TELEVISION 1
Watching television is an experience shared by most adults and children. There is no doubt that
the so-called “media” such as television, today have acquired an insight into the society to which no one
escapes. The people’s culture once very much depended on the books that they read. Now, with the
media changes we are experiencing, culture will depend largely on what they see and hear in the media,
hence the immense responsibility of properly choosing the time and programs to hear and see. Many
people have different opinions about the invention of television. For many years, this system has been an
entertainment for some and waste of time for others. Although many people think that television is the
best invention of modern times, I believe that unfortunately this resource is not used in a way that people
could get the most benefit from it.
Television offers innumerable programs to choose from. My point of view is that the content of
many television programs is not educational. Actually, we can see many movies, series, and shows that
present scenes of violence, sex, and drugs. All of them could influence people to have such behavior.
One example I could mention is “reality TV” where television presents real people in life
situations, but often intentionally armed and shows their emotions and behaviors. Therefore, this type of
television in its essence is not real, and displays it as such, is misleading to the audience, especially young
people, at whom most of these programs are directed.
Many big names in reality TV are out there, from “American Idol,” to “The Bachelor,” to the ever
popular “Jersey Shore.” During January’s season finale of “Jersey Shore,” 4.8 million viewers tuned in to
watch the supposedly real drama unfold. Shows like these suggest to teens that random hook-ups are OK,
or that trying drugs just once won’t hurt you, and how can we not expect teens to follow these examples?
What about the program “The Real World”. This program consists of a group of 20-somethings, who
meet to create partying and fighting, passing it off as normal and acceptable behavior. I really believe that
this type of programs promotes evil, casual sex, alcohol abuse and the vulgar language, which is totally
opposed to the American family traditions and values.
TELEVISION 2
You can walk down a high school hall and easily hear several cuss words, a good amount of
sexual jokes, and maybe even some talk about drugs or alcohol. That is the type of behavior TV has
taught them to be acceptable.
The impact of television on children is worse because they grow up with the wrong idea, and
probably they solve their problems with violence.
According to Rothenberg, children are likely to learn and remember new forms of aggressive
behavior by watching the kinds of violence presented in the mass media (1985). Many of the original
shows for children include violence, and many parents worry that their children might imitate the
slapstick violence or graphic cartoons which picture heroes and villains destroying one other (Hopkins,
2013). The research did not proclaim that television actually was the direct cause of aggressive behavior;
however the children who were susceptible to violence would have aggressive tendencies reinforced
(Hopkins, 2013). In a well-documented book, Principals of Behavior Modification, Albert Bandura
