ABSTRACT
Television's most profound effects on people, society and culture take place very gradually. They may well be imperceptible to natives, and researchers, at a given time. However, our research design did reveal many effects. The demographic and socioeconomic profile of the typical Brazilian heavy viewer differs substantially from his or her American counterpart. In the United States, correlates of heavy viewing include being a child, elderly, black, female, and having a lower income. TV impact is not a matter of simple, automatic, programmed responses to irresistible, omnipotent stimuli. Viewing, interpretation, and impact all take place within the context of the prior culture(s) of audiences. TV impact research should consider both the cultivation effect and the behavioral effects of the medium per se and its social repercussions in communities. Length of home TV exposure provides the best, most direct measure of the cumulative effects of television.
