Role cards

Journalist Aged 54

You are a well-known journalist You were asked to lead the discussion. In setting the problems for discussion you are delib­erately provocative and extreme. Don't forget that you slatted your career as a producer of feature films and thus you argue in favour of cinematography. At the end of the discussion you mention your intention to write an article on youth and televi­sion and you thank the participants for their valuable contribu­tion.

Psychologist Aged 40

You are a psychologist specialising in children's psychol­ogy. You are concerned with the impact of television on child­ren. You state that those addicted to television have poorly de­veloped speech habits, they become lazy, they read little, do not communicate with each other and their parents, in short, they become passive observers. You believe it's the parents' duty to regulate children's viewing time and choose suitable programmes.

Postgraduate Aged 30

You are a postgraduate in audio-visual techniques in teach­ing. You specialise in educational television. You are of the opin­ion that it creates enormous possibilities for education. Close-circuit TV, language teaching, specialised subjects may serve as good examples. You can't argue that television ousts/displaces reading. But you do not object to a good screen version of a clas­sic as a supplement to the original.

Ann Aged 21

You are a fourth-year student participating in a TV language teaching programme, so you are a real devotee of television. You speak of the growing popularity of television and think that it will definitely destroy/oust the film industry since it brings entertainment and even education right into your home.

Mary Aged 22

You are a final-year student. You praise television as the shortest and easiest way to gain knowledge. Screen versions of classics have helped you more than once before literature examinations. Video cassette TV is becoming a popular way of viewing and you think that the future is with it.

Helen Aged 23

You are a final-year student, recently married. Both your husband and you believe that television prevents everybody from going out into the world itself. No second-hand experi­ence for you, only real books, theatres and films. You are con­vinced that television deprives you of the enjoyment of enter­taining and that it is no substitute for civilised pleasures or for active hobbies and sports.

Robert/Caroline Aged 21

You are one of the British group on an exchange visit to Moscow. During your stay you are to do a project on the educational value of television. You say a few words about the Open University as a form of adult education on television. There are a number of problems under discussion. What particularly concerns you is that people, children especially, are reading far less. They now prefer screenplays and TV serials to books.

Steve/Frankie Aged 23

You are one of the British group on an exchange visit to Moscow. During your stay in the country you are to do a project on television in Russia. You are present at a discussion on the role of television in society. Your special interest is the impact of television on children as you are afraid that very often children grow up addicted to the telly and are exposed to rubbishy com­mercials, violence, etc. You'd like to know the content of TV programmes.