Press Release: CMI STUDY FINDS TV HAZARDOUS TO MORAL HEALTH

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Today the Media Research Center's Culture and Media Institute announced the findings of its new study, “The Media Assault on American Values” at a seminar featuring Michael Medved held at the Grand Hyatt Washington.  This new Special Report reveals the sharp contrast in values between “light television viewers” (those who watch an hour or less of television each evening) and “heavy television viewers” (those who watch four or more hours each night) by analyzing data obtained through CMI's “National Cultural Values Survey,” which found that 74 percent of Americans believe the nation's moral values have declined over the past 20 years.

The study can be read in full at www.CultureandMediaInstitute.org.

Key Findings: Clear Values Differences Between Light And Heavy TV Viewers

Healthcare and Retirement – Heavy television viewers are much likelier than light viewers to expect government to provide retirement (64 percent to 43 percent) and health care (63 percent to 48 percent)

Charity – Heavy viewers are more than twice as likely not to give anything to charitable causes (24 percent to 11 percent), and not to volunteer (56 percent to 27 percent)

Sexual Morality – 39 percent of light viewers say that sex outside of marriage – as incessantly depicted by Hollywood – is always wrong.  Only 26 percent of heavy viewers agree.  55 percent of light viewers say homosexuality is wrong, but only 43 percent of heavy viewers agree.  

Church Attendance – Nearly half (47 percent) of light viewers attend church frequently, compared to only 28 percent of heavy TV viewers. Similarly, only 29 percent of light viewers rarely or never attend, but the disparity increases to more than half (51 percent) in heavy viewers.

To schedule an interview with MRC President Brent Bozell or CMI Director Robert Knight,

please contact Tim Scheiderer (x. 126) or Colleen O'Boyle (x. 122) at (703) 683-5004.

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