Violence content in Australian television

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Abstract
The present study reports a content analysis of 80 programs shown on Brisbane TV in 1981. Programs were shown as part of a larger longitudinal study on the relationship between TV violence viewing and aggressiveness in children (Sheehan, 1993). Rating procedures were based on Gerbner's Message System Analysis methodology and allowed reliable observations of programming content. The major unit of violence analysis was the “violent episode” and primary focus of the study was on the television portrayal of physical violence. Analyses report on the prevalence, frequency and rate of violent episodes, role analyses of characters involved, the impact of sex of characters, and the context of the program. Results indicated an intensity of violence broadcasting that was comparable to countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom; strong sex bias was observed in violence portrayal; and the context of violence was heightened by aggression being located in the present. Some implications of the data for program control were discussed together with the role social scientists can play in monitoring the level of TV violence.