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The knowledge gap hypothesis, which argues that individuals with higher levels of education are able to process and understand information in the news media better than those with less education and thus learn more from news accounts, was examined on the topic of AIDS through a two-wave trend study. Wave one was completed in March 1991 and wave two was completed in November 1991 in the ten days immediately following Magic Johnson's announcement that he had tested positive for HIV. The hypothesis was not supported. The initial knowledge gap found in wave one between high- and low-educated individuals remained relatively constant in wave two. However, lower educated individuals did increase their knowledge of HIV dramatically as a proportion of the knowledge held by better educated groups. Thus, all individuals moved from fairly low knowledge levels equally to higher levels, but the knowledge gap narrowed as a proportion of the difference between high and low education groups.

This study of 798 potential voters interviewed beginning three days before the September 25, 1988, presidential candidate debate and ending four days later analyzed the influence of exposure to television post-debate analysis and television and newspaper reliance on evaluations of candidate debate performance, candidate image, and voting preferences. Exposure to the debate and to post-debate television analysis had measurable and consistent influences on the evaluation of Dukakis as a debater (Dukakis was the consensus post-debate analysis winner), on Dukakis's image, and on the probability of voting for both candidates. Television news reliance for debate information was significantly related to debater ratings and the candidates' images for both candidates. There was a slight relationship between television news reliance and the probability of voting for Dukakis.

Program exposure is positively associated with perceived realism in crime shows.

This study uses a media dependency theory approach for investigating the effect of exposure to media science information on people's beliefs about science and technology. The results of a commonality analysis of social locator, public affairs media use, and exposure to media science information indicate that feeling competent about handling scientific information and being enthusiastic about scientific and technological advances are most strongly related to exposure to media science information, while beliefs about specific science and technology issues (disarmament, the need to maintain scientific and technical superiority for national security reasons) depend more on social location and public affairs media exposure.

Do televised debates between presidential candidates stimulate campaign interest and learning? This question can best be answered by controlling the problem of self-selection: The people who normally watch may already be interested in the presidential campaign. Since the self-selection problem may be most acute during the fall campaign, we chose to study the effects of the February 20, 1980, debate involving seven Republican candidates. Experimental group subjects were asked to watch the debate in exchange for a small payment, while two control groups were not. Key measurement took place during a "surprise" March wave where none of the groups had any advance warning that they would be interviewed. In March, Experimentals continued to learn more than controls about events occurring after the first interview, and they displayed greater interest in the Democratic race while maintaining their previously stronger interest in the Republicans.