Letter: Children, TV and violence

Sir: 'TV chiefs call on Major to prove violence claims' (8 March). They would, wouldn't they? We seem to be back with the tobacco chiefs who still try to claim their product has not been 'scientifically' shown to be harmful.

But what if TV violence were shown to be harmless? You would think the TV chiefs would take levels of violence - adult as well as adolescent and childhood - as an indication of the effectiveness of their medium. They can hardly want it established that what's seen on TV does not have an effect on anyone and that TV advertising and propaganda are a massive great waste of money. Yet this would follow any proof that TV violence actually is harm-

less and never made anyone do

anything.

Yours etc,

ELIZABETH YOUNG

London, W2

8 March