This sub‐study is part of a longitudinal naturalistic investigation monitoring the social behaviour of young children (3‐8‐year‐olds) before and after the arrival of broadcast television in St Helena, South Atlantic. Children's free‐play behaviour in first school playgrounds was videotaped in 1994 (pre‐tv), and in 1995 and 1996 (post‐tv), and then coded and analysed by trained observers. Findings showed no significant differences in children's behaviour either across the availability of broadcast television (i.e. CNN) or with the addition of further channels (CNN plus others).