The Three-Hour Rule and Educational Television for Children

Abstract

This article presents findings from 2 studies examining the impact of the 1996 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) processing guideline mandating educational television for children. The studies include (a) a content analysis of 3 episodes of each of 41 different programs listed as ‘core’ educational programming under the FCC's requirements and (b) an examination of industry perspectives on children's educational programming based on 22 in-depth telephone interviews with independent producers, network executives, and program consultants. The article contrasts the results of the content analysis with findings from the industry interviews to explore the economic factors that determine what is offered as ‘educational and informational’ (E/I) on commercial broadcast television for children. The article concludes by considering why broadcasters may be more likely to offer ‘osocial’ programming (i.e., shows that deal with social and emotional issues) than ‘traditionally academic’ programming (i.e., shows related to school-type subjects) to satisfy their educational television obligations to children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]