Surveys conducted in two midwestern cities investigated the hypothesis that says people will perceive effects of mass media as being greater on others than on themselves. Findings demonstrate this, with almost 90% of respondents judging they were less influenced than were others. Respondents with more education saw others as being even more influenced, but not themselves so much. Older respondents were most likely to feel mass media influenced them less than others, perhaps because older people feel they have other sources of information.

An examination of all network prime-time television series aired from 1963 through 1985 shows that a strong lead-in does increase the audience share, especially when the program is neu: or of the same type as the preceding one, or tohen there are fewer viewing alternatives. Of the 963 new prime-time series aired during the 1963-1984 TV seasons b y the three major U.S. commercial television networks, 635 (66 percent) were caricellecl prior to the second season.' In recent years, both the number of new series offered and the rate of cancellation have been even higher. Since the beginning of the 1975 season, the networks have f d e d to renew 75 percent of the 506 new series offered. Given the large financial risks involved in developing a prime-time series, network programmers naturally wish to schedule such programs in a way that will maximize both the size ofthe audience and the flow of the audience from program to program. How does one of the most commonly discussed ' A :yc:irly brcakdown of the number and perwntagcs of cancelled new and already esta1)lislied series since 1963, along with average ratings and shares, is available from the authors. Jiniies 1'. Tiedge and Kcnneth J. Ksohiech are Associate Professors in the Department of I3roarlc;ist Commnnication at Marqnettc University. 51

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract