As the United States approaches the 25th anniversary of television in households, it is appropriate that more serious attention be given to the effects it is having on the individual, culture, and society. While few individuals expected television to have the immense influence it presently enjoys, it is both surprising and disappointing that thinking people have not given television the same critical attention that has been given to other media. This may, in part, be attributed to three factors: (1) thinking persons are left-brained in development and hence rely predominantly on that hemisphere which controls sequential, analytical tasks that depend on propositional thought; (2) the television is offered as a "free" product to the consumer, and it depends on advertising for its support; (3) the thinking person has yet to develop satisfactory measures with which to gauge television. Recent studies of the impact of television have been tentative and disappointing. Given that television technology will be extended in the future, it must be better understood and approached more creatively. There are three areas of priority concern. First, the examination of content requires more than hasty program reviews by daily columnists. Second, television's structure needs widespread analysis and debate. Third, more attention must be given to understanding the process of human communication and the way in which television programing is received by individuals. (DGC)