For some children, under some conditions, some television is harmful. For other children under the same conditions, or for the same children under other conditions, it may be beneficial. For most children, under most conditions, most television is probably neither particularly harmful nor particularly beneficial.

W. Schramm, J. Lyle, and E.B. Parker.

"Television in the lives of our children"

Stanford: Stanford University press, 1969

In the early years of television broadcasting nobody was aware of the risk of violence on television instilling aggressive behavior in children. It was not until 1961 and 1964 that studies were conducted by the Senate subcommittee on juvenile delinquency. After surveying the content of many television programs, the committee found merely that "the extent to which violence and related activities are depicted on television . . . remains greater than it was a decade ago." The committee also stated that such television content produced antisocial behavior in juveniles and confirmed what psychologist Frederic S. Werthman stated in his book Seduction of the Innocent that "televisi

It has been shown that children learn aggressive behaviors from violence on television and that there is a sort of habituation that takes place from frequent exposure (Carter 29), but there is also evidence that suggests that pro-social programming can stimulate positive behavior. On an episode of Jim Henson's "Muppet Babies," one of the characters leaves his roller skates out and another trips and hurts herself on it (Schneider 79). Parents are always encouraging their children to keep their toys put away, so it may be welcome help from a cartoon to teach such a lesson. Children are sometimes skeptical and reluctant to obey their parents and may pay more attention to a cartoon character on the television. They also may believe something they see on television just because they can see it. My parents read Bible stories to me when I was young. It is said in my parents house that in the movie "The Ten Commandments," when Moses parts the Red Sea I stood up and said "It really did happen." Children are also more likely to learn a valuable lesson when it is fun instead of when they are being punished.

Garry, Ralph. For the Young Viewer; Television Programming for the Children at the Local Level. McGraw-Hill book company, Inc., NY 1962

Pastore sent a letter to the Secretary of Health and Welfare in 1969 that stated the he was "exceedingly troubled by the lack of any definitive information which would help resolve the question of whether there is a casual connection between televised crime and violence and antisocial behavior by individuals, especially children (Carter 2). That same month, President Richard Nixon sent a letter to Senator Pastore expressing his approval.

Carter, Douglass. TV and the Child: The Evolution and Fate of the Surgeon General's Report. Russell Sage Foundation, NY 1975

on was becoming a school for violence" (Carter 11). In 1968 President Lyndon Johnson appointed a national commission on the causes and prevention of violence due to many riots and assassinations of the middle 1960's (Carter 12). These early studies were the beginning of a future of censorship on television, however, no surmountable action was taken until the Surgeon General issued a report in 1972 fueled by a letter from Senator John Pastore (Carter 2)

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1699
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)