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Abstract
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In 1975, NBC decided to attempt improving children's programming, particularly Saturday morning cartoons, through a consulting process that supplements its self‐regulatory mechanisms. NBC's Social Science Advisory Panel brings social science knowledge about children and television to the creative and review processes that produce Saturday morning television programs directed to children. The evolution, activities, and role of the Panel in self‐regulation at a television network are described.
VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this paper by Stipp et al. was to evaluate NBC's social science advisory panel which uses social science knowledge to advise and review the creation of Saturday morning television programs for children.
METHODOLOGY:
The authors employed a non-experimental design to analyze the activities an functions of the panel. A review of the panel's work was conducted and comments were received from original panel members.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
The Social Science Advisory Panel was formed in 1975. The four original members were social scientists who were widely published in areas related to children's television. At the time of this review members were still chosen for their scholarly expertise and for their ability to apply it to pragmatic issues. The panel met several times a year with NBC staff. Potential problems with serie concepts under development were discussed along with recommendations for the next season. Meetings involved discussions about new programs, development of new programs, and general issues concerning children and television. Issues involving specific shows were topics of follow-up meetings. The panel addressed issues such as increasing the racial diversity of program characters, reducing racial and gender stereotyping, improving the social content of stories, and improving developmental appropriateness of content and format. Panel members reviewed concepts, story ideas, outlines and scripts for programs needing special input. They discussed their reactions by telephone with the Children's Program Department and the Broadcast Standards Department. Original research was commissioned in some cases to find out if programs are communicating to children successfully. In 1975, the panel drew on existing research to derive written suggestions on how to portray violence and aggression so as to decrease possible negative effects on children. Some of their recommendations included use of unrealistic settings, fantasy weapons, and superhuman feats. The panel suggested that natural catastrophe and jeopardy situations replace interpersonal conflicts when possible. Stereotyping waas another issue of concern. Panel members brought to the attention of NBC that the underrepresentation of females on Saturday morning shows could evoke in young viewers the idea that women are not as important or interesting as men. Panel members' knowledge was used to judge the developmental appropriateness of story lines. The panel had also recently looked at the connection of programs, products, and unfair advertising. The article uses the making of Mr. T as a case study to show the panel at work. There were difficulties inherent in the panel's mechanism to produce socially responsible programs. One difficulty was the priorities of the different people involved in this production. Broadcast staff members wanted to eliminate program content tha did not meet standards for taste and appropriateness. Suppliers wanted creative freedom. Programmers wanted to attract large audiences and operate economically. Differing backgrounds and skills of social scientists, network staff, and the creative community hampered effective communication. These differences made it hard to work together and produce a children's show in a timely fashion. NBC had recognized these hurdles and have worked to minimize them, according to the author.
(CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
KW - Child Development
KW - Youth Development
KW - Television Viewing
KW - Television Violence
KW - Program-Film Content
KW - Media Violence Effects
KW - Gender Stereotypes |