempt to rebut the for example, that Gerbner included sion.The implicationis that the COm- "ABC could well afford to use it. findingsof the NIMH research. accidental violence or victimization mon cops-and-robbersand violent- not fight it," Gerbner said of the 'The ABC rebuttal suid: "Among of humans on television. crimeshows suggest to someviewers report. whichwas sponsoredby the many of its findingswas the conclu- Gerbnersaid his definitionof via. that society is more violent than it National Institute of Mental Health sion that a causal relatiorshipexists Icnce "is the same one used by CBS. really is. (FilMH) to update the 1972 surgeon between television violenceand ag. . . . Essentially,1 think ABC is just The ABC report denies thatcon- . general's report on the effects of gressive behavior. . quibbling. nection. televised violence. The ABC reply singled out I 11 Cerbner's analysis of the arnount of violence on TV.in which Gerbner concluded that televised violence had remained high from the 1970s into thc 1980s. Gcrbner and other scientists wbu serbed as advisers oiaintaiuednot only that.the amount of' televised ~ioienccrcmained high. but !hat it \vi~c;,ca!;callyrcluted to a \vide ral~gc.ol cl'fccts -- many of them negati1.c- on individuals and society. Gerbncr and the other scientists sent a lettcr of protest last weekto U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, complaining thatABC's rebuttal of their findings was inaccurate and misleading. ABC's attack on the 1982 study came in the form of a report called "I\ Research Perspective on Televi- sion and Violence." The document, prepared and distributedby ABC's Social ResearchUnit. disputesall the major findingsof the 1982 study.

, Gerbncr and his colleagues have

I been for~nulatingtheir response 1- Friday.April 29.1983 PhiladelphiaInquirer 11-C Is the violent 'A Team7 s 7 popularity a coincidence?

Iiy Gail Shl\rer bavlng money Its a rcldtlvely cheap more tlinc to showcase 11sown prod. Strauss sald she had turned dowri !* U,,,.?. 5,nt 1: .<'con T\ It1s also scck~n~~~trlcnccperse."saysGeorgelo run thc show In the 1: games 11 stations- last month. Work~ngwlth shot 111 the May issue of 0111 maga- the mart 11np11larnca scrl~sof tlic Cerbndr. dcan of the Un~bcrsilyol has broadcast thls'scason because 01 a staff of 47. she drr~dcsher tllnr 71nc Last wech's IJn~tedStates season I)ennsylvan~a'sAnnenberg School 01 llmc constrtclnls According to pro- between soft features and "storles I'ootball Isague broadcast on AHC ' 'lhc A read ' which alrz Tucs- Commun~ciitions'Iheq're loohlng gram manager Greg illlller. tlle sta- wttli d social consclousness" had a 5 8 Nlelsen ratltig and 16 share dajc at .$I' m 011 Channel .Z. Icaturc\ fur a good stor) llosl rallngr h:l\c llon has slottcd ?I? hollr~lor gamcs. .4ftcr 10 years of dally dcadl~nes. Ihe thtrd decllnc In as many weeks tllc h~gh~lnks ol a group of orltlatr llttlc lo do wtth the Inlrlllclc rncrlts and thus far thcj ve run too long to her ncw job 1s 0 brecze hrtll. 11 beat NBC'b "Sportsworld" \ Ietnam :CI\ who ;I\ one crltlr ol a program '[he) have to do WIII~alr "1:xtra Inntn!: ' "Wc work B month 111 advance" Hulfalo Bill. 'an NBC comedy scrles wrlles "puncli sllotrl connlic and time \lot\ I'li~ll~esIrre\lcw " the pregame she said in a telephone lntcrvlew starring I)abney Colcman a\ a flam. crash tllclr wa) loward dcfcat~ngall ha sic ell^T\ 1s 1101 a sclecllvc chow wlll run on selected gtlmes.': from l,os Angelcs "Tlrere's a broader boyant TV talk.show lio\t In Buffalo. array of cllla~nr vlewlng evpcricnce Most peoplc hl~llersa~d , subject range, and mOrc tlme lor Y II'. w~llprenilerc In .June. It stars (;corge Pcppard hut ilic blew b) llrc clo~k,1101 by thc pro- Talt Broddca5tlng owncr of Chan- preparation I've covered enough WIIYY.12M (909) has rccetvcd two CIIIIhero Ir Mr 'I rhc glitalc\t gradu gr;tm \ irrlence ltsclf 15 no1 ;I cau\c 11el 29 also owns 47 percent of the dcad.ch~ldrenstorles. shoolouts and top awards from the Corporation lor Mr.T ale 01 thc Schljql of Xlusclehoi~nd ltrr rating\ 111 lacl. I!'\ a Wily of I'h~lllcs 700 had 11 won I budgct pol~cehr~ltill~l! casts In my cdreer Publlc Hroadcastln~ 'A Team's' BA Rarncur Philadelphia Women in Communications Newsletter May 1985

'.I GERBNER CHARGES COMMUNICATORS to create positive images of women. minorities and all d. WITH SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS gro~lpsin tlie media and to Iielp create Inore humane conditions in the world by holding the media account- The people who write a culture's stories write that able for the environ~nentthey create. As long as women society's laws, according to Dr. George Gerbner, dean of and minorities are not represented at a level warranted the Annenberg School of Communications, University by their nutnbers in the population, there will be a need of Pennsylvania, and guest speaker at PWICI's Sarah for organizations si~cllas Women In Communications Awards luncheon. and a valuable service for them to carry out.* A culture's "storytellers" once were the church and . CAREER ALTERNATIVES OFFERS family, but in today's mediasaturated world, where STUDENTS AND CAREER CHANGERS A SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM children -grow UP in homes in which "television is like the wallpaper," a typical child will absorb some 40,000 to 50,000 "stories" a year before she or he can even read. College graduates and would-be career changers seeking The values, myths, worldviews and self-images of a competitive edge in the job market may enroll now in America's children are being created today primarily by Career Alternatives' summer career development and television before these children have had time to build internship program. This six-month program starts July any sense of self based on the values and realities of 5. Immediate applications and interviews are suggested their community, church or family. because of limited class size.

Gerbner urged the communicators gathered to honor During the initial five-week phase of the program parti- the Sarah winners to be aware of this tremendous in- cipants assess their skills, values and interests and reor- fluence of TV in our lives and to take a good look at ganize their skills for transference to new careers. Tlley what kind of images of the world and society it is pre- fine-tune their problelnsolving and decision-making tech- senting. niques, sharpen their resume writing and interview strategies,-. and conduct extensive career research. The The world of TV is one in which men outnumber worn- bi-weekly seminars are held from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. en 3 to 1 (6 to 1 in news programs), children and senior citizens are practically invisible, women age faster than The second phase is a four-month internship requiring a men. Gerbner cited some statistics from a recent Screen 20-hour, three-day week. Actors' Guild report, which indicated that women received only 3 1 percent of all acting jobs, black women Bi-~nontl~lyworkshops held throughout the internship receive 6 percent, and Hispanic women 2 percent. phase of the Career Alternatives program deal with such topics as time ~nanagement,communications skills, net- working and organizational behavior. Furthermore, The assumptions about the made by are guest speaken share their expertise on such subjects as skewed. The world reflected on TV is one of almost computer systems, business math and money rnanage- continual violence where minorities and women often are cast only as victims. Constant exposure to such ,merit. Counseling is available throughout all segments images, Gerbner stated, will only reinforce negative self- of the program. images among women and minorities and increase their insecurity and dependence. The concluding week involves two morning seminars in- vestigating the hiddell job market. negotiating and goal- Dr. Gerbner asked his audience to keep up the struggle setting. Participants complete a final resume at this time...... REGISTRATION FORM MAY PROGRAM

Reservations must be received 3 days before the program. Cancellations must be made no later than 2 days prior to the program. If you make a reservation and fail to show up without cancelling, you will be billed for the full amount of the program. To make reservations, call Susan Phillips, 539-6000, or send your check, payable to PWICI, with this form to:

Susan Phillips Eagleviile Hospitd P.O. Box 45

Name

Job Title and Affiliation Member

Telephone I will be bringing -guests. Nonmember Wide World of Reports ABC objections to linkage of aggression fo TV violence in NIMH report brings social scientists into contention in navel public skirmish

The perennial question of whether the nial issue. And a House subcommittee given over to a discussion of other social depi<:tiurl of violence on television on telecommunications seems likely to effects of television. Emphasis is placed causes aggrsssive behavior by its visw- propose formation of a national commis- on the value of television as an education ers has sparked an unusual clash among sion on children's television to come up tool in areas such as health, and its social scientists. The American Broad- with recommendations on how to im- potential for "prosocial" effects. casting Companies, Inc. (ABC) recently prove it. The ABC reply, however, concen- took public issue with the views ex- The ABC reaction to the NlMH report trates on the portion of the NLMH report pressed in a National Institute of Mental seems to be based at least in pan on a dealing with televised violence and ag- Hedth (NIMH) report Television and network view that if the repon's findings gressive behavior. Alan Wunzel, a psy- Behavior. A critique by the network's of a causal link between televised vio- chologist and former academic who social research unit titled A Re~eorch lence and aggression were accepted as heads ABC's social research unit, says Perspective on Televhion and Violence scientific fact, the public and Congress that the network decided to make a pub- argues that research ciled in the report would call for tighter restrictions on such lic response on the issue because the does not support its conclusion that material on television. press focused heavily on the discussion

I there is a causal link between televised The implications of the NlMH report, of violence in the NlMH report after the violence and aggressive behavior. The in fact, were the subject of a National summary volume was published in May conclusions are "unsubslantiated when Research Council (NRC) workshop in 1982. subjected to scientific analysis," the December. And the House Judiciary A main thrust of the 32-page ABC ABC critique asserts. subcommittee on crime in March made response is to deny that a valid cause- The ABC refulation has, in turn, been the report and ABC's rejoinder the focus effect relationship has been established rebutted by the seven senior researchers of the first of a projected series of hear- between televised violence and aggres- who served as scientific advisers on the ings on the influence of the media on sion. The ABC document argues, for NlMH report.' In a gloves-off counter- crime. example, that researchers' measures of critique of the ABC document, they The NlMH report updates a report violent behavior are inadequate, noting u~otethat it reads "like a slick brief for published in 1972 under the imprimatur that "it is simply impossible to observe the defense replete with carefully word- of the Surgeon General and titled Televi- this kind of behavior in research subjects ed misinterpretations, omissions of large sion ond Growing Up: The Impocr of on a systematic basis." Researchers are, bodies of evidence, and sheer misstate- Television Violence. As the title indi- therefore, compelled to substitute other ments of i'acl." cates, the mdn focus war the effect of less reliable means such as laboratory U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett television violence on children. The re- experiments or panel studies. Koop, to whom the advisory group ad- port's central conclusion was that the Similarly. the use of correlation to i 1 dressed its rejoinder to ABC on26 April. research then available yielded "some imply causation is questioned. ABC ar- directed his own stinging obiter dictum preliminary indications of a causal rela- gues that there may be a statistical inter- to the networks in general and ABC in tionship, but a good deal of research relation between two variables such as particular. lo the course of remarks on remains to be done before one can have televised violence and aggressive hehav- family violence prepared for an audience confidence in these conclusions." ior, bur in this case, a third variable may of military physicians, Koop referred to In the new study the key comment on be the cause of aggression. Also criti-

, . "the dreadful basket of alleged research the effects of violence was cized is the NlMH report's reliance on analyses done by ABC. Their pamphlet After 10 more years of research, the con- convergence, that is assuming that cause is an embarrassment to the social science sensus among most of the research communi- has been established when a number of I research community as well as to the ty is that violence on television does lead to different studies point in the same direc- media." aggressive behavior by children and teenagers tion. This method is dismissed as onreli- who wavh the programs. This conclusion is The exchange over the NlMH report based on laboratory experiments and on field able because all the studies may share i is obviously more than a scholarly wran- sludles. Not all children become aggessive, biases or illogical assumptions that un- gle over methodologies and the interpre- of course, but the correlations between vio- dermine them. ition of data. The discuss~onhas be- lence and aggression are positive. In rnagni- The ABC paper also cites problems wme part of the continuing controversy tude, television violence is as strongly corre- arising from variations in the definition lated with aggressive behavior as any other about the social effects of television behavioral vwiable that has been measured. of violence used by different research- u,hich seems to be moving toward one of The research question has moved from asking ers. ABC lakes special exception to the its periodic peaks of intenrity. The Fed- whether or not there is an cWc1 to seeking definition used by George Gerbner and eral Communications Commiss~on(FCC), explanations for the cffect. his colleagues in compiling an annual for example. on 27 April reopened the In commissioning its updating report, "violence profile" of network TV pro- record on its docket on children's tel- NlMH asked for an analysis of the in- grams. Gerbner, who is dean of the An- evrslon, in which violence is a peren- creased body of research rather than nenberg School of Communications at commissioning new research as had been the University of Pennsylvania, is a 'Slcrcn H ChaBcc. Stanlord. Gcorec Gcrbncr. done for the original study. member of the seven-member advisory The new report differs from the first in group on the report. ABC argues that the devoting under 20 percent of its space to definition of violence used in the the subject of violence. The balance is Gerbner profiles can include accidents, SCIENCE. VOL. 220 slapstick comedy, and acts of nature and Singer, and Siegel. But Wurtzel and oth- unwillingness to antagonize the local ra- that this "expanded" definition results ers suggest that the NIMH's selection of dio and television stations which have in tallies that distort the amount of "real- researchers with established views made grown increasingly important in politicill istic violence." the product predictable. campaigning. In their response to the ABC critique. An alternate view was offered at the The 1980 elections brought the FCC a the advisers on the NIMH report took NRC workshop by Thomas D. Cook, a new chairman, Mark S. Fowler, and a pains to clarify the report's central point professor of psychology and public poli- turnover in membership. Fowler's pen- on violence emphasizing that "The issue cy at Northwestern. Cook was asked to chant for deregulation is expected to is not whether television is the cause of assess the NlMH report for the work- influence the commission's rule-making aggression. As we have already noted, shop, which was sponsored by the Jus- on children's television which is sched- no responsible researcher makes that tice Department's National Institute of uled for action by early autumn. Fowler claim. All complex behavior has many Justice. is a vocal advocate of a "marketplace causes. What the research results On the matter of consensus, Cook told approach to broadcasl regulation" which showed, as NlMH reported, is that tele- Science that "Among people who actual- he defines as allowing "viewer prefer- vision is a significant contributor to such ly study the subject, my guess is that ence rather than percenlage guidelines or behavior.'' close to 100 percent would say that there quotas to determine the programming -Replying to ABC's attack on conver- is a causal link. But if there is a link. and mix on TV." gence, the advisers alluded somewhat ,I believe there is, it is not so large as Fowler has expressed concern about testily to the ABC comment that the portrayed in the report." the quality of children's television, but "convergence approach led scientists to advocates increased support for public the widespread belief that the world was television programming in the children's flat." The response was, "Ten billion field. And he sees the increased avail- dollars are expended annually in the ability of new television services such as 'widespread belief' that advertising in- the Disney network on pay TV as offer- duces people to buy products. There is ing opportunities for improved children's not a more definitive causal relationship programming. between advertising on television and Many observers see the advent of new subsequent buying behaviorthan there is technologies-sable, pay television, cas- between television violence and later ag- settes-as meaning viewer choices will gressive behavior." be substantially increased. But in the The major objection among the advis- relatively unreg~latedatmosphere ex- ers to the ABC critique was expressed pected to prevail, they suggest that the this way by Gerbner. "By concentrating exposure of children to violence and on the violence-aggression issue, the net- other objectionable influences are actu- work is insisting on reducing a very According to Cook, people who are ally likely to increase. complex question to a very simple one. interested in the possibility of change in The networks themselves are operat- The real issue is not does TV violence television, "should be looking at the ing in a rapidly changing climate. A cause aggression," but rather it is "the political economy of the broadcasting public interest group identified with the lessons television can teach." Gerbner industry. Unless they do that. they won't Moral Majority recently spurred a boy- said, "The report was an effort to change know whether leverage exists." cott of products of companies that spon- the nature of the public discussion on the In respect to prosocial programming, sored TV programs with what was re- subject. The ABC response puts us right he asks, "Why should any network do garded as too much sex and violence. back in the same old rut." it?" The network might get public rela- Some major sponsors reportedly re- Neither side is budging. ABC is even tions kudos, but such material would be viewed their TV commitments. The net- considering issuing a response to the "likely to earn low ratings, be expensive works perhaps have more to worry about ;Iposte from the seven researchers so to produce and mean foregoing reve- in the implications of a recent survey that an infinite progress of rebuttal state- nues," says Cook. commissioned by the National Associa- ments seems possible. What are the prospects for changes in tion of Broadcasters. Pieliminary zc- The ABC stand gets support from such things as televised v~olence?First counts of the survey indicated that view- those knowledgeable about social sci- and foremost, discussion of tighter regu- ers were spending less time watching ence research in the other major net- lation of televised violence invites con- network TV, were more critical or TV works, CBS and NBC, although not on stitutional conflict. Broadcasters are fare generally, and thought that pro- every point. NBC's vice president for protected by the same First Amendment grams showed tw much sex and vio- news and social research J. Ronald Mi- free speech guarantees as the press. lence. lavsky says that he thinks the NlMH The government agency responsible Against this background, it is clear study was a "bad report in the respect for regulating the broadcasting industry that social science research alone does that they went way overboard in inter- is the Federal Communications Commis- not determine public pollcy on televi- @retation." sion. Through the years. the commission. In its introduction. the ABC cri- ABC contends that the report's por- sion's interpretation of its responsibil- tique notes that "The issue of television trayal of a consensus among researchers ities has varied wi~hits membership, but violence can be sddressed on two direr- on a violence-aggression link is errone- traditionally the commission has avoided ent levels: as an objective .rcien,jJc ous. The NIMH finding, however, does attempts at direct control of program question and as a subjective volaes is- seem to reflect the general views of the content. Congress oversees regulatory sue." Change seems likeliest to occur bsst-known and most-published re- agency activities, but has generally been when scientific evaluation and value searchers in the field. This includes four reluctant to take action against broad- judgments show a strong convergence. of the advisers-Gerbner, Rubenstein, casters, a stance usuall~attributed to an -JOHN Wa~sn 10 MAY 1983 801 plishment since Anatomy of Criticism. Among Northrop Frye is a short and stocky man whose them was Frank Kermode, who in the New rimless spectacles, shock of gray hair, and massive Republic (June9, 1982) judged Frye's skill and in- forehead give him the appearance of a distin- genuity in marshalling his arguments to be guished elder statesman. He has been described by 'bevond praise." 'I am certain." Kermode added. his students as a warm, generous, and inspiring "that we have no living critic who can match Frye's teacher and asa trickster at heart, despite a residu- alshyness that makes him seem aloof and ill at ease intellechlal scope or drive. Indeed. he is in some in some social situations. Frye and his wife, the for- ways more like the founder of a religion, a Swe- mer Helen Kemp, whom he married on August 27, denbor~or a Man, than a literary critic." 1937, live near the center of Toronto. Since Frye Althounh-, Frve's Anolomv . of. ~;ilicismmade no cannot drive, he travels daily to Victoria College by direct reference to the New Criticism, it was at first subway. His teaching and writing leave him little renarded bv manv. as .orovidinn a oossible reolace- leisure time. but he eniovs olavinn,.. the ~iano.~~and mint lor that waning movemint'frye did in fact reading science fiction'df his compulsive urge to influence the oun~ergeneration of literary critics. continue writing. Frye has said. 'I've got this damn and his work vave renewed intenrjh to such nur- monkey on my back and it won't get off. At my age u - ="its as symboyiccriticism and of Ron,&,ti. . . . time is everything." His current projects in- cism,yet his criticism commanded no clude a video series of his lectures and seminars on following, and he always had his detractorsamong the Bible. 'I am glad," Frye said of that proiect. 'to readers who disagreed with his principles. Never- be pickled and preserved for posterity." theless, Anatomybf criticism ranks with I.A. Rich- References. Macleons Mag 95:40+ Ap 5 '82 pors; ards' Principles of Literary Criticism (1925) and Toronto Clobe and Moil p15 F 26 '83 par; Rene Wellek and Austin Warren's Theory of Contemporary Authors 1st rev vols 5-5 (1969); Literature [I9491 as a seminal workof modem criti- Oxford Companion to Conodion History and cism. 'More than any other critic," wrote the edi- Literature (1967); Supplement to Oxford tors of a recent anthology of contemporary Companion to Conodion Hislory ond Literature criticism, "he stands at the center of critical 119731; Who's Who in Conoda. 1977-78; World activity." ~ulhbrs:1950-70

Gerbner, George

Aug. 1919- Social scientist; educator. Addrew b. The Annenberg School of Communications, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19104

'If you can write a nation's stories, you needn't I worry about who makes its laws," George Gerbner, the dean of the University of Pennsylvania's An- nenberg School of Communications, said recently. 'Today television tells most of the stories to most of the people most of the time." But to Gerbner, a communications researcher for over thirtv vears. 1 television is more than a medium of com&"nica- tion; it is, like pre-industrial religion, an 'institution of general enculturation" that sets the standards for acceoted social beliefs and behavior. Recoenizim a the itualistic nature of television. Gerbner kas d; voted the past fifteen years to detailed analyses of television program content and its relationship to viewers' conceotions of realitv. He has also served. over the as the principal investigator in studies of institutional structure and decision- making on American television and of the treatment of foreign news in the press of six countries. and literary clubs. After his graduation in 1937. he The son of Arpad Gerbner, a teacher, and Mar- took time out from his formal education to polish garet (M6ranyiI Gerbner, a photographer. George his writing skills. One of his efforts won him first Gerbner was born in Budapest. Hungary in August prize in a national literary competition. In 1838 he 1919. Reared in the Hungarian capital. he attended enrolled at the University 01 Budapest, but his col- the Joseph Eotvos Realgymnasium, where he was lege career was interrupted by World War 11. Un- active in the Boy Scouts and in the school's drama willing to enter military service in support of Nazi

August 1983 CURRENT BIOGRAPHY 15 Germany, Hungary's ally, he decided to immigrate he was also a lecturer in communication in educa- to the United States. tion at the University of Southern California. Leaving his family behind, Gerbner set out for In 1956 Gerbner moved to Urbana, Illinois to the United Statesin 1939 and, with the help of rela- take an aooointment as research assistant orofessor tives in Paris, secured passage on a ship bound for at the ~i;versityof Illinois Institute of cbmmuni- Mexico. There he traveled around the country for cations Research. Long interested in the relation- six months, working from time to time as a guide ship between mass media message svstems and the for American tourists, while he waited for his visa. public images and arqurnptions ihat.they cultivate. Finally admitted to the United States in 1940, he he designed several stud~esto investigate and ana- settled in Los Anneles. California and entered the lyze what he has described as "the common sym- University of Cal%ornia branch there as a psychol- bolic environment that gives public direction and OM. malor A year later, he transferred to the uni- meaning to human activity." For example, he ex- versity 9 Berkeley camvus, where he fulf~lledthe amined the portrayal of mental illness in the mass rquiiements fo; a B.A. degree in journalism in media for a National Institute of Mental Health 1842. survey of popular conceptions of mental illness, Within days of taking his degree, Gerbner land- and he served as project director of a massive ed a job with the San Francisco Chronicle. During cross-cultural analysis of the portrayal of teachers his months on its staff, he worked at various times and schools in the mass media of ten Western and as a general assignment reporter, feature writer. Soviet-bloc countries for the United States Office coov editor. book reviewer. columnist. and assis- of Education. In addition to his research. Dr. Gerb- tanifinancial ed~tor.Shortly after he becamea nat- ner taught courses in the university's graduate uralized American citizen. In 1943. Gerbner communications program. resigned from the Chronicle to enlist in the Uni~ed A recomized leader in the field of communica- States Army. Assigned to the 54191 Parachute In- tions res&rch hy the mid-1960's. George Gerhner fantry. he eventually joined the Off~ceof Stratesc was named dean ofthe Annenherg School of Com- Services. Over the next two years, he carried out munications at the University of Pennnlvania in dozens of missions behind enemy lines in the Aoril 1964. Desoite the administrative burden of North African and European war theatres, earning gildin8 the nrowth and development of a new col- a field commission and a Bronze Star. After the lege the Annenbern School was founded in 1959). end of the war, he was named to the team of Amer- he managed to find time to teach graduate semi- ican officers delegated to track down and arrest nars and to continue his trailblazing research. Nazi war criminals. Gerbner personally rounded From 1964 to 1968 he served as project director of up more than 200 high-ranking former Nazi offi- a UNESCO-sponsored cross-cultural study of the cials, including the first Nazi Prime Minister of personality traits of the leading characters in Hungary. American. French, Italian, Yugoslav, Czech, and Discharged from militarv service in 1946 with Polish feature films. Among other findings, he dis- the rank offirst lieutenant, kerhner accepted a po- covered that though the heroes in each country's sition as an editor at the United States Informat~on motion pictures were two to four times more likely Service's bureau in Vienna. Austria. Returninn to to resort to violence for legal or sociallv sanctioned California in 1947, he worked for a time as a f;ee- ends than for illegal or im>oral ends,i~esternhe- lance writer ;and as a partner in a Hollywood pub- roes were twlce as likely to use violence for ques- lic relations firm before enrollinn in the araduate tionable reasons than their East European

oronramU~ ~~~ in communications at he ~nivirsitvof counterparts. southern California. He earned an M.S. degree in Gerbner investigated the portrayal of violence 1951 and, upon acceptance of his doctoral disserta- in the mass media-specifically. on television-in tion 'Toward a Theorv of Communication." which greater detail at the request of the National Com- won for him the university's award for 'best mission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence. dissertation" of the year, a Ph.D. degree in 1955. For their study, he and his team of researchers ana- To support himself while he attended graduate lyzed the plays, films, and cartoons televised na- school, Gerbner took a succession of teaching jobs. tionally by the three commercial networks during From 1848 to 1951 he was an instructor in journal- two representative viewing weeks in 1967 and ism, English, and social science at lohn Muir Col- 1968. In the two weeks. they counted some 780 lege in Pasadena. California. Concurrently, in the dead or injured characters, or an average of five for 1950-51 academic year, he served as curriculum every program that featured some violence. More- assistant in charge of publications and junior- over, as Dr. Gerbner noted in the working paper college general education curriculum planning for that he submitted to the commission in 1969 and in

the~~~~ Pasadena ~ ~~ citv school svstem and as director of his Dimensions of Violence in Television Drama. the ~asadenakducatioh Association. Gerbner which was published by the Annenberg School lat: spent the 1951-52 academic year as a research as- er in the same year, there were fifteen acts of vio- sbciate in the deoartment of cinema at the Univer- lence-which he defines as "the overt expression sity of Southern'california, and in 1952 he joined of physical force compelling action against one's the faculty of El Camino College in Torrance as an will on pain af being hurt or killed, or actually hurt- instructor in the social aspects of mass communica- ing and killingn-for every television hour, and tion. a post he held until 1956. From 1954 to 1956 eight out of ten of those incidents were presented 16 CURRENT BIOGRAPHY August 1863 in a serious as opposed to a humorous vein. He also oromises to relieve their insecurities. That is the found that television violence 'stuns, maims, and deeper problem of violence-laden television." kills without much visible 'hurt'"; that witnesses to Netwurk television executives have not only dis- the violence are more often than not passive: that puted Gerbner's findings and questioned his meth- lower-class characters are more likely to commit odolo~,but have also impugned his motives. CBS violence than middle- or upper-class characters; officials, for example, have argued that h~sone- that eight out of ten nonwhites fall victim to some week program samole is too small to be reoresenta- violence: and that fully half of all the killers are tive and ksdefiniiion of violence too brbad to be 'good guys who reach a happy end." meaningful. They especially objected to his count- At the urging of Senator John 0. Pastore. one of ing as violent acts natural disasters and the~~~ most~~~~~ nersistent critics in Connress of television. 'nie-in-the-face" slanstick routines. In Gerbner's the ~atidnalInstitute of ~entai~ealthbegan. in opinion, however, there are 'no 'accidents'" in fic- 1969,to award the Annenbern School of Communi- tion. 'It is hardly accidental that certain types of cations an annual grant so that Gerbner could con- characters are accident-nrone or disaster-orone in tinue his scrutiny of violence in network television the world of television."'he explained in an article programs. Following the same procedure they had for Society [September-October 19771. 'Such tele- used in their initial studv. Dr. Gerbner and his as- vision content patterns may have significant effects sociates have videotapei and analyzed more than on some viewers' conceptions of life and of their 1.600 pr~me-timenetwork prourams over the years. own risks in life." As their annual 'violence profiles" show, the fre- Gerbner's studies of television violence became quency of violence on television in the past decade the basis for his ongoing 'cultural indicators" proj- has not varied more than 10 percent from the norm ect. Designed to measure trends in television con- While he recognizes that violence is a chean and tent and effects, the proiect. which has been simple way toprovide dramatic conflict. Gerbner supported since 1972 bygrants from federal agen- has pointed out, in an article for American Behav- cies and profescional organizations, combines mes- ioral Scientist (May 19801, that it is also the sage system analysis of programming content and 'cheapest and quickest demonstration of who can 'cultivation" analysis to determine, in Gerbner's and who cannot get away with what against words. 'the extent to which exposure to the whom." "Real-world victims as well as violents symbolic world of television cultivates conceptions may have to learn their roles." he went on. about the real world amonn viewers." "Fear-that historic instrument of social control- Drawing on his extensive videotape archives, may be an even more critical residue of a show of Gerbner put together a frighten~ngcomposite pic- violence than aggression. Expectation of violence ture of the world accordinn to television As he ex- or passivity in the face of injustice may be conse- plained to Patricia ~c~riomin an interview for quences of even greater social concern." the Philadelphia Inquirer's Today magazine (No- To measure the effect of television violence on vember 16, 1980), that world 'is created in the im- viewers' perceptions of reality. Gerbner drew up a age of the power and money elite." Males, mostly multiple-choice questionnaire. giving a correct an- single, relatively young, middle- and upper-class swer and a 'television answer" toa number of white Americans, outnumber women three to one, questions about the "real world," which was dis- and they are shown in a greater variety of roles and tributed to a representative sample of the popula- occupations. The overwhelming majority of those tion across all age groups and socioeconomic strata. men are successful professionals, usually doctors, As he had expected, "heavy" viewers-that is. lawvers. business executives. or law enforcement those respondents who watched television for officers. less than 10 percent are blue-collar work- more than four hours a day-in all demographic ers As opposed to more than 50 percent in real life. groups chose the incorrect television-biased an- only 20 percent of television's women work outside swer more often than 'light" viewers. Perhaps the home. Moreover, those women are shown as more important, they revealed, in Gerbner's weak, passive, indecisive, and as aging faster than words. "a significantly higher sense of personal men. "Women are the victims of the greatest cul- risk and suspicion." Among the heavy-viewing re- tural assault that mankind has ever conceived spondents who reported that their fear of crime . . . ." Gerbner told Patricia McBroom. 'They are was "very serious" were the elderly, women, non- underrepresented, devalued, and restricted in the whites, and the poor-those groups most often oooortunities. . in which thev see themselves." shown as the victims of violence on television. Other segments of the population are similarly "The most general and prevalent association "underrepresented" or 'devalued." For example. with television viewing is a heightened sense of although people over the age of sixty-five account livinn in a 'mean world' of violence and danner." for 11 percent of the population of the United Dr. cerbner said in testimony before a ~ouieof States, they make up only 2 percent of the televi- Representatives subcommittee on communications sion population. and they are most often shown in on October 21. 1981. "Fearful neonle are more de- a negative light. Furthermore, television presents a pendent. more easily manipdated and controlled, world of "clarity and simplicity." to use Gerbner's more susceptible to deceptively simple, strong, words. "In show after show, rewards and punish- tough measures and hard-line postures. . . . They ments follow quickly and logically. Crises are re- may accept and even welcome repression if it solved, problems are solved. and justice, or at least August 1983 CURRENT BIOGRAPHY 17 authority, always triumphs . . . ." he wrote in a The editor of the Journal of Communication piece for Psychology Today (April 1976). "To in- since 1973, Dr. Gerbner has contributed scores of sure the widest acceptability (or greatest potential articles to professional journals, popular maga- profitability), the plot lines follow the most com- zines, reference works, and textbooks. He is the monly accepted notions of morality and justice. editor or coeditor of several books, including The whether or not these notions bear much resem- Analysis of Communication Content: Develop- blance to realitv." The danger. as Gerbner sees it. ments in Scientific Theories and Computer is that heavy viewers wiil believe what they see; Technioues 119681. Communications Technoiow that women and minorities will come to accept in- and Soc'ial pblrcy i1873). and Mass Medm PO~IC& ferior status and restricted opportunities as inevita- In Changing Culture8 119771. all publighed by John ble or, worse, deserved; and that the so-called Wiley 8 Sons Inc Hismemberships include the In- 'television generation." accustomed to the relative- ternational Association for ass Communication ly stable, predictable world of television, will be- Research. the American Association for Public come increasingly unable to deal with the Opinion Research, the American Academy of Po- complexities of social and political reality. litical and Social Science, and the International Unlike some of his more optimistic colleagues, Communication Association. which elected him a Dr. Gerbner thinks that cable television will bth fellow in 1879. Among his most recent honors are 'improve and worsen" the social and behavioral the Communicator of the Year Award from the effects of television-improve them because cable B'nai B'rith Communications Lodge and the Media television, like the print medium, is 'selectively Achievement Award of Excellence from the Phila- used"; worsen them because the cable viewer of delphia Bar Association. in 1981. and the Broadcast specialized channels, such as the all-sports or all- Preceptor Award from San Francisco State Uni- rock-music outlets, could become, in hw words. "a versity, in 1982. kind of cultural conservative." As he explained to leri Baker of Cahlevision magazine (March 7. 19831: 'Putting more shelves in the supermarket References: Fifty Plus 23:14+ Ap '83 por; More isn't going to change what you merchandise." p35+ Ap '78 por: Contemporary Authors vols To free viewers from what he has described as 45-48 (1974); Who's Who in America. 1982-83 their "unwitting dependence on the mass- produced cultural environment." Gerbner has rec- ommended. among other things, teaching critical viewing skills in the schools. encouraging public debate on the merits of television, and creating a freer market in televis~onproduction by broaden- Hare, David ing the industry's resource base to liberate it from its'total dependence on advertising monies and June 5. 1947- British playwright and directar, purposes." As one way of expanding television's fi- Address: b. c/o Margaret Ramsav. Ltd.. 14a nancial base, he has endorsed an FCC proposal for GoodwlnS Court. St~~ortmnsLane. London spectrum-use fees to be levied on station owners. WCZS 4LL. England: h. 95 /.inden Gardens, The resulting revenues would be used to produce London W2. England. alternative programming not geared to the mass audience. Playwright and director David Hare is a leading Described by Peter M. Sandman, in More mag- figure among the young. left-wing intellectuals azine (April 19781, as having 'the courtly arrogance who have dominated British theatre since the early and appearance of the stereotypical college 1870's. Like his colleagues Howard Brenton. Ste- administrator." George Gerbner stands five feet phen Poliakoff, Trevor Griffiths, and David Edgar. ten and one-half inchks tall and we~ghsa lean 160 Hare writes articulate and elaborately crafted pounds iie hasa narrow face, intense brown eyes. plays that employ the techniques of film and televi- and brown hair. Acompulsive worker. he regularly sion as much as those of the traditional theatre to puts in an eighteen-hour day, even on weekends. examine the state of contemporary society, espe- When he does take a break, he goes to the theatre cially British society. 'The theatre w a public fo- or the opera. Although he refuses to discuss his rum, where everybody sits together to judge program preferences, he maintains that he gets 'a . . . ."Hare wrote in a program note for the Na- lot more" out of his television viewing- than the av- tional Theatre's production of his most recent stage erege person 'I play the critical/analytical game." play. A Map of the World. "As a playwright. I can't he expla~nedto hlary Alice Kelloa, who inter- offer a solution to the world's problems. What I can viewed him for Fifty Plus (April 19831 "Once you do is try to make people think about them." Of the .olav , it. Irving, - to see-the message- behind the mes- four Hare plays-Slag. Knuckle, Teeth 'n' Smiles, sage. 1 assure you there 1s no such thing as a dull and Plenty-that have been produced in the Unit- program " On Februaq 11. 1946 Gerbner marr~ed ed States to date, Plenty was by far the most suc- the former Ilona Kutas, an actress who is now the cessful. The disquieting story of a brilliant young director of the theatre laboratorv at the Universitv woman's mental disintegration over a twenty-year of Pennsylvania. The Gerbners, who make the& period paralleling Britain's postwar decline as a home in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, have two sons. world power. Plenty earned a 1983 Tony nomina- Thomas and John. tion as best play of the year. 18 CURRENT BIOGRAPHY August 1983 ~ou Your _r ' I How Take NEWS cont~nued SELF August 1983 > v, frustrated until they finally wonder, 'Why her experiment, viewers felt most anxious think about corporate crime. spend time on this?"' after watching problem news delivered in According to George Gerbner, Ph.D., Anxiety reactions to the news may be a lighthearted manner, with cheerful ban- dean of the Annenberg School of Com- far more common than we realize, acter between catastrophes. munications, "TV news resembles the cording to Frances Miller, Ph.D., a resi- "lt's inappropriate and upsetting to rest of TV more than it resembles news- dent in psychology in Bend, Oregon. "A laugh and chat when the news is tragic," paper news." Since stories are edited to lot of people turn on the news to relax Dr. Miller says. "lt's like someone laugh- up the dramatic impact and keep prime- after work, but get negative arousal in- ing while telling you your mother died." time viewers tuned in, a report on police stead. They're not aware of the stress Delving behind the news and into the work may look more like Hill Street Blues unlil they stop and think about it." newsroom alleviates fears by adding per- than life at a local precinct. One kind of news that makes virtually spective. "Readers should know why a "TV news confirms the mythology of everyone anxious: crime. A study at Me- lot of crime news doesn't necessarily N,"says Dr. Gerbner. Virtually all heavy dill School of Journalism and the Center mean a lot of crime," says Gordon. "Be- news watchers stay tuned for other for Urban Affairs and Policy Research, sides boosting sales, crime news solves shows and tend to develop social atti- both at Northwestern University in Evans- a lot of problems for newspapers. On a tudes (about work, sex roles, minorities) ton, Illinois, found a clear link between slow day when nothing else is happening. that set them apart from light or non- crime news and crime fears. Margaret T. crime is always there to fill the pages." viewers. "For example, heavy TV viewers Gordon, director of the Center at Norlh- Viewers who understand why TV news tend to think women have fewer opportu- western, examined nine newspapers in heightens dramatic impact (there's heavy nities, are less active than men, and are San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia economic pressure to keep viewers from happier limited to the home," he says. Dr. and noted tha! in each city the readers of turning the dial) won't be overwhelmed by Gerbner suggests that television's distort- the most crime-laden papers were the images of a world in flames. ed sex ratio (three men to one woman most fearful. Likewise, a study at the Uni- In times of personal turmoil-divorce. overall; ten to one on the news) and the versity of Pennsylvania's Annenberg job change-when your stress level is limited range of activities and occupa- School of Communications found heavy already high, you may conclude that no tions in which women are shown perpetu- television news watchers worried more news is good news. "When your own ate the myth that places women outside about crime than light watchers. news is breaking fast, you may have no the mainstream of active life. How to keep up with the news without energy for outside events," says Dr. upping your stress level? Take a critical Walder. "To protect yourself from stress What you bring to the news look at your sources. "Uncertainty and overload, you may want to skip the news Television can be a healthy part of a total ambiguity increase anxiety," says Dr. for a while. You can catch up later." news diet-as long as you retain your Miller. People feel helpless if the news skepticism, says Cross. "Don't let your leaves them half in the dark, while extra How the entertainment factor , mind go numb when you watch; be alert information lightens the impact on nerves. affects the facts and prepared to question. Remember that Knowledge is a great soother of fears. It's possible to boycott newsstands and many problems are more difficult and For example, more-informative crime newscasters altogether and still know the complex than they look on TV." reports arouse less anxiety. "Fear is less- score. One professional woman never "If you rely on just one news source, ened when reporting includes the con- reads the paper and will pass up the you're cheating yourself," says Linda El- text-a rape story that notes that the inci- evening news for a M*A*S*H rerun with- lerbee, anchorperson on NBC News dence of rape has been dropping or that out a qualm: "If I read it, I'll forget it in ten Overnight. The different strengths of TV a particular bizarre crime is highly unusu- minutes. If it's important, people will tell and newspapers complement each other. al," says Gordon. When details about me about it." "She is a grapeviner," says "Take all of NBC's newscasts over the circumstances are absent, "psychologi- Dr. Walder. "She gets her news the old course of a day, and .the text wouldn't cal processes take over," she says; our town-crier way-word of mouth." even fill an entire page of The New York imagination and fears run wild. On the other hand, if you do have a Times," she notes. In an experiment, Dr. Miller produced serious interest in local and world affairs, "But when TV does what it does best- five TV news broadcasts, using real news keep in mind that no single news source picture-it gives you things a newspaper presented in different ways. Viewers ex- can deliver the whole story. An unmixed can't, just as you learn more talking to perienced more anxiety when watching diet of TV news, according to media crit- someone face to face than over the tele- "problem newsv-upsetting items involv- ics, leaves you with a distorted picture. phone. TV provides telling details: Watch- ing earthquakes, crime and drugs-than "Network news is a headline service," ing a politician evade a question tells the "resolution news," the same items with says Donna Woolfolk Cross, author of voter something very helpful." information added about what had been Mediaspeak: How Television Makes Up Ellerbee, who worked as a wire-service or could be done to make things better. Your Mind. "Time restrictions and format reporter before coming to the small Problem-solving suggestions reduce make it impossible to go into depth." screen, turns to a wide variety of sources, helplessness and enhance your sense of For entertainment's sake, television including a score of newspapers and control, she says. wraps news items up in little "playlets," magazines, to keep informed. Although Dr. Miller believes that the same logic suggest~ngsimple problems with simple few of us can share her professional's applies to newspapers. A tabloid report, solutions, says Cross. "Constant expo- dedication, she insists that anyone who that dwells on flamboyant details-the sure to this sort of thing makes your intelli- wants to understand the news well must height of the flames, the condition of the gence shut down." Emphasizing visible work at it. "Just having the news on dur- body-will probably scant solid informa- conflict and dramatic value in items like ing dinner is the lazy way," she says. tion about how the crime could be solved. crimes and fires, TV often ignores more ''Our responsibility is to report accurately. Consequently, the flash and pizzazz of a significant stories and distracts us from The viewer's is to pay enough attention to tabloid may exact a price in stress. real problems. Television shows us ghet- get our facts right." Surprisingly, "happy talk" TV news to riots, but rarely explores the social and teams may provoke more anxiety than a economic conditions that cause them. Carl Sherman is a Brooklyn-based freelance serious newscaster, claims Dr. Miller. In We're led to fear street crime, but riot to writer spenalizing in health and psychology. - .- f I Are the media giving us the facts? 1.The myth of the villainous businessman "The great enemy of truth is very often not the . lie-deliberate, contrived and dishonest- but the myth- persistent, persuasive and unrealistic." -John F. Kennedy, 1962 , How does a society create its common rituals or nessmen. Indeed, as lawyer-journalist Ben Stein mythologies? Through knowledge of the past, as observed in his 1979 book, The View From Sun- ', passed down by revered elder citizens? Through s'et Boulevard, "one of the clearest messages of the schools? Guess again. television is that businessmen are bad, evil peo- ' According to research undertaken by Dr. ple, and that big businessmenare the worst oh%.'' George Gerbner, Dean of the Annenberg School A 1980 study by the non-profit, research- of Communications at the University of Pennsyt- oriented Media Institute confirmed Stein's as- vania, television, more than any single institution, sessment. It found that "two out of three molds American behavioral norms and values. businessmen on television are portrayed as fool- And the more TV we watch, Dr. Gerbner main- ish, greedy or criminal; almost half of all work tains, the more we tend to believe in the world activities performed by businessmen involves according to TV, even though much of what we ~llegalacts; and.. .tekvision almost never por- see IS misleading. trays business as k socially useful or econmi- Dr. Gerbner is not the first to speak of the cally productive activity." mass media's power to shape our perceptions. Ben Stein attributes the myth ofthevillaimus 1 As early as 1922, in his book Public Opinion. businessman to the personal proclivitiesof televi- I jourfiallst Walter Lippmann advanced the idea sion writers and producers. It is also possible that that .i:e live in a "pseudo-environment" deter- the myth has sprung up because Hollywood has mir;e=l ii: large part by books, newspapers, broad- run out of other viable villains. Whatever its cssiei's and movies. cause, its potentialconsequencesare dangerous But the world according to today's TV fare is and far-reaching. a particularly mean one, in the Gerbner analysis. Given the tremendous impact of television An average of five acts of violence takes place on accepted patterns of behavior and beliefs, per prime-time hour (and about 20 occur per TV's myth of the villainous businessman could weekend-dayt~me"children's" hour), and these have a detrimental effect on people's attitudes involve more than half of all leading characters. toward their work, the workplace, the products TV's world is-also overpopulated by doctors, they buy, and the people from whom they buy lawyers, entertainers and athletes, and under- them. It could, in the long run, undermine the populated by people gainfully employed in other public trust in the basic exchange relationships legitimate private business, industry and that form the underpinnings of our free enterprise agriculture. system. In Dr. Gerbner's view, TV violence tends to To be sure, businessmen make their share "cultivate exaggerated assumptions about the , of mistakes. However, business is the direct extent of threat and danger in the world and lead source of livelihood for millions of ,Americans to demands for protection." In extensive surveys and the indirect benefactor of many millions of various socioeconom~cgroups, his research more. It is the producer of viitually all of the team iound heavy television watchers far more goods we as a nation consume. And if free insecure and mistrustful than light viewers. For private business is destroyed or threatened, all example, close to two-thirds of the heavy viewers the institutions in society, including a free press responded "Can't be too careful" to the question and free mass communications network, would a "Can most people be trusted?" be threatened. Other independent studies show that if TV 1 watchers are wary, they are m!n wary of busi- . ' Next: The myth of the informed public I Are the media giving us the facts? 1.The myth of the villainous businessman. "The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie-deliberate, contrived and dishonest-but the myth- persistent, persuasive and unrealistic." -John E Kennedy, 1962 How does a society create its common rituals businessmen. Indeed, as lawyer-journalist or mythologies? Through knowledge of the Ben Stein observed In his 1979 book, The 1 past, as passed down by revered elder citi- View From Sunset Boulevard, "one of the zens? Through the schools? Guess again. clearest messages of television is that busi- According to research undertaken by Dr. nessmen are bad, evil people, and that big George Gerbner, Dean of the businessmen are the worst of all." c obl of Co-unications at th University A1980 study by the non-profit, research- of ennsylvania,'~television,mor c? oriented Media Institute confirmed Stein's cL----'g 'ngiwibn, molds American behavioral assessment. It found that "two out of-three norms and values. And the more TV we businessmen on television are portrayed as watch, Dr. Gerbner maintains, the more we foolish, greedy or criminal; almost half of all tend to believe in the world according to TV, work activities performed by businessmen even though much of what we see is involves illegal acts; and.. .television almost misleading. never portrays business as a socially useful Dr. Gerbner is not the first to speak of the or economically productive activity." mass media's power to shape our percep- Ben Stein attributes the myth of the tions. As early as 1922, in his book Public villainous businessman to the personal pro- Opinion, journalist Walter Lippmann ad- clivities of televls~onwriters and producers. It vanced the idea that we live in a "pseudo- is also possible that the myth has sprung up environment" determined in large part by because Hollywood has run out of other books, newspapers, broadcasters and viable villains. Whatever its cause, its poten- movies. tial consequences are dangerous and far- But the world according to today's TV reaching. fareis aparticularlymean one, in theGerbner Given the tremendous impact of televi- analysis. An average of five acts of violence sion on accepted patterns of behavior and takes place per prime-time hour (and about beliefs, TV's myth of the villainous business- 20 occur per weekend-daytime "children's" man could have a detrimental effect on peo- hour), and these involve more than half of all ple's attitudes toward their work,- the leading characters. TV's world is also over- workplace, the products they buy, and the populated by doctors, lawyers, entertainers people from whom they buy them. It could, in and athletes, and underpopulated by people the long run, undermine the public trust in the gainfully employed in other legitimate private basic exchange relationships that form the business, industry and agriculture. underpinnings of our free enterprise system. In Dr. Gerbner's view, TV violence tends To be sure, businessmen make their to "cultivate exaggerated assumptions about share of mistakes. However, business is the extent of threat and danger in the world the direct source of livelihood for millions and lead todemands for protection." Inexten- of Americans and the indirect benefactor of sive surveys of various socioeconomic many millions more. It is the producer of groups, his research team found heavy tele- virtually all of the goods we as a nation vision watchers far more insecure and mis- consume. And if free private business is trustful than light viewers. For example, close destroyed or threatened, all the institutions to two-thirds of the heavy viewers responded in society, including a free press and "Can't be too careful" to the question "Can free mass communications network, would most people be trusted?" be threatened. Other independent studies show that if TV watchers are wary, they are most- wary of Next: The myth of the informed public Mobil" O 1983 Mobil Corporat~on Are the media giving us the facts? 1.The myth of the villainous businessman "The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie-deliberate, contrived and dishonest- but the myth- persistent, persuasive and unrealistic." -John F. Kennedy. 1962

How does a society create its common rituals or mylhologies? Through knowledge of the past. as passed down by revered elder citizens? Through the schools~Guess again. According to research undertaken by Dr. George Gerbner, Dean of the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania. tele~ision~morethan any single institution. molds American behavioral norms and values. And the more TV we watch. Dr. Gerbner maintains. the more we lendlo believeinthe worldaccordingtoTV, eventhoughmuchof what weseeis misleading. Dr Gerbnerisnol the first to speak of the mass media'sprmertoshape our perceptions. As early as 1922, in his book Publ,c Opfnion, journalist Waller Lippmann advanced the idea that we live in a "pseudo-env~ronmenl"determined in large part by books. newspapers, broadcasters and movies. Butthe worldaccording lo today's TVtare is a particularly mean one. in the Gerbner analysis. An average ol ltve acts of violence takes place per prime- time hour (and about 20 occur per weekend-daytime "children's hour), and these lnvolve more than half of all leading characters. TV's world is also overpopulated by doctors, lawyers, entertainersand athletes, and underpopulated by people gainfully employed in other legitimate private business. industry and agriculture. In Dr Gerbner'sview. TV violencelends to"cu1livaleexaggerat~assumptions about theextentof threatanddanaerin- the world andleadtodemandsfor protectton In exlens~vesurveys 01 various socloemnomlc groups, hls re- I search teamlound heavy !elevls#onwatcherstar morelnsecureand mlstrustlu I than liaht viewers. For example, close to two-thirds of the heavy viewers responded 'Can Ioetoocarefi lothequest~on~Canmosl people klrusteo? Othel lndepenoent slud~esshow that 11 TV watchers are wary. they are I _ _ __ _ - I -.most wary of businessmen. Indeed, as laver-iournalist Ben Stein observed in I w.~* sbm Hhar, load; I. Ija,~hl.h stdw, mm~:~&%i1 his 1979 book. The View From ~unsei~o"1evard."one of the clearest messages of television is that businessmen are bad, evil people, and thal big businessmen are the worst of all:' A 1980 sludv, bv, the non-orotit. research-oriented Media Institute con- farmed Steln s assessment It iound that two out of three Dus.nessmen on letevlston are portrayed as tool~sh.greedy or crlmlnal anmosthall of all wor* activities oellormed~bvbusinessmen involves illeaal acts: and ...television akstnelerporlrays business asa socially useful &economically productive activity." BenStein attributes themvlhof thevillainous businessman tothe Personal procl~vlllesof lelev~s~onwroter; and producers It 1s alsoPOSS!ble that the mylh hassprungup becauseHollywood hasrunoutoto!nervlablev~llalnsWhatever its cause, its ootenlial consequences are dangerous and far-reaching Given the tremendous 'impact of telev?sion on accepted paierns of behavior and beliefs, TV's mylh of the villainous businessman could have a detrimental etlect on people's attitudes toward thew work. the workplace, the productsthey buy, andthepeoplefromwhomlhey buy them. ~tcoutd,inthelong run, underminethe public trust in the bas~cexchange relationships thal form the underpinnings of our free enterprise system. Tobesure, businessmen maketheirshareolmistakes. However. business 1s the dlrect source of lhvellhood tor n~ll!ons01 Ameracans an0 the Ino~rect benefactor 01 many mllltons more If 1s the producer of vlnually all ot the goods we as a nation consume. And if free private business is destroyed or threatened, all the institutions in society, including a free press and free mass mmmunications network, would be threatened. Next: The myth of the Informed publfc

0 19tU Ma1Corporation I TIME.AUGUST29, I983 em and bk~ple gatherd for frok reading, and that"%h$ P came three days last wwk to examine the to my fimt ~Gi~ference,' impad on children" lives of a host of BandhOk. hdaey were addressed For one tEnf$, you can?. cuddle ug pr;^sgrarna~;ix~g,sit PBS, '%u: prab diffeent mdia: ~Bs,magmines, by the chiefs of children" televislori with a computer, said Betsy Beame, Ben, " he sad$, ""i -thatprograms like %edtIsne, Dayti~me,&ytirne9 Alms, television, recordings, carnie programming for AEC, CBS, NBC sf cM1dren % boobs fwEmk- ~SI~X~ID~Sittet-+1' and '"E~cc~~cCompa- Children were, in fact, taErig pleas- bksad cornputem, mdPBS. Ame~earikibraq Assmia- wy "ad 'IYkeltagerd * are becor13iag ure in re&&ingd*t betore her eyes* "ms canferenee is evidence of the "mese are the best of times and tion% journal. "me ev~enctzof Pa, nl%iarto k4ew~e~as they are per- Rachel Iz~,8n 8~e8Z-01~1 ~RKD Ard~.. &e worn$ of times for readixlg in the rading bbto cEBdfen inekddes $he pztually repest&. In some cases ley, NsV.,sat an a folding chair read- , culdination of concern for the way that hfomation is reaching chil- Unit4 States," "said Mr, Treledse, warn& of the buman voice," she tn:yke rotting off the reels --- being a Smurf book to %yar-old Daniel whose words were frquedIy inter- said, ""and the rhphm sf human ea use vie have scrcs little money for new Fraidstem. "" like it when parents dren," mid Sybille J8pchpchief of a the Children's LLerature Center at mptd 'by applause. "We how more spch, as well as the eten~alvedties pr Muctian, Oar ch~%lengeis b fbd read to you,'Xachel said to asitor, the Library of Congrms in Washing- abut the readhg prmess tl~anwe of the stoy. TeJeasion is such.a mBi- new fmd.ing $0 f:~mte new program- ""Bdkime, dapime, anfli~ne $3 ton, "Yet no one really how$ at this ever did bfare. But yet tday the illit- taw wcupatiow, But books can bnd rnlngePu greats9' eracy rate in the Unjt& States is children and pabents togethera9' 3uring most: i3%i?e::onfese~qce, pro- "As long as it%$muds," ~pipedup I pint how comptition from tele~sian and computer sofware is affecting thrw times Mgher than that in the Dr, Gearge Gerbner, deal1 kqsfonals talked (axd wuaI1y lis- Da~elimpatiently, 18~aitingfor Ra- the reding of cbildren9shk~,~' Soviet Unianq9' Univemitg 0%Peansykvm-ia3s texid) to one ar~otl~er-On Family chel to stop answe~ngquestions so Mrg Schm1 of Csmm~atio~zs,as- Dzy, hcj'iavever, aonpr~fessionafis,par- she could get on with the story, She spkeat one of the 132 separate scad thaa: the effect on children of en s and cMBdr~e13had their ehmce to Although some eonferencegwrs programs at the conference, which Not eveeone ca.Ene to savage the eompufem md adw gakaes is less pa &ie?pate. *"3e 610m that an said tlley left the gathe~agfeeling was spnsord by the Ma&attan- new infomatian ewMolo@es, ~OVJ- wo~sornethan that of televIsion, &+:.milyDay 4~12could maLe parents less wor~&abut the effects sf new bas4 childspen9scomeil. The sessions ever, "Computers can be stepping- "O%er proUfertiiting tmha10gies are mx~eaware of some Issues like ten- twbolo~on children, 63them said fmtur& a coIlmtion of eqfis9 stones to literacy," "said Dr, Bedce simply nexR stares In the supema~ke'r, tktir concerns were more faeused, bk swgsMp,~~hict~ is increasingly of con- dumtors adchildren9s nota- E. Cullin=, president-elect of the Hn- sf tele~sisn,"said BF,Gerbner, w110 ee % to th~se0% us in c%1dren%litera- hdby cl~sira!gday, Mr, Dt~novansaid bles as vafiow as the illwtrator Mau- temat.iana1 Rading Ass%ia.ti,t~n~''3% has studied the impact of television tule," said &4 re Donovan of the chil- that he was not contemplating chang- rice Sendak and the Wter Juw mdemtand a computer dm scren, for two Qeades,""841 of w here have brt~~'seomeli, ,%year&3ld non- ing the name of the C~ldren"Bmk Blume, Conference audiences were OX=a compt~termagazine, you. have to a strong pmfessional ir~terestin what pri sfit orgmla*ilion spnsom Chil- Council to the Gfildren9s Bwk, Cas- held swllbmd by folMo~sPsand Imow how to read. But while cornput- the hture of BeHe~Asionwill be-'* dren% *Boa$Vdeek and encourages the sette, Vidwtap and Floppy Disk stomellem. They were e&afld by em are g& for same things9there is Television programmen had ti~eir en_oy ment of chiIdrenk blcs, Gomcil, advmates like Jim Trelmse, author no other rndium that @ves eMldren say, too, includiag 6013,Cecil, di~eeto~ $ob@rtHaze asscxiate ~g>ieeutive ""It'sjust not in the bmks," he said, of the kst-selling "'The Read-Moud such jay in reading as bk~,'~ af elementav axid seeondaq SC~IOCJ; &,a ector of thk ,4me&ca: Bml~selle~s and srnilwj- THE AM ERICAN CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY THE CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL, INC. 67 IRVING PLACE, NEW YORK, NY 10003 (212) 254 2666

AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 1,1983 NEW YORK CITY NEW YORK HILTON

September 7, 1983

George Gerbner , Dean The Annenberg School of Communications University of Pennsylvania 3620 Walnut Street C5 Philadelphia, PA 19104

Dear Mr. Gerbner:

Your remarks on September 1 at the Everychild conference were stimulating ...and just right. Thank you. Yours sincerely,

John Donovan

JD:ph cc: Janet Schulman Richard Jackson Enc .

PLEASE REPLY TO

Children's Book Council (as above) ------THE ivEw YoRK mMEs Style Moivmx SEPTEMBER 1% Im lSla il

By GLENN COLLINS "The tradition of family stories is a con- lection that all of us in this mmshare," mid the smiling young woman, "but not ?veryone may be aware of it." She stood with her father at the front of the small room. Most of the 42 adults in the audience were strangers. They sat on conference :hairs at the New York Hilton. Three She glanced to her right. "This is my father," she said. "My father is a storyteller. generations in Becauseof him, I'm astoryteller." one family's He smiled. "I thought that today my father and i would talk about someof our own history: John family stories and the way we've collected Hodgkin, his them," she continued. "Then all of us in the room will collect st0 from one another granddaughter -and tell them. By Eend of the session, Jocelyn and her you'll know how to go about collecting, and telling, your own family stories." mother, Dr. The woman's name is Dr. Meg Hodgkin Lippert, and hey father is John Hodgkin. Meg Hodgkin The workshop was called "Family Folk- Lippert. The Family lore: @eserving the Stor& of the Past." "In wr family." Dr. Lippen continued, "there were two kinds of stories: traditional and true stories. Traditional stories are fairy tala, folk tales and myths. True stories are - well, my father will tell you me.''.... Mr. Hodgkmbegan tospeak. "My mother told me that once, when 1 was very small, I was not bang very kind to ow cat." he caid. "In fan. 1 was beine verv unlund Mv mother sard to me. '1f %u oh1 i&&m.l'il gathering was attended by 2,000 educators, 'There was momentary silence. This was bombed by the Luftwaffe and had burned to pull your ears. If you bull'its leg, I'll pull librarians and book pple. followed by a low bw of conversation. the gmund. Doris and her family fled from yourleg.' The Smithsonian Institution has studied. Within minutes, the rwm was filled with the house with only the clothes on their and encouraged interest in, family folklore. ammated people telling stories about their backs. Sam all the relatives fled Estonia. It is part of the storytelling renaissance in surnames, about Great-Aunt Maggie and Those who did not die in the Holocaust were America. increasing numbers of storytell- grandfather'spocket watch. widely scattered and started their lives ers are visiting schools and libraries to spin Eventually, Dr. Lippert called the mom again in new lands. their tales. Since 1970 a succession of "Fox- to order. "Are there any volunteers who Eventually, the woman said, she found Dr. Lippert and her fatter told many would like to tell something they remem- her way to the United States. The years morestories of both the true and traditional fire" books - collections of the stories and lore of the Appalachian Mountains in north- bered?" The first volunteer, a nun who went by, but she never forgot Cherie. To her kind. They explained that there are numer- grew up in East Texas, told a story about great surprise. she learned that Doris was ous ways to collect, and preserve, family east Georgia -have popularized the idea that nonhistorians can preserve local hist& how her mother, as a child, had spiked the alive - and also living in America. Their lore. "The eariest place to begin when col- family molasses with hot pepper sauce to paths crossed once or twice. But neither lecting family folklore," she said. "is to ly- glve ne'er-d&well Uncle Charlie his d& cousin ever mentioned the doll. start with yourself: try to remember p Dr. Lippert has taught storytelllng for a served comeuppance. ple, events and places." decade. Until last year she was director of A Visit From the Cousin Then a small, middle-aged woman std born," Journals Can Be a Source elementary education at Columbia Univer- and began speaking somewhat nervously. "When my first child was shesaid. sity's Teachen College. She is an educa- "I was born in Estonia," she said. "And I "Doris came tovisit. She brought withher a Family journals are &her treasura tional consultant and pmfessional story- present." The woman struggled with tears. trove. "Or. youcan lwk at famlly objecuor have never told anyone this story until teller and lives in Dobbs.Feny, N.Y.. with now." "It was Cherie. Doris told me that whenshe photographs," Dr. Lippert added. "Many her husband, Alan, and her Ibmonth-old ran from the burning house, she put Chbrie have stories connected with them." She looked about hesitantly.'Then she daughter, Jocelyn. Mr. Hodgkin, her father. began to describe how, as a child, her par- in her kerchief. She carried Cherie all Another way to gather stories is to inter- isan accountant inManhattan. ents had given her a beautiful doll from -. . - --. .. . - .. - .. view relatives and record their reeollec. "If you think I wept before." the woman Asldng Aboul Famlly Histories France. Cherie. she had called the doll. She tions. "Start with someone you Rnow well, dearly loved Cherie, her most precious pos- cnntmued. "~twas nothing to the lean I went when I saw Chhrie. And then mv IaiUl to build your interviewing skills," she said. At tbe workshop, Dr. Lippert passed ..=

THE DAILY PENNSYI.VANIAN - Fridav. Nnwenh.~19 1-7 On The Record Gerbner The irn our lives that they are not totally out of con- : THE DAILY PENNSYLVA- cuts across news, commercials and program to show because it will trol, that thy anparticipate in the ;'NIAN: Can you briefly summarize drama, and pretty much in comedy. have a bad influence on some peo- shaping of thcirown future. is ple. Do you think it's advisable for 8 your findings on the effects of televi- It highly uniform and highly I think children will be upset in :'sion on society? repetitive. people to see something like that? homes where this has never been : ANNENBERG SCHOOL. DEAN DP: Do you think the networks GERBNER: Well, we have to discussed, in which this has never ;.GEORGE GERBNER: Well, first take into account the high degree of separate a unique program like that been a subjea of conversation. The :you have to understand what televi- influence they have in society in from the daily dose of violence on children are unprepared and their 'sion is. It's a media. Telcvision is terms of their program choices? television. The daily dose is an parents are unprepared too. it can be ihot like books. not like movies, not GERBNER: Well, it depends on average of six vlolent incidents per disturbing in these types of homes. .'like any other media that has existed what you mean by "take into con- hour of prime time, and an average and I think it has to be the judgment : before. Television is like a ritual or sideration." It may have been called of 25 acts of violence in children's of every parent and of every home : like a religion. Television is different to their attention many times - weekend and day programming. It's how to deal with it. The Philadelphia :?ron~all other media in that most there are citizens' groups and there a kind of cheap experience that is school system, and all school systems, : people use it non-selectively. They are legislators and other groups injected. usually into the weak pro- should begin to have courses in don't watch by the program but by pressing them, but they are not get- grams. to heighten their inlercsl. critical viewing of all television, and . the clock. It takes considerable pro- ting paid for that consideration. and that has a corrosive efrect on prepare their children to be able to ' vocation to make people even switch The? are not accountable for that human relalions. It generates a .;ens< understand. appreciate and eventual- , from one station to another consideration. They are accountable of mislrust and insecuri~yand makes ly choose their own programming - : Television i\ o~iin the average to their .;tockholderr and they are people who watch nlorr ~clcvi\ton then also lheir children would grow ,.....r;.-.lrl I.,,.,,.. ST.. .., .....I , 1111l' .,..I ..,...;.*., 0.:. I THE DAILY PENNSYLVA- cuts across neW, comn+ercials and program to show because tt will j NIAN. Can you brteny sumntarize drhH8, and pretty much iri codedy, have a bad Influence on some peo- your flndtngs on the effects of televl- It I# hi~hlyuniform and highly %, ple. Do you think it's advlaable for : sion on soerety? rcptitivc. . Mpleto see something like that" : ANNENBERG SCHPOC~ AN PP: Dq, you thlnk Ihr networks GER~NER. Well. we have to :GEORGE GE&BNER well, flrdt take Into account the high degree ol separate a unique program like that :you have to undefctand what felevi- influence !hey have m society in from the dally dote 01 vlolencc on -s~onIS It's a med~a Televts~onIS terms of the~rptogram cholces9 televts~on The dally dose 15 ;*TI i not l~kebooks, not 11ke movtes. not GERBNER: Well, tt dependr on average of SIX vtolenl lnc~dert\per l~keany other medla that has ex~rted what you mean by "take into con- hour of prlme tlme, and ar: avetage . hefore TeleV~ctonIF l~kea r~tualw \tderation." It may have been called of 25 acts or vtolence In ch~ldren'c Ilk? a rel~gionTelevls~on IS dtfferent to the~r atlenllon many ttmes - weekend and day programming 11'5 'rrom all other med~aIn that most there are aj~zuns'groups and &e a k~ndof rheap experience that IS pcow me- Ir FI~R&C I& & Rg'tHatbrs and ot+r groups ~n~ezted,usually Into the weak pro.. , 1 don't watch by the prog%bul by pressing tkcm, but they ate hb(?@i- &Urns, ro 'hetghtm lhe~r tntereit. a the clock. 11 takes cons~derablepro- tlng pa~dlot that cahsldaatlah, and that has a corrosive effect on vocation to hake people even switch Tky dre nd ~ccbntakFor that human relatiohs. It generates a sensc from one staiton tb andthel consideralion They are accountable of mistrust and tnsecurlty and makes Televlston' IS on' In the avenge to the~rstockholders and they are people who watch more televth~on

' American hoke for six and a half : hours a day. Therefore; in half of' i our homes, itrs essehttally tutiled on' in the morning: turn& off at night. j If's part of the'tnvironm~lkthe wallpapbr. Instead ol a child growing up in the honie, where the parents tell mostly srories, where the ' tieighbors. the gran6p'arehts, the siblings. the peers tell m'oitly 'abobt the world. 'where the child goes out : to the church. go&' out to 'the' 1 school. which is the %st encbllnter : with the.'outside w'&& inst& of I r hat , the chilb'is. insarM into a very s rich symbolic envlrment .iw;whi& : televisinn tells most of the stdries to : most of the people most of the lime. : And whoever can lell most of the : stories most 01' the time has some '

a be the church, then the"church and : slate rule together: Now' it's telwi- : sion instead that rule tognher. Now. ; the principle and first thing to ren~cmberabout television is tha~it's used like a ritual. It is lo be seen ': like a religion or like a selectively : used media of information or enfer- : tainment. It exposes people to a : mythology. which is news, drama.

I talk shows. all kids of progra - : ing put togeth6r. that is constru ed : by relatively few wurces, and Tt at :.people do not take or ch& : whatever is On television. It reaches people- who ~lberwisewould select il a out. It is part o their conception.of : the wor1d:ChiUrtn grow up in it. 1 and their tastes qnd their predisposi- , tlons ~i;lX'..;i;~lo'b;'~o~'o;d"i"ike home by' the family and by the ,,parents arei,no longer exclusively the DP pholos by Lyndon Keye- a !ask of the parents, Ihe home, the acccjunt&le to thetr advqtisers So more nnxio~lsthan i~milarkintls ol' : church, and the sch.ml. It is increas- therefare many lhlngs lhnt the net- people who watch more !el~r~sio:i11 : ingly, and I would say by now to a take taro ~ons~derat~on,and make, lhcrn feel like they're living in : wry laree extent, swializalion pro- ?& anre lhelr Image as responsl a meaner world :han their nerghbora : cess is a task of televisioh. It is in ble ij~dpubl~c-sptr~ted Instltutlons, *.ho are exposed to the same that context that we ought to con- but ,&ere are also a feu thtngs that hazards but who watch less lelevi. : cider any specific program or any the n,ctworks must cons~dera' ,,<\en- slon. To that extent. people whg $tt. : specifcc Feature. such as violence or t~altq their survlval as 1nstIiJt:ons. anxious arrd insecure. 35 citizen\ alld 2 \ex or foreign places or minorities or a$ buslnestes, and lo thrv success In humar beings are more. e-esily : women or the betrayal of certain Ihe marketplace manipu1b:i.d and more likeh tc; a;) : prol'essioils, all of which wr have I* The rioggrn The Day A frrr, prove oT rr?ressi~+. as long as I! \tudied. whtch is supposed to deplct I~fe~afrcf comes in th~name of, security I I. It is in that context oi a a nuclear nar, bas iecelved a lot of think that i, a ,very poliiically "ritualirtic. repetitive pattern that attentton lately %me cay lt', a bad volatilcs and dangcious and wo- -. , .. ., ". f .a . * our lives that they are not totally out of control, that they can participate in the shaping of their own future. I think children will be upset in homes where this has never been discussed, in which this has never been a subject of conversation. The children are unprepared and thetr r parents are unprepared too. It can be disturbing in these types of homes, J and I think it has to be the judgment of every parent and of every home how to deal with it. The Philadelphia school system, iind all school systems, should begin to have courses in critical viewing of all television, and prepare their children to be able to understand, appreciate and eventually choose their own programming - then also their children would grow up knowing this DP: There has been some ex- perimenting with interactive programming, where a person could in- teract with the television. Do you think this type of programming will be a trend? GERBNER: Well. it's an ex~eri- i ment that may have some wider applications and r,amifications for today in that an instant response is usually 'Is it appropriate to be shocked and the least valuable and the least democratic way of participating in profoundly disturbed by something decision-making. Most cultures. especially those that are as highly cen- that is shocking and profoundly tralized as ours, because of television, always get the response that they want disturbing, rather than to try to be by formulating the questions and by evoking the response in a context calloused?' where the response becomes highly predictable. blemaiic feature of our culture. profound disturbance and perhaps If you look around the world, the That's the everyday sensitization to some action to avoid it. This countries that make voting man- anx~ety-provoking features of our becomes a matter of judgment. The datory are almost always dictator- world. fact that there is such a program. ships. By bringing out the vote of That's the background against that the program is also calculated people who can be particularly in- which a special program like The to attract ratings, that may also turn fluenced, they make sure that Day After should be seen. When out to be a commercially productive everyone responds. By the timing of you talk about a program like that, and profitable enterprise, does not question, the context of the question, I think there is no doubt that necessarily invalidate the necessity the events of the day, a person or in- millions of people who will be ex- and the appropriateness of having a stitution can evoke the response that posed to it will have to confront it special program like this. is highly predictable and desired. because they can't escape it. They DP: The local school district has So this kind of reponse mechanism will find it in their regular television advised parents not to have their can be a useful marketing device. But viewing whether they tune in pur- children watch the program. Do you as a form of dialogue, as a form of posely or nol. They will be con- think that's a correct decision? participation in public decision- fronted with the reality that human GERBNER: I don't think they ad- making, it's a matter'of grave concern stupidity can now destroy life in this vised the parents not to let the and a threat to our system of govern- world - no matter hob stupid children watch. I think they said that ment in which you elect represen- human beings have been in the-past, the parents should be thoughtful of tatives who then conduct a dialogue, they were simply incapable of doing whatever the children watch, especial- and in which you have interest that. ly this program. You can't tell groups, all of whom have their To be confronted with this, parents. Most of the time it's parents specialized point of view. If you have without much preparation - those who send their children to television, some kind of parliamentary dialectic people who have avoided it, who so you can't just tell parents not to let going on, it leads :o a decision which don't read newspapers may not be their children watch it. But you can attempts to reconcile a great variety able to put it out of their mind. and should tell an alert parent that of specialized minority interests in the Children, who have never really here is a paiticularly sensitive ex- interest of the whole. When you have thought of this, will be shocked, perience that children should engage an immediate majority determina- disturbed and upset, and certainly in only if they are prepared for it - in tion, you not only have a superficial some will be psychologically damag- homes where the possibility of response which is manipulated by the ed. The question. is, should they be? nuclear warfare and the threats and way the question is asked, but in ef- Is it appropriate to be shocked and the dangers have been discussed, in fect you have the tyranny of the ma- profoundly disturbed by something whlch children have at least thought jorlty. It means you don't recognize that is shocking and profoundly about this, in which children have any right or interest except what hap- disturbing, rather than to try to be been given some outlet, some way of pens to be the volatile majority. These calloused, to accept it without some becoming active, some way of feeling are the broader implications. TV profits The creators of "The Day After" industry, meanwhile, worry that watchers become even more domi- By Tom Nugent - WASHINGTON TIMES STAFF say "no!' in spite of the network's efforts to nated psychologically by the Responding to questions about minimize potential psychic damage medium than they already are. I he ratings are in and the money and ratings a few days to both children and adults (grownups were also advised to view the "Television is a fundamentally message is clear: Given the before the telecast, film director different medium from books and right set of cirucumstances Nicholas Meyer exploded: "That is film in groups) - the nationwide screening of "The Day After" may magazines and other things," said and enough advanee pub- a vicious, baseless lie. ABC already Dr. George Gerbner, a TV expert T knows they're not going to make have produced a dangerous escala- licity, America's television net- in the already-high level of TV ,who is also the dean of the Annen- works can now command any money on this. They said, going tiw. berg School of Communications at , audiences of more than 100 million in: 'Don't worry about the ratings."' 'violence. think the real danger of show- the University of Pennsylvania. for a single program. Like Mr. Meyer, who spent two "I "Television is a ritual, a daily ritual But the overwhelming success of years shaping the $7 million depic- ing this kind of program will come which is watched around the clock. last Sunday night's "The Day tion of nuclear strike on Kansas when you start to get the repeat And it is watched in almost every After" in the Nielsen ratings raises City,ABC network officials have performances," said Dr. Rose K. home. several disturbing questions about expressed outrage at the sugges- Goldsen, a Cornell University soci- the growing impact of television on tion that their controversial project ologist who has written Several "And when you get something books on the dynamics of televi- 1 American culture - questions was actually assembled in order to like that [ABC] program, you are which, it should be pointed out, make a buck. sion. "The first time is always dif- going to drop on the American pub- ' have generally been obscured by But more than a few critics, ferent. But then the repeat lic - without their asking - a

1 the furious political debate over while pointing to the fact that "The performances begin. And the major tragedy, and you are going to nuclear weapons that took place Day After" was scheduled to run in these things expose 40 to 50 million people to during the weeks prior to the tele- a crucial period called "sweeps gradually desensitizes us to the ini- something that they cast. month" - during which the Niel- tial impact, and after awhile, you have never really thought about. watch them with one eye, and you Among the most troubling of the sen ratings are gathered - insist And I think it will be a tremendous overlooked questions is this simple that the film simply amounted to ' even what's On the shock. . . This will be true for chil- one: Did ABC actually decide to another example of media exploita- screen." dren, but it will also be true for tion; another example of how far i produce a horrifying "Armaged- ' According to Dr. and millioqs of adults who have not don" film in order to win the latest the television industry will go in other media experts, the combina- elected, in the past, to expose them- round in the "ratings war," and thus order to win the high ratings upon tion of such horrifying nuclear vio- selves to any serious consideration make a great deal of money from which advertising rates tradition- , lence with television's the boost inadvertising rates which ally depend. mesmerizing power could produce See ISSUES,Pge 3B would follow? Other longtime analysts of the a situation in which terrified TV- I I violence (since the fear often same as the [dramatic] programs cating" TV viewers - carter would what we call the 'secondary social remains unconscious), more and that come before and after." say only that he thought such an groups' - our churches, our ISSUES more Americans are afraid to greet While they were reluctant to outcome unlikely: "One of the unions, our political parties, our Frompage 1B strangers in public places, afraid to describe this television-based points of nuclear control is to avoid bowling teams, etc. - in which we travel through neighborhoods "blurring" of fact and fiction as suchanexchange. really find out what our own inter- of what would happen in a nuclear where crimes have been occasion- pscyhologically harmful, both ana- "I doubt that it will happen." ests are. war." ally reported - and in many cases, lysts were struck by the recent For many critics and observers While most of the critics are Although both Dr. Goldsen and even afraid to allow their children announcement that the same ABC of the American electronic media, careful to point out that last Sun- Dr. Gerbner believe that this to participate in harmless "trick- network whjch Sunday night the most significant questions to day's televised, fictional version of "shock" might ultimately prove or-treating" at Halloween. screened "The Day After" will emerge from the continuing con- nuclear war may, indeed, prove suc- useful to people - by waking them Although Dr. Gerbner refused to tonight launch a live "war game" troversy over the screening of "The cessful in educating the public up to the horrors of possible speculate about whether or not exercise. In this excersize, leading Day After" have to do with these about the dangers of nuclear holo- nuclear conflict - they also sug- Sunday night's graphic portrait of government figures (including for- deeply troubling relationships caust, others can't help wondering gested that the film could prove Armageddon represented a poten- mer Defense Secretaries James R. ,,, between television and culture if the telecast didn't actually repre- harmful by increasing the amount tially dangerous intensification of Schlesinger and Clark M. Clifford " ' --and not with the debate between sent the ultimate form of advertis- of "media anxiety" now at work in the television-inspired "Meah and former U.S. Army Chief of national defense advocates (who ing: A huge national audience, American culture. fear that the cinematic horrors will utterly terrified at the prospect of "The level of anxiety and insecu- weaken America's resolve to defend its own annihilation, glued to a TV rity in our culture is already pretty itself) and the "nuclear freeze" screen for the usual, endless high;' said Dr. Gerbner, attributin- Will,the willingnesei'~break a historic taboo pacifists (who are counting on the parade of commercials. gmuch of the "anxiety" to televi- only solidifi television5 mesmerizing hold "shock value" of the film to .alert How many people, they wonder, sion. "Our studies [of TV] have' citizens to the dangers of nuclear would be strong enough to turn off shown that there are an average of on millions of American psyches? weaponry). the ads for toothpaste, sports cars six violent incidents per hour of For these analysts, the really and lipstick- when the "fictional" prime-time viewing, and 25 inci- crucial questions focus on the pos- message which these glossy dents per hour of children's prime- World Syndrome:' and although he Staff Gen. Edward C. Meyer) will siblity that the network's willing- promos support amounts to nothing time. believes that the appropriate gather to decide "policy" in a fic- ness to break a historic taboo (by less than the viewer's own death? "And this phenomenon helps to debate ought to be over the question tional crisis situation devised by showing the widespread death and "You're dealing with media that produce what we call the 'Mean of "Whether the anxiety [produced the network. destruction of a nuclear holocaust are powerful:' said television ana- World Syndrome,' which means by the film] was justified," he did As remarkable as this exercise in a dramatic format of unprec- lyst Les Brown, who edits a critical that, the more you live in the world suggest that the nationwide tele- sounds to the layman (with real edented, graphic violence) will media review called "Channels," of television, the more you assume cast might have affected another government figures participating only solidify television's mes- and who has spent years studying that the world is a dangerous place. rapidly growing, television-linked in a "fictional" crisis, on live televi- merizinghold on millions of the medium, "maybe the most As a matter of fact, you wind up problem: The mounting confusion, sion), the most astonishing aspect American psyches. important social and cultural force feeling that it is a much more dan- in American culture, betweeh of the event, sheduled to run for one They are worrying, in short, that in society today. And we are talking gerous place than those who don't reality and fiction. hour per night through Friday, the horrifying force of "The Day about a program airing in prime- watch television:' "The difference between fact must surely be the fact that its par- After" will only intensify the time." According to Dr. Gerbner and and fiction is blurred:' said the Uni- ticipants refuse to rule out the pos- "Mean Syndrome:' and thus inten- Although he said that he's in some other analysts, the effects of versity of Pennsylvania professor, siblity of a game-decision calling sify the, process by which more and favor of television programs that the "Mean World Syndrome" can a world-recognized expert on for a nuclear strike. more terrified television-watchers force us to confront the issue of be seen in the fact that more and media, "and it has always bem "This will be as close to reality turn away from each other in order nuclear war, Brown admitted to more Americans are now suffering blurred. And this problem has been as anything but real events them- to understand reality - and focus, being thoroughly puzzled as to how from exaggerated fears about brought into sharper focus by tele- selves." said former Assistant Sec- instead, on the all-pervasive TV Sunday night's ABC film exploded crime, about random violence, and vision . .. . retar; of State Hodding Carter 3d, screen. into the giant-sized controversy about potential threats from "Drama and news on television who will play a senior advisor in the "I believe that the way television which still dominates the national strangers in the real world that have come very close together, game. Asked if the "fictional" sce- is organizing society, right now - news. exists beyond television. these days, and much of our televi- nario might actually produce a it's a very alienating machine," said "I think that what we have here, Unaware of the fact that they sion news tends to have a casting, a "fictional" nuclear war - and thus Cornell's Dr. Goldsen. "It's a maybe, is a very good hype-job by have been "frightened" by such TV form of presentation, which is the terrify, instead of calming or "edu- machine that separates us from ABC."

University of Pennsylvania News

News Digest Dec. 1-Dec. 30

The following is an index of the leading news stories about the University of Pennsylvania that appear in this edition of the News Digest. The page numbers of the stories cited are included here for quick reference. The complete digest is on file in the News Bureau, 410 Logan Hall. Copies of it or individual articles are available at nominal cost. To facilitate identification and location of stories, the digest has been arranged in six categories: social science; science, technology, medicine and psychology; business; education, grants and funding; archaeology and anthropology; people and places; and student life.

SOCIAL SCIENCE Page NZWSWZEK. Dec. 6 -- George Gerbner is described as 1 "the man thatrtelevision watcges" in this article on his thru research on the social impact of television. The story, 4- "Life According to TV," refers to the dean of the Annenberg School of Communications as "the foremost authority in his field." BROADCASTING, Dec. 13 -- Network and industry trade associations respond to the NEWSWEEK article, disputing Gerbner and his research. USA TODAY, Nov. 29 -- A spin-off article from the 6 NEWSWEEK story on Gerbner. Similar stories were carried thFu in THE BOSTON GLOBE. THE KANSAS CITY STAR. THE ARIZONA -IT REPUBLIC, THE NEW YORK POST and 'IRE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR. TXE BOSTON GLOBE, Nov. 21 -- An academic study on the 12 effect of pornography on attitudes toward rape received thru substantial news coverage. The research was published in L9 the Annenberg School's Journal of Comunication. Other newspapers which carried the story were THE ATLANTA JOURNAL, THE SEATTLE DAILY TIMES, THE DES MOINES REGISTER, THE FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM, THE CINCINNATTI ENQUIRER and THE ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCUT. THE ALLENTOWN CALL-CHRONICLE ran an editorial. Other articles appeared in the DAYTON DAILY NEWS, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, and COLUMBUS DISPATCH.

News Bureau, Director Ed McFall Mary Petot Nichols 410 Logan HallICN Director of Cornrnunlcations Philadelphla, PA 19104 (215) 898-8721 Sews Digest - 2 TV GUIDE, Dec. 11 -- Inaccurate information often hits the television airwaves because of the race to beat competitors on major news stories, according to this article, "Rush to Judgement: Scoops That Weren't." Robert L. Shayon, professor of comunications at the Annenberg School is quoted.

HOUSTOd CHRONICLE, Nov. 24 -- Coverage of a George Gerbner speech in Houston on the quality of television news which he says bears a strong resemblance to entertainment programming. PSYCHOLOGY TODAY, Jan. -- George Gerbner is identified as one of the few media specialists who is not engaging in hype over cable television. Calling it "the cable fable," the Annenberg School dean has little confidence in its economic viability. A synopsis of his remarks to a recent Women in Cable conference is carried in the magazine' s "Media Crosstalk" section. NEWSWEEK, Jan. 10 -- Penn's family sociologist 24 Frank Furstenberg says half the children of divorce -thru have not seen their father in at least a year. He is -30 quoted in the cover story, "Divorce American Style."

NEIJSFEEK, Jan. 17 -- A "Portrait of America," is this week's cover story which, among other things, looks at the latest census for information on the number of unwed mothers in this country. Frank Furstenberg, who is an expert on teenage pregnancy, is quoted in NEWSWEEK for the second week in a row. NEIJ YORK TIMES, Dec. 20 -- "Friendly divorce may be a growing trend, but it's growing from an exceedingly tiny base," says sociologist Furstenberg who is conducting a national divorce study. TAIE ATLANTA JOUKJAL, Dec. 29 -- Frank Furstenberg 34 is interviewed for this story on the involvement of thru fathers in their children's lives after divorce. One out -36- of every three children in America today will see their parents' marriage break up before they reach the age of 16, according to the sociologist. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Dec. 20 -- Reporter Dick Pothier interviews students and campus health professionals on student stress. THE BALTIMORE SUN, Dec. 2 -- Psychologist Aaron Beck 39 is credited with beginning cognitive therapy in this story thru on treatment of depression. 41- THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Dec. 15 -- Parents should not be overly 'concerned that their children will become News Digest - 3 video-game addicts, says Brian Sutton-Smith, a professor of education and folklore who is the author of more than 20 books about children's play and recreation. DESERET NEWS, Salt Lake City, Dec. 16 -- Forensic psychiatrist Robert Sadoff says the insanity defense is a vital component of the criminal justice system. He spoke on the Hinckley verdict at the University of Utah Medical Center. HARVARD UNIVERSITY GAZETTE, Oct. 22 -- Provost Thomas Ehrlich, a Harvard law school graduate, is quoted on the lack of access poor people have to the American legal system. ALLENTOWN CALL-CHRONICLE, Dec. 16 -- Many welfare reci~ientsin Pennsylvania did not understand the notice thev*received conce>nin~cut-backs in their benefits , accbrding to linguistic: professor Wil liam Labov. Labov testified at a trial in U.S. District-- --- Court in Philadelph which resulted in a halt to the plan. PARENTS MAGAZINE, Dec. -- Parents of a newborn baby should take steps to insure the adjustment of a family pet to the new arrival, says Dr. Victoria Voith, a veterinarian and animal behaviorist. DOG FANCY, Nov. -- When a dog bites a young 49 member of his own family, it usually indicates a thru lack of proper discipline of the dog or the child. 51- This is the opinion of Dr. Voith, who runs the Animal Behavior Clinic. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, MEDICINE, PSYCHOLOGY

THE NEW YORK TIMES, Dec. 16 -- A University of 52 Pennsylvania scientist -- in collaboration with researchers thru froin three other institutions -- made headlines across 72- the country and around the world with a successful genetic experiment which led to the creation of larger-than- normal mice. We have included other clippings from TIME, SCIENCE, UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL, THE BOSTON GLOBE, THE PROVIDENCE JOUwAL, THE SAN DIEGO UNION, THE PHOENIX GAZETTE, THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER, THE DENVER POST, NEWSDAY, THE KALISAS CITY STAR, OMAHA WORLD HERALD, THE DETROIT FREE PRESS, THE MIAMI HERALD, ARKLYSAS GAZETTE, as well as headlines from other metropolitan newspapers. TIME, Jan. 3 -- Time Magazine voted the computer as 73 its Machine of the Year and ENIAC received credit for the thru beginning of the age of the computer, an age which sees the replacement of man on the cover of TIME'S first issue of the year. News Digest - 4 C'OMPUTER GRAPHICS AND APPLICATIONS, NOV. -- A professor of computer and information science is working on solutions to the development of a realistic human form for animation -- one of the most difficult problems in computer graphics. THE NEW YORK TIMES, Dec. 23 -- Dr. Aaron Katcher, a psychia~ristwho is on the faculty of the School of Veterinary Medicine, discovered that watching a tankful of tropical fish will lower one's blood pressure. Now, a 30-minute video cassetce which focuses on that very image has been produced for people who want to relax.

NETJSWEEK, Dec. 13 -- Dr. Albert: Stunkard, professor 80 of psychiatry, is quoted in this article, "What it Means thru to Be Fat." Stunkard, who specializes in behavioral weight control, says he has failed to find any striking differences in personality type that distinguish obese people from others. VOGUE, Dec. -- Dr. Henry Jordan gives dieters advice they like to hear: wine is good for you -- even if you're trying to lose weight. Wine can help dieters stick to their eating plan, makes them feel less deprived, and can even aid digestion in small doses, says Jordan, a psychiatrist, who is director of Penn's Institute for Behavioxal Education. GLAMOUR, Dec. -- Dr. Jordan is quoted in this article on "Dieting During a Crisis." TULSA DAILY WORLD, Nov. 28 -- While losing weight may be a national obsession, many people apparently are losing the battle of the bulge. NEW YORK TIMES, Jan. 12 -- University of Pennsylvania dermatologists conducted a soap study which has been frequently mentioned in articles on skin care.

COSMOPOLITALY, Nov. -- Fertility experiments at the 90 School of Medicine are mentioned in this story on how thru science can help couples who want children but haven't -93 been able to conceive. THE MADISOH, WIS. CAPITAL TIMES, Nov. 23 -- Dr. Luigi Mastroianni, a HUP gynecologist, suggests that women who believe they might have a fertility problem, get an early start on treatment. THE HOUSTON POST, Dec. 5 -- Treatment for pets with cancer is offered at the School of Veterinary thru Medicine. This story on animal oncology was also 98 carried in THE TAMPA TRIBUNE, THE HARTFORD COURANT, and the SAN JOSE MERCURY. News Digest - 5

THE HARTFORD COURANT, Dec. 6 -- Residents of 9 9 nursing homes are helped by playing with animals who thru come to visit them. The Center for the Interactions of 104 Animals and Society is cited for helping veterinarians understand the bond between humans and pets. ALLENTOWN CALL-CHRONICLE, Dec. 24 -- A 3-D radar -105 system to detect aircraft and satellites has been created thru by Dr. Nabil Farhat at the School of Engineering and -109 Applied Science. Other stories have been carried in the RICXMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, the FRESNO BEE and the HOUSTON POST. Locally, the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER published an article, which is enclosed. PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, Dec. 27 -- Two medical researchers at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania are testing a drug for the treatment of herpes. PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, Dec. 20 -- Dr. Aaron Beck and Dr. Raymond Harrison of Penn's Center for Cognitive Therapy (also known as the Mood Clinic,) are quoted in "Learning to Beat the Holiday Blues." HATBORO, PA. TODAY'S SPIRIT, Nov. 24 -- A study on artificial heart valves by veterinarian James Buchanan is the subject of this article in "Medical Notebook." BUSINESS NEW YORK TIMES, Dec. 19 -- Industrial psychologists have found that rumors among corporate employees can be even more disruptive than troubling facts. Two Wharton researchers, Larry Rirschhorn and Thomas M. Gilmore, have written a book, "Cutting Back," which examines the dangerous potential of rumors. LOS AiqGELES TIMES, Nov. 24 -- Developing nations are in a "Catch 22" situation. They cannot get loans because their economies are ailing, yet they cannot improve their economic condition because of a lack of capital. Lawrence Klein, the Nobel Prize-winning economist at the Wharton School, comments on the situation in this article. NEW YORK TIMES, Dec. 8 -- Although academic merit and previous job experience are both considerations for graduate school admission, at least one admissions director (from Carnegie-Mellon) says that motivation and maturity displayed during a personal interview can be the deciding factor in the entrance decision. This article mentions that the University's ITharton School is one of the nation's top three business schools, following Harvard and Stanford. News Digest - 6

LOS AJGELES TIMES, Dec. 7 -- The contradictions of world politics and world trade are discussed with comment from Richard J. Herring, professor of finance and expert on world banking.

SAiI FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, Dec. 15 -- William E. Baxter, President Reagan's assistant attorney general thru for antitrust, and Almarin Phillips, professor of 124 public management, economics and the law, talk about the theory and the practice of antitrust in an interview. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Dec. 16 -- Continuing deficits of nearly $200,000 a year have forced Whawton Magazine to suspend publication. Dean Donald Carroll and editor-in-chief William West cite the recession, higher postal rates and a decline in advertising and circulation among the causes of the magazine's financial decline. ALLENTOWN CALL-CHRONICLE, Nov. 21 -- As nations become more developed, an increasing share of their economic activity is devoted to such services as transportation, communication, education, government and medical care, as opposed to the manufacture of goods, says Robert Surmners, a U. of P. economist who spoke at a Wharton School conference on the service sector of modern economies.

EDUCATION, GRANTS AND FUNDING THE WASHINGTON POST, Dec. I6 -- American industry -128 is relying on universities for the research it needs to thru compete in the world economic market. And, with the 33-F decline in federal support for education, we can expect to see a stronger link between corporations and academic institutions. "Partners in the Research Enterprise," a two-day conference hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, brought 400 people from both sectors to Philadelphia last month and resulted in news coverage by the POST, THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, THE JOURLUAL OF COMMERCE, TEE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, THE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, and others. CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, NOV. 10 -- A commentary by Peter Drucker on professional school as an investment. WASHINGTON POST, Nov. 11 -- MIT is the most expensive college in the country. Penn is ranked number nine in cost by Competitive Colleges, a new guide for prospective students. The story was carried nationally by the Associated Press. DESIGN NEWS, Nov. I1 -- News of a $1 million grant for the s tidy of robotics from IBM to the School of Engineering and Applied Science was reported News Digest - 7 in this engineering publication. JEWISH MONTHLY, Dec. -- The President of the University of Pennsylvania is one of five academic leaders who criticized Soviet practices that are an "unacceptable political intrusion upon the integrity of science and education." JEWISH EXPONENT, Nov. 19 -- Walter Cohen, dean of the -144 School of Dental Medicine, was one of a group of Philadelphia area academics who took part in a tribute of the Soviet Jewry Council. JOHNSTOWN, PA. TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT, Dec. 8 -- The availability of a scholarship fund for future veterinarians was publicized via an article in this Pennsylvania paper. ARCWOLOGY -AND ANTHROPOLOGY SMITHSONIAY, Jan 3. -- The popular belief that 146 civilization began in the Tigris and Euphrates River thru valleys is coming under careful scrutiny following the -174 discovery and examination of Bronze Age artifacts in Ban Chiang, a village in Thailand. In this illustrated article, the Ban Chiang exhibit at the University Museum and the late Chester Gorman are both mentioned. Other major articles on the exhibit appeared in THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE INTERYATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE, ARCHAEOLOGY, MUSEUM Magazine, THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, CONNOISSEUR, AND THE MAIN LINE CHRONICLE. COURIER POST, Camden, N.J., Dec. 12 -- Grants from various banks and organizations, including $25,000 from The Union Oil Co. of California, are helping to support the University Museum's Ban Chiang exhibit. This article also details part of the exhibit's future following its University debut. THE CINCINNATTI ENQUIRER, Dec. 5 -- Excavations in Guatamala have yielded a pottery shard bearing one of thru the earliest known examples of Maya writing. University 179 archaeologist Eleanor King found the fragment which suggests that an advanced Maya civilization existed 300 to 500 years earlier than previously believed. The discovery was also mentioned in DISCOVER Magazine. EDBOOK, Dec. -- One of the prestigious MacArthur Prize Fellows awards in 1982 went to a former University studenr, Francesco Rochberg-Halton, an assyriologist. The $175,000 award was the only one of 19 prlzes to be awarded to a woman. News Digest - 8

PEOPLE AND PLACES LOS mGELES TIMES, Nov. 3 -- Ian McHarg, professor of -181 landscape architecture and regional planning who helped thru popularize the environmental movement in the 60's and 183- 701s, talked about a land plan for an improbable place -- Orange County, Calif. -- in a lecture to college students there. THE WASHINGTON POST, Nov. 23 -- Steve Bilsky, who 184 used to be assistant athletic director here, was named - director of men's athletics at George Washington University. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Dec. 2 -- John W. Eckman, an alumnus of the University and vice-chairman of the board of trustees, is the subject of this story which explores his dual roles as chairman and chief executive of the Rorer Group and his community involvement as an active Philadelphia citizen. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Dec. 8 -- This article announces the nomination of Shelley Greene, a member of the U. of P.'s legal staff since 1979, as the University's general counsel. NEWS OF DELAWARE COUNTY, Dec. 23 -- A photograph cutline announces the appointment of Alfred Beers as University comptroller. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Jan. 7 -- Lee Copeland, dean of the Graduate School of Fine Arts, was elected chairman of the City Planning Commission. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Dec. 26 -- A team of -19 0 architecture students led by professor Alan Levy are thru helping to bring Woodbury, N.J. back to the past -- 192 hopefully insuring its future as a vital Gloucester County community. PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Dec. 3 -- An itern in "The Scene" column explains the University's connection with the Heisman Trophy, awarded annually to the best college football player and named after John W. Heisman, a 1892 graduate of the University and a former coach here. MAIN LINE TIMES, Nov. 11 -- Vincent Cristofalo, director of the Center for the Study of Aging, is pictured with other administrators of a $5 million geriatrics grant. THE TRENTONIAN, Dec. 1 -- Judge Leon Higginbotharn, Jr., a trustee of the University, and a lecturer at the law school, is pictured with the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. News Digest - 9

DELAWARX COUNTY DAILY TIMES, Dec. 8 -- Herbert Northrup, director of industrial research at the University's Wharton School, recommends a particular SEPTA contract proposal over 15 other contract offers submitted by member unions. Norrhrup chaired President Reagan's Emergency Board which issued the non-binding endorsement. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Dec. 24 -- A reception for Dr. Jonathan E. Rhoads, a well known Philadelphia physician and surgeon, was held TO commemorate his 50 year association with the University. PHILADELPHIA MAGAZINE, Nov. -- Young artists are not being helped by the city's 1% law which mandates the purchase of art for buildings erected on Redevelopment property, according to Robert Engman. Engman, a sculptor, teaches in Penn's Graduate School of Fine Arts. JEWISH TIMES, Dec. 23 -- Israeli composer Mark Kopytman is completing a semester as the Penn-Israel exchange professor of music. STUDENT LIFE THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Dec. 3 -- James King, Jr., president of Alpha Phi Alpha, is quoted in this article which recognizes the 76th anniversary of the nation' s oldest black fraternity. DELAWARE COUNTY DALLY TIMES, Dec. 8 -- University sophomore Tim Chambers is named to the East Coast Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year football ream after helping Penn achieve its best season in more than a decade. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, Dec. 15 -- A workshop -205 on young people and cults was sponsored by the University thru as a result of the involvement of psychology of -207 education professor Arthur Dole, whose daughter Barbara, a former Moonie, spoke. An article in the PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS reports the subsequent attack on the workshop by the Unification Church, which claims the program violated the University's non-discrimination policy.