Effects of Television on the Interests and Initiative of Adult Viewers in Greater London

Aims . The aim of this study was to measure the effect of television upon the interests and the initiative of adult viewers in a specific urban area and to relate the extent of the effect to length of set ownership. Methods . The Stable Correlate design was used for the isolation of effects. There was extensive preliminary test construction, and the measurement of television's effects was made against a representative cross‐section of the public's interests in the one case, and of their acts of initiative in the other. The final survey was based upon about 800 cases and the construction of measuring devices upon about 3000. Results . The effect of television has been to reduce both interests and initiative. The reduction of interests is not only in terms of activity level, but in viewers' feeling of interest as well. Even when interests are featured in television programmes themselves, the loss to television is made up to only a very small degree. Television's effects do, however, vary markedly from one group of interests to another. The loss in initiative and in interests extends over a period of five to six years. Generally speaking, the loss is greatest in the first few years, after which there is a gradual recovery.