Data restored from a 1978 Iowa Poll reveals that most Iowans were dissatisfied with the TV programs of the time and were more likely to divide their attention between the TV and something else. When asked if they were “generally satisfied or not satisfied with the TV programs shown today”, 61% of respondents said they were not satisfied, compared to 33% who were. When we looked at this question, we found that 11% more women than men said they were not satisfied with the programs being shown on TV. We also found that those in the 18-29 age group were most likely to say that they were satisfied with TV programs, with 39% of respondents choosing this answer. Another question asked “when you are in the same room as a television set which is turned on, do you usually pay full attention to it, divide your attention between the TV and something else, or do you pay little or no attention at all to it?” 62% said that they tended to divide their attention between the TV and something else. 65% of respondents between the ages of 30 and 64 said they divided their attention, compared to 70% of 18-29 year olds and 43% of those over 65 years old.

Respondents were also asked to “rate each of the national television networks in terms of how you personally enjoy the programs they present,” with the options being ABC, PBS, CBS, and NBC. PBS received the greatest share of “most enjoyment” responses of the four networks, with just over 27% of respondents choosing that option. ABC was in second place, with 21% of respondents saying they enjoyed it the most. Finally, when asked “about how much altogether did you yourself watch TV yesterday, including evening hours,” 19% of respondents reported watching 2-2 ¾ hours of television, making it the most common response. About 63% of men reported watching less than 3 ¾ of TV the day before, compared to 56% of women.

Iowa Poll #229, conducted by the Des Moines Register, was administered to a random sample of Iowans in March 1978. In addition to the questions about the television habits and preferences, the survey asked respondents their opinions on a wide variety of topics, including President Carter and his family, the effects of high inflation, women holding various positions in politics, and entertainment consumption. Understanding Iowans’ past opinions on these topics can help us understand how perspectives have changed and what ideas have remained popular. IPOL has also been working with UI Libraries and the Des Moines Register to restore data from dozens of Iowa Polls from the 1960s to early 1980s. More information about the project can be found here. We are working to release a full report on our findings as we analyze additional questions.