From:      <srappap1@ic3.ithaca.edu>
To:        A16.A16(kidstv)
Date:      10/14/95 9:02pm

Secretary: Fcc
     As america moves more and more towards a information society
we  use television as a means of getting information as well as a
form of  entertainment.  Television plays a major role in the
lives of many young  children in america today. Because
television plays such a big role with  children,it is important
that the viewers see less violence and see more  shows concerning
education.
     "The average preschool child (ages two to five) watches
about 28  hours (of television) a week, and the average
school-age child (ages six  to eleven) watches about 24 hours per
week. (Lazar, 67/Nielsen Media  Research,1990)
     This fact alone shows us that the impact of television on 
children is enormous.  With parents spending about 40 percent
less time  with their children than they did twenty years ago,
(Lazar,68/  Mattox,1991) the role of television is an even more
important part of  every day lif for children today.
     Unfortunately the majority of children's broadcasting is 
situated  around violence and does not support structure and well
being.  Violence is so apparent in television today that "The
average child ages  four to eight in one year watched 250
episodes of war-related cartoons  and more than 1,000 thirty
second commercials selling war toys"  (Lazar,68/"Viewpoint
Forum,"1987)  We can see that some of the social  problems
apparent today can be linked back to the kind of everyday 
programming which is on television.  What is so badly needed is 
educational programming that supports structure and influences
values  that were once given by parents in a time where T.V. did
not play such a  large role in our lives.
     One of the main reasons that educational programming has not 
become a major influence in the television market is because
educational  programming will not draw the sam kind of
advertisers that cartoon  "action heroes" can draw.  Some
children's cartoons have served as almost  a half hour
commercial.  A good example of this is when the cartoon  "He-Man"
came out in 1983.  The He-Man toys were3 the second best selling 
product in the industry and made over one billion dollars in
licensed  product sales(Lazar,70/Kunkel,1998). Because
merchandise from cartoon  action shows sell so well, the
companies that make the toys for these  shows will pay the
television networks big mony for air time.
     Educational programming has had so much trouble surviving
over  the years because it does not have the same kind of support
that the  action cartoons have.  If the programs that support
education could find  interesting charicters and ideas, some
advertisers might fund these  programs.
     The need for educational programming is so important that we
can  no longer just allow the major television networks as well
as the local  television stations to choose whether or not they
air shows supporting  education.  In the past, bills have been
passed attempting to regulate  the programming being seen by
children.  The problem with these bills is  that they still
allowed the T.V. station to make their own decisions on  what was
appropriate programming.
     What must be down is that the FCC needs to regulate the 
television stations very closely and make very specific
guidelines as to  what is educational programming and what is a
half hour commercial.  If  the FCC can make the major networks
put on more educational programs, it  will benefit the children
of today as well as tomorrow.

                    Scott Rappaport
                    Ithaca College
                    114 Lyon Hall
                    Ithaca, N.Y.
                    14851-7221

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