NCJ Number
45418
Journal
JOURNAL OF BROADCASTING Volume: 21 Issue: 3 Dated: (SUMMER 1977) Pages: 297-303
Date Published
1977
Length
7 pages
Annotation
IN THE LAST OF A SERIES OF FOUR ARTICLES, THE AUTHORS OF THE TELEVISION VIOLENCE PROFILE FURTHER SUPPORT THEIR CONTROVERSIAL PROFILE, WHICH HAS COME UNDER ATTACK ON TWO PREVIOUS OCCASIONS BY A CBS REPORT AUTHOR.
Abstract
THIS FINAL REJOINDER IN THE CONTINUING DEBATE OVER THE DEPICTION OF VIOLENCE ON PRIME-TIME, NETWORK TELEVISION AS PRESENTED IN THE ANNUAL GERBNER TELEVISION VIOLENCE PROFILE RESPONDS TO CRITICISM FROM THE CBS AUTHOR THAT THE DEFINITION OF VIOLENCE IS TOO BROAD, THAT THE COMPONENTS OF THE VIOLENCE INDEX SECTION ARE ARBITRARILY WEIGHTED, AND THAT THE SAMPLE OF 1 WEEK OF REGULAR PROGRAMMING IS STATISTICALLY INADEQUATE. THE VIOLENCE PROFILE AUTHORS, MEMBERS OF THE CULTURAL INDICATORS RESEARCH TEAM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA'S ANNENBERG SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION INSIST AGAIN ON THE INCLUSION OF ACTS OF COMIC AND ACCIDENTAL VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE RESULTING FROM ACTS OF NATURE, ALTHOUGH IDLE THREATS, COMIC GESTURES, VERBAL ABUSE, AND NONCREDIBLE SUGGESTIONS OF VIOLENCE ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THEIR DEFINITION. THE GERBNER TEAM FURTHER MAINTAINS THAT CBS' MAIN REASON FOR WISHING SUCH TYPES OF VIOLENCE EXCLUDED IS CONCERN OVER THE AREA OF CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING, PARTICULARLY CARTOONS, WHICH CONTAIN THE MOST FREQUENT AND STEREOTYPED VIOLENCE. THEY STRESS THAT, FOR THE INDEX TO BE USEFUL, IT MUST REPORT ON VIOLENCE IN ANY CONTEXT, AND NOT ONLY IN THE ONES DEEMED MEANINGFUL BY CBS. THE WEIGHTING OF THE COMPONENTS IS JUSTIFED BY THE PROFILE TEAM IN THAT IT SERVES TO BALANCE THOSE COMPONENTS HAVING PERCENTAGE VALUES WITH THOSE HAVING NUMERICAL VALUES; IT IS NOTED THAT THE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE REPORTS AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY COMBINATION. THE SAMPLE SIZE IS DEFENDED IN TERMS OF MEASURING UPWARD OR DOWNWARD TRENDS OVER THE YEARS, RATHER THAN STATISTICAL DIFFERENCES FROM ONE YEAR TO ANOTHER. THE FINDING THAT A HIGHER BURDEN OF RELATIVE VICTIMIZATION IS PLACED ON WOMEN, NONWHITES, AND OTHER MINORITY GROUPS SUCH AS CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY BY THE PATTERN OF TELEVISION VIOLENCE IS STATED, BUT THE PROFILE'S OBJECTIVES DO NOT COVER INTERPRETATION OF ANY LARGER SOCIAL MEANING. THE HEAVY VIEWING OF TELEVISION, WITH OTHER FACTORS KEPT CONSTANT, IS ALSO RELATED TO A SENSE OF EXAGGERATED DANGER AND MISTRUST. FURTHER INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IS CALLED FOR AS A GUIDE TO BROADCASTING POLICIES THAT REFLECT CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF ALL IMPORTANT SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES. FOR OTHER ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ 45415-45417.