The research analyzes changes over time in the portrayal of violence, assesses the effectiveness of violence ratings and advisories for audiences of children, and examines the appropriateness of anti-violence public service messages for various intended audiences. The study takes a public health approach. It considers violence to be a partially preventable social ill and seeks to determine ways in which the risks associated with viewing violence can be reduced or minimized. The research also recognizes that the causes of violence include biological and psychological factors as well as broader social and cultural ones. It also distinguishes between violence that is glamorized and sanitized and programming that emphasizes an anti-violence theme. The study sets forth a series of measures that allow comparisons of the level and kind of violence across genres (movies, comedy, dramas) and sources of programming (broadcast networks, basic cable, independent broadcasting). A major finding is the relative lack of change from the 1994-95 to the 1995-96 sample years. Figures, tables, and reference lists