The audience for television news is often described in terms that suggest
the television audience at its most active. During political campaigns
special attempts are made by broadcasters to provide additional coverage
over and above the norm for political events, while the politicians them-
selves often stage events that are likely to attract the attention of the
newsmakers, in the firm belief that viewers may be extraordinarily thirsty
for political news information during campaign periods and may as a
result of such exposure be swayed in the desired political direction, or at
least encouraged to stay with the side they have already chosen.

It has been suggested that at times of crises the public turns to the news
in order to meet urgent psychological and social concerns ( Peled & Katz,
1973). Television, being the most vivid and immediate of all news sources
available today, is the one people turn to most. In more mundane times,
audiences have still been assumed by some writers to pursue news in an
active way to satisfy a variety of routine needs ( Levy, 1978; Rubin, 1984).
The television news audience is often pictured therefore as an active and
attentive one. To what extent is this true, however? And what bearing
does the level of activity inherent in keeping up with the news have on
how much is learned?

In this chapter we are concerned principally with the nature and
characteristics of viewing behaviour in relation to television news. We
examine how the volume of and attentiveness to news consumption on
the part of the audience member, particularly with respect to the news on

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