A process of formative evaluation which considers moral, scientific, and social values as its criteria and which is conducted by project staff is proposed for the evaluation of educational television (ETV) programs produced by the South African Broadcasting Corporation. The theoretical framework of ETV evaluation is outlined in the first section, and relevant literature on formative evaluation, pilot programs, learner verification and revision, self-formative evaluation, needs assessment, and content analysis is reviewed. The second section discusses cognitive, affective, and media criteria for ETV evaluation and outlines the positions of a number of authors (including Scriven, Mager, Tyler, and Eisner) on the source of criteria for evaluations. The third section discusses the possible roles of in-house staff, teachers, and experts on the evaluation team. ETV formative evaluation activities for each of the ETV development stages are outlined in the final section. (60 references) (GL)