The content of 334 spontaneous phone calls from viewers of a 90-minute television program on problems of aging are analyzed. The expressed needs of the elderly corresponded closely with those identified by professionals in areas of income maintenance, health, and health entitlements, tax problems, services, retirement and roles, housing, and nursing homes. Findings highlighted gaps and inadequacies in current programs, inappropriate methods of delivering services, lack of links to connect services to recipients, lack of knowledge about resources, confusion about the relationships among different programs, and the need for advocacy.