Good kids watch TV

Watching television does not make children more aggressive or more likely to adopt anti-social behaviour, research from Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education has found.

A team spent four years observing children in school playgrounds two years after television was introduced to the south Atlantic island St Helena. It found that high standards of good behaviour were maintained even though shows had levels of violence similar to those in Britain. Project leader Tony Charlton said: "What we are seeing is that exposure to violence on television is not a direct cause of violent behaviour in young people. A healthy family, school and community environment are more important influences in shaping behaviour."