Includes bibliographical references and index.

What values does television promote? Television reflects societal values / Anna Stewart ; Television does not accurately reflect societal values / Dinesh D'Souza ; Television offers programs with family-friendly values / Greg Beato ; Television does not offer enough family-friendly programs / L. Brent Bozell III ; Television promotes gay stereotypes / Ramin Setoodeh ; Gay roles on television have evolved beyond stereotypes / Kevin Hilke ; Television promotes torture / Dahlia Lithwick ; Television reflects national debate on torture / Chris Barsanti -- What are the issues of reality television? Reality television is exploitative / Colleen Carroll Campbell ; Reality television is escapist entertainment / Emili Johnson ; Reality television addresses hot-button issues / Michael Hirschorn ; Reality television debases society / Jonah Goldberg ; Courtroom television shows are entertaining and educational / Lisa Respers France ; Courtroom television shows present a distorted view of the American legal system / Erika Lane ; Prison television educates viewers about the prison experience / James Parker ; Prison television offers a skewed view of the prison experience / Dawn K. Cecil and Jennifer L. Leitner -- How does television advertising affect society? Television ads reflect society / Nathan Hoofnel ; Television ads are becoming more indecent / Linda Chavez ; Advocacy ads should be allowed / Tracy Clark-Flory ; Networks should have consistent standards for airing advocacy ads / Jeffrey Lord ; Infomercials are an effective way of advertising / Matthew Maudlin ; Infomercials are useless and prey on the vulnerable / John Jacobs ; DVRs threaten television advertising / BusinessWeek ; DVRs benefit television advertising / PR Newswire -- How should television be regulated? The government must regulate indecency on television / L. Brent Bozell III ; The government should not strictly regulate indecency on television / Jesse Walker ; The government should strictly regulate television violence / John D. Rockefeller IV ; The government should not strictly regulate television violence / Jack Shafer ; The government should regulate the volume levels of television commercials / Bruce Simmons ; The government should not regulate the volume levels of television commercials / Adam Thierer.