Impact of Television on Children

Critics of television imagine a television viewer as one who sits entranced before a magic box, unable to turn away from the constantly changing images that entice, assault and stupefy. Television is proclaimed to be a mind-altering drug, one that leads to isolation and depression; it is a killer of time and creativity; it is obnoxious, sensationalist, violent; it is a vast wasteland.

It is estimated that most children plug into the world of television long before they enter school, and in a year, the average child spends 900 hours in school and 1, 023 hours in front of a TV. Television, in moderation, can be a good thing, as preschoolers can get help learning the alphabet, grade-schoolers can learn about wildlife on nature shows, and parents can keep up with current events on the evening news. No doubt, TV can be an excellent educator and entertainer.

But despite its advantages, too much television can be detrimental, as the research has shown that children who consistently spend more than 4 hours per day watching TV are more likely to be overweight. Kids who view violent acts are more likely to show aggressive behavior but also fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them. Research also indicates that TV characters often depict risky behaviors, such as smoking and drinking, and also reinforce gender-role and racial stereotypes.

The average American child will witness 200,000 violent acts on television by age 18. Young kids are particularly frightened by scary and violent images. Behavior problems, nightmares and difficulty sleeping may be a consequence of exposure to media violence. Older kids can also be frightened by violent depictions, whether those images appear on fictional shows, the news, or reality-based shows. Reasoning with kids this age will help them, so it's important to provide reassuring and honest information to help ease fears.

Conclusion. The Future of Television

Broadcast television as we have known it is in crisis. New technologies such as the Internet, DVRs and portable devices are creating a new multiplatform media environment, and audiences are fragmenting into ever smaller segments. In spite of this scenario, television continues to be the most popular mass media. The future of television is changing before our eyes, as media giants scramble to stake their claims in the wilderness of Internet video. Major studios, including Fox, NBC Universal, and Warner Bros. are moving quickly to establish Web sites for their premium video titles, in hopes of grabbing a growing audience of online video viewers. It's an exciting time for couch potatoes and mouse potatoes alike, because nobody knows exactly how big audiences will consume video entertainment in the not-too-distant future -- whether it's on a mobile device, a laptop, a wall-mounted screen or something that hasn't been invented yet.