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Over the past several decades, both health researchers and communication researchers have worried about the degree to which media seem to legitimize, glamorize, or otherwise encourage a variety of health-related risk behaviors, and conversely, the degree to which media can be used to help prevent these behaviors. These behaviors have ranged from poor dietary habits, violence, and unsafe sexual practices, to the primary concern of this review: consumption of such risk-related substances as alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. The fundamental premise of such concerns is that to the extent that young audiences encounter media portrayals of substance use, their health-related beliefs, attitudes, and behavior may be influenced-for better or for worse, depending on the nature of the portrayal. This report examines research on the frequency and nature of media portrayals of the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs, and--more briefly--the few studies that have examined the effects of exposure to such portrayals, particularly effects on children and adolescents. Results show that for television, alcohol remains the substance most likely to be portrayed; tobacco use has decreased markedly from the 1950s through the 1980s, yet has risen during the 1990s; and illicit drug use portrayals appear to be more frequent now than in the 1970s. Results for movies show that alcohol consumption occurs in almost all movies and has for many years; tobacco-use trends appear to parallel those for television; and illicit drugs seem to parallel the increase seen in television. Seventeen percent of current songs make reference to alcohol, 3% refer to tobacco use, and 18% include references to drugs. Recommendations for future research are discussed. (Contains 55 references.) (MKA)

This study examines the frequency and nature of substance use in the most popular movie rentals and songs of 1996 and 1997. The intent was to determine the accuracy of public perceptions about extensive substance use in media popular among youth. Because teenagers are major consumers of movies and music, there is concern about the potential for media depictions of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs to encourage use. For instance, portrayals that tend to legitimize, normalize, trivialize, or glorify substances might suggest to young people that this behavior is without negative consequences. Findings reveal that 98 percent of movies studied depicted illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco or over-the-counter/prescription medicines. The major finding from the song analysis is the dramatic difference among music categories, with substance references being particularly common in Rap. Illicit drugs were mentioned in 63 percent of Rap songs versus about 10 percent of the lyrics in the other categories. Neither movies nor music provided much information about motives for substance use; however, the two media depicted the consequences quite differently, especially for illicit drugs. Study argues that careful examination of media content is a crucial first step in determining what role media may play in promoting substance use and abuse. (Contains 21 references and 4 appendixes.) (GCP)

This paper examines young adolescents' involvement with popular music and the health implications of that involvement. Initial discussion explores three central concepts: music media, adolescence, and mass media effects. A summary of research on music media in adolescence is offereed in two sections discussing exposure to, and gratifications and interpretations of, popular music, and exposure to, and gratifications of, music videos. Also discussed are the messages, interpretation, and effects of popular music. Content analyses reveal that although negative and objectionable messages and images can be found in music and music television, the value orientation of most music is rather mainstream and traditional. Because music videos add the visual dimension and many young adolescents pay little attention to lyrics, videos may have stronger effects on social learning than audios. Very little taboo or deviant behavior appears on Music Television (MTV). It should not be assumed that what adults see in a song or video will be what teens see, or that all teens will see the song or video in the same way. Although adolescents report learning about important issues from music, little is known about the learning or behavioral effects that occur. Concluding discussion offers recommendations for policy and research. A total of 140 references are cited. (RH)

Mass communication researchers have largely ignored the role of audio media and popular music in the lives of children, yet the available evidence shows that children do listen. Extant studies yield a consistent developmental portrait of childrens' listening frequency, but there is a notable lack of programatic research over the past decade, one in which stereophonic and tape playback systems proliferated widely, FM music formats generated greater market stratification, and cultural markets for preteen-oriented entertainers became established. Children can usually name performers and musical genres they prefer. In addition, the social aspect of listening seems to cover several of the same functions as television viewing, including entertainment and passing the time, and has some unique functions; for example, friendships may be established on shared musical taste. From song lyrics, young listeners may learn new vocabulary, ideas, and other life styles or world views. Usage and ownership patterns of audio equipment, children's accounts of their audio media use and perceptions, and sensitive analyses of textual significance of characters, actions, and atmospheres are logical areas to be explored in future investigations. (CRH)

To determine children's perceptions of underlying morals or messages in television drama, a study was conducted in which four early prime time situation comedies were selected for viewing by 15 children per program in kindergarten/first grade, 15 children per program in third/fourth grade, and 8 children per program at the sixth grade level. The children were removed from classrooms in groups of three or four and shown one of the four programs. After viewing the program, the children were taken to another room and interviewed. Almost none of the kindergartners and first graders was able to see a lesson that unified the content of the program, but almost 40% of the sixth graders could correctly identify a lesson. These results suggest that children's ability to identify a moral or lesson may depend on their comprehension of plot and require a higher level of cognitive development. (DF)