The children of ethnic minorities appear to have a distinctive pattern in regard to television. The pattern is exemplified by a different orientation toward the medium, by differences in tastes and preferences, by atypical behavioral effects, and by different information needs. Minority children, however, may be presumed to share much about television with other children, including the common pattern of parental concern, limited parental control over viewing, and considerable potential for the exertion of parental influence over impact on attitudes and behavior. Prior findings lead to a research agenda emphasizing television's influence relative to that of other socializing agents, the feasibility and techniques for intervention by parents and schools in the communication flowing from television to the child, the bases of minority taste and preference, and the factors responsible for atypical behavioral effects. One hypothesis suggested by prior research is that television, by its portrayals, establishes the status hierarchy ascribed to characters portrayed on television independently of real world experience. (Author)