David J. Atkin

Parental mediation and rulemaking for adolescent use of television and VCRs

As videocassette recorder penetration surpasses three‐quarters of all US television homes with children, little is known about parental mediation and rulemaking patterns for adolescent viewing. Regression analyses of a sample of 7th and 10th graders reveal that child variables such as gender, age, media use and school grades play an important role in predicting mediation and rulemaking, as do parental resource variables. Specifically, television viewing mediation is negatively predicted by child media ownership and child age. Parents were more likely to set VCR‐use rules for males than females. Higher degrees of academic performance predict more television and VCR use mediation.

Understanding cable subscribership as telecommunications behavior

Abstract For the better part of 30 years, researchers have advanced models predicting cable subscription. Yet different sampling methodologies and study designs have yielded conflicting results regarding the factors associated with subscribership. This study revisits earlier work on cable subscribership, drawing comparisons with parallel work addressing other telecommunication media. Twenty four variables pertaining to media use were factored into a discriminant model predicting cable subscribership. A four-stage sampling procedure was used to select a nationwide sample of 1235 homes passed by cable across 100 systems. The model correctly classified 81.5% of the subscribers and nonsubscribers surveyed.

The US cable communications act reconsidered

The 1984 Cable Communications Policy Act represented a major victory for the cable corporations over broadcasters and telephone companies, and subsequent court rulings have further strengthened their position. The result has been the creation of an uncontrolled, unregulated monopoly. Customers and quality of service they receive, and in alliance with other interests will probably force reconsideration of the Act. This article looks at the range of options -- broadly, maintenance of the status quo, more thorough deregulation, and partial regulation -- and assesses their chances of success.

The (low) power elite: Deregulated licensing criteria for low-power television in the USA

This article examines the policy context within which Low Power Television (LPTV) has developed in the USA, analysing the political, legal, aesthetic and technical considerations used to determine station ownership preferences among competing applicants. Although only a few LPTV stations are in commercial operation, the FCC has received over 32 000 applications from community, minority and commercial interest groups from every state. Unfortunately, this impressive growth potential has been stalled amidst debates concerning the constitutionality of various policy models governing station licensing and operation. At stake in the debate over who should own these outlets are myriad political, social and economic interests among public and private concerns vying for airspace. If the government allows corporate interests to compete against or challenge minority applicants, LPTV may follow the lead of VHF TV with respect to ownership concentration and programme content. Conversely, policies favouring community and minority applicants should promote innovative programme ideas featuring local talent, and address local issues.

The regulation of political extremism on cable access

Abstract Although public access cablevision was initially designed to promote an uninhibited political dialogue, several communities have been pressured to deny access to political extremists such as the Ku Klux Klan. This article examines the policy context in which public access has developed, including applicable provisions from the 1984 Cable Act. Federal, state and municipal attempts to restrict access speech will then be assessed in light of recent judicial attempts to elevate cables status as a First Amendment speaker. The author concludes that restrictions on nonobscene public access speech are constitutionally overbroad.