The proportion of positive roles increased by eight percentage points and raised public officials from dead last in the occupational rankings in the 1990s to twelfth currently. Civil servants had the most improved image of any group other than medical doctors. Law enforcement remains the most visible part of government in prime time. Half of all government employees portrayed on television today are peace officers. Previous research has shown that the American public does believe that the images of government they see on entertainment television are true.
Television can be an important and powerful civics teacher for viewers of all ages.
S. Robert Lichter, President of the Center for Media and Public Affairs, directed the study, which examined 161 episodes from all 122 fictional prime time series that aired on the four major broadcast networks during the past two seasons. Individual characters and thematic treatments of government are getting better. Nonpartisan, nonprofit and national in scope, the Council for Excellence in Government works to improve government performance at all levels, and to improve government's place in the lives and esteem of American citizens.