ABSTRACT
A commonly held belief about television viewing is that it requires little effort. Indeed it is true that for most viewers for most of the time television is watched as a source of relaxation. Yet, in order to get any enjoyment or satisfaction out of television at all, there has to be a degree of understanding. In other words, if programmes cannot be understood, it is unlikely that they will be enjoyed. The ability of viewers to follow a programme and to understand at least part of what’s going on is essential to being able to get anything out of television at alleven relaxation. This is just as relevant to children as it is to adults. Since we are not born with an intrinsic understanding of television, it must therefore represent a skill or set of skills which we learn. This learning begins in early childhood from the time we start to watch television.
