This review examines studies which deal with family interaction and home situational factors that lead up to and mediate the intrepretation and use of what is viewed on television. It surveys empirical studies in two domains: the effects of parents and siblings on program selection and amount of viewing time; and mediation of what is learned and enacted from programs as a result of parents' discussion and family interaction. To determine similarities and differences across groups, the analysis concentrates on studies which compare low-income or minority families with others. It is concluded that: (1) low-income children view more television than other children; (2) while there seems to be less parental control of children's viewing and less viewing of educational programs in low-income families, discrepancies between parents' and childrens' reporting argues for new kinds of studies; (3) low-income mothers may be good candidates for attempts to help parents mediate the influence of television on their children; and (4) the use of television in Hispanic families may be especially supportive of educational goals. Except for excessive viewing, it was concluded that the quantity of viewing is not likely to handicap school performance for low-income elementary school-age children. Twenty-three references are listed. (MER)