ABSTRACT
The violent face of television has been presented to audiences from the first broadcasts of this medium. Television broadcasting in the United States began in the early 1940s, with full development following World War II. Although extensive broadcast schedules did not begin until the late 1940s, and violence was not as graphic as it would become in later years, the first public concerns about violence were evident in the 1950s. The early Congressional hearings (United States Congress, 1952, 1955) set the stage for similar expressions of public concern that continued through the 20th century and still continue in the 21st century (United States Congress, 1990, 2001). What have we learned from all of this research and discussion on the “violent face of television,” and what can be done to mitigate the harmful influences?
