ABSTRACT
THE young are prepared for political participation, as for other social roles, by society’s numerous socialization agents. This report focuses on one such agent, the mass media, and their effects on the political character of adolescents. Specifically, it explores the impact of network television news on political knowledge, the perceived importance of political figures and countries, and the holding of political opinions. The role of motivational and information-processing factors in mediating the impact of news exposure on the political criterion variables is examined.
