The National Television Violence Study (NTVS) was a 3-year effort to assess the effects of violence on television, of particular interest to education professionals is the effects of television violence on children. Funded by the National Cable Television Association, the project began in June 1994 and involved the participation of media scholars at four university sites, an oversight council of representatives from national policy organizations, and project administration coordination. Scholars at the University of California at Santa Barbara conducted a content analysis of violence in TV series, daytime serials, movies, specials, children's shows, and music videos. The University of Texas at Austin researchers provided a similar analysis of violence in "reality" programs, including tabloid news, talk shows, police shows, and documentaries. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin, Madison analyzed the role of violence ratings and advisories used on television, including their effect on the viewing decisions of parents and children. The research team at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill conducted studies of the effectiveness of anti-violence public service announcements and educational initiatives produced by the television industry. This volume presents the first-year research findings of the project. The volume is divided into parts which provide detailed explanation and discussion of the four universities' studies. Contains an index and approximately 287 references. (EV)