NCJ Number
45417
Journal
JOURNAL OF BROADCASTING Volume: 21 Issue: 3 Dated: (SUMMER 1977) Pages: 287-296
Date Published
1977
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THIS THIRD IN A SERIES OF FOUR ARTICLES IS A DEFENSE OF A COLUMBIA BROADCASTING SYSTEM (CBS) REPORT CRITICAL OF THE GERBNER TELEVISION VIOLENCE PROFILE; THE AUTHOR OF THE CBS REPORT MAINTAINS HIS ORIGINAL STAND.
Abstract
AN ARTICLE BY THE CULTURAL INDICATORS RESEARCH TEAM, ORIGINATORS OF THE VIOLENCE PROFILE, ATTEMPTED TO REFUTE ALL OF THE CRITICISMS LEVELED AGAINST THE PROFILE IN THE FIRST CBS REPORT. THE DISAGREEMENT CENTERED AROUND FOUR AREAS: THE DEFINITION OF VIOLENCE; THE WEIGHTING OF COMPONENTS IN THE PROFILE'S VIOLENCE INDEX; THE DEFINITION OF A VIOLENT INCIDENT IN TERMS OF EITHER THE PERSONS INVOLVED OR THE CONTINUITY OF THE INCIDENT ITSELF; AND THE USE OF SINGLE WEEK'S SAMPLE OF TELEVISION PROGRAMMING. IN THIS ARTICLE, THE AUTHOR REITERATES THE CRITICISMS HE MADE IN THE FIRST REPORT, I.E., THAT THE DEFINITION OF VIOLENCE IS OVERLY BROAD, THAT COMPONENTS OF THE VIOLENCE INDEX ARE ARBITRARILY WEIGHTED, THAT A VIOLENT INCIDENT SHOULD BE DEFINED IN TERMS OF THE CONTINUITY OF THE INCIDENT, AND THAT THE SAMPLE IS STATISTICALLY DEFICIENT. HE CONCLUDES THAT THE VIOLENCE INDEX DOES NOT MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE ON PRIME-TIME TELEVISION NOR IS THERE OBJECTIVE SUPPORT FOR THE PARTICULAR ELEMENTS COMBINED IN THE INDEX OR FOR THE WEIGHTS USED TO COMBINE THEM. EXCEPTION IS TAKEN WITH THE VIEW THAT THE PROFILE IS AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING MODEL OF THE WAY IN WHICH DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE ON TELEVISION AFFECT OUR SOCIETY. FOR OTHER ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ 45415-45416 AND 45418.