A General Analysis of the Audience of Public Broadcasting in the New York Area.

ABSTRACT A study of four public television stations was conducted in 1972 as part of a Ford Foundation research project. The major focus of the study was on WNET-TV, a very high frequency (VHF) station. The viewer population was sampled by random telephone dialing. In 5025 interviews, questions were asked concerning viewer characteristics, viewing hours,'and programs-viewed. It was found that the WNET audience was predominantly compoted of highly educated families with young chilIten. Music and drama programs were viewed most frequently among black families, and public affairs programs among white families. Twenty statistical tables present the survey data. (DS)