Prime Time Violence

Does violence on television cause violence in the home and on the streets? Between opinion polls, commercial sponsors, broadcasters and citizen action groups, the debate over prime time violence has become an explosive issue in America today. Investigative Reports seeks out the competing positions as the debate heats up: from Senator Paul Simon, Washington’s leading opponent of TV violence, to CBS president Howard Stringer, to former FCC chairman Newton Minow and takes a look at government censorship and the future of TV violence. Prime Time Violence would be useful for classes on American Culture, Media Studies and Civics. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

• cathartic
• compliance
• controversy
• crucial
• facetious
• gratuitous
• impervious
• inherent
• insidious
• intimidate
• obscenity
• validate

1. Television violence has captured the headlines and the attention of the country. Why are there so many debates about violence on television today?

2. Censorship is a political time bomb in American history. Should the government be involved in television censorship? Why or why not?

3. As technology advances so do ways of committing violence. Compare the uses and displays of violence with advancing technology.

4. Does television violence influence or encourage real life violence?

5. What is “glamorized violence?” Does television glamorize violence?

6. Television producer Dick Wolf stated that violence is “part of the human condition.” Do you agree with him?

7. Should violence on television be limited or controlled? If so, how should this be done?

8. What is the First Amendment? How is the First Amendment the key controversy in censorship?

9. What is a boycott? How have boycotts been used in American history?

1. Monitor a class debate on government censorship of television.

2. Keep a journal on your television viewing for one week, monitoring how many instances of violence and their context you witness. Compare your discoveries with those of your classmates.