The role of congressional hearings in the formation of policy toward violence on television : an analysis using the broadcast policy-making system

Since 1954, Congress has held twenty-eight hearings to investigate television violence. These hearings investigated the effects of television violence on juvenile delinquency, the social and behavior implications of television violence on the viewing public, and explored various legislative remedies to reduce the amount of violent programming on television. This study analyzed these hearings to determine the role of Congressional hearings in the formation of policy toward violent programming content on television. The Kransnow, Longley and Terry Broadcast Policy-Making System provided the structural framework for this analysis. Although little legislative action resulted from these forty years of investigation, the hearings were relatively successful at encouraging industry self regulation and a voluntary reduction of television violence. The hearings were also instrumental in providing a forum for citizen advocacy groups attempting to communicate their message to government legislators as well as the general public. Congress's continued interest in the societal and behavioral effects of television violence also marked the beginning of government funding of television effects research and helped to legitimize the discipline of communications research.