The Family, Research, and Prime-Time Television in Alcohol Education

Television programs contain materials relevant to health practices generally, and to drinking problems in particular. Research has found that these materials are often inaccurate and misleading. A method called cooperative consultation has succeeded in transmitting these findings to writers and producers in the industry. The response from the industry has been encouraging. The method is illustrated by using two programs and their contrasting depiction of how family members responded to an alcoholic husband and father.