THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 6, 1996 TAG: 9602060329
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: THE WASHINGTON POST
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
A yearlong study of television programming, by researchers at four universities, concludes that ``psychologically harmful'' violence is pervasive on broadcast and cable TV programs.
The $1.5 million study, funded by the cable television industry, was based on a scientifically selected sample of about 2,500 hours of programming, the largest ever analyzed by researchers. It found not only that the majority of programs contained some violence, but that the context in which this violence occurs can have harmful effects.
``The risks of viewing the most common depictions of televised violence include learning to behave violently, becoming more desensitized to the harmful consequences of violence and becoming more fearful of being attacked,'' says the study.
The study, which will be released today, could have implications for the unfolding political debate about violence in the entertainment industry. Both President Clinton and the leading Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Robert Dole, R-Kan., have criticized popular movies, recordings and TV programs for violent content.
Researchers reviewed cable and broadcast programming in an attempt to identify acts of violence that previous academic research has linked to harmful consequences. Among the findings:
Perpetrators of violent acts on TV go unpunished 73 percent of the time.
Most violent portrayals fail to show the consequences of a violent act. Researchers found that 47 percent of all violent interactions show no harm to victims, and 58 percent depict no pain.
Some 25 percent of violent incidents on TV involve handguns, which, the study says, can ``trigger aggressive thoughts and behaviors.''
Few programs containing violence (4 percent) emphasize nonviolent ways to solve problems.
KEYWORDS: STUDY TELEVISION VIOLENCE by CNB