The argument that mass media exert a direct causal influence upon perceptions of crime is critically examined. Employing data collected in the province of Alberta in 1979, an attempt is made to detect relationships involving respondents' patterns of newspaper and television consumption and their views on crime. Consistent with earlier research findings, the analysis of the Alberta data reveals no evidence of a significant media effect. Some of the issues that must be considered if such findings are to be reconciled with the commonsense expectation of a direct effect of media consumption upon perceptions of crime are discussed.
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