The commercial success of television and cable shows dramatizing investigations of the paranormal, such as The X-Files and Psi Factor, has led to the creation of other broadcast features focusing on UFOs, government conspiracies, haunted houses, psychics, and angels. Documentaries about paranormal phenomena appear regularly on cable channels that feature educational and historical programs. At the same time, belief in the existence of paranormal phenomena has become widespread. According to surveys by Gallup, CNN, and USA Today, 70 percent of Americans believe in miracles and angels, 50 percent believe in ESP, and between 20 and 50 percent believe in astrology, ghosts, and communication with the dead. Skeptics, media researchers, and enthusiasts of the paranormal dispute whether the entertainment industry contributes to Americans’ belief in the supernatural.

The Committee for Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) decries the influence of television in promoting...