impact of television essay conclusion

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9.2 The Relationship Between Television and Culture

Learning objectives.

• Identify ways in which American culture is reflected on television.
• Identify ways in which television affects the development of American culture.

Since its inception as an integral part of American life in the 1950s, television has both reflected and nurtured cultural mores and values. From the escapist dramas of the 1960s, which consciously avoided controversial issues and glossed over life’s harsher realities in favor of an idealized portrayal, to the copious reality TV shows in recent years, on which participants discuss even the most personal and taboo issues, television has held up a mirror to society. But the relationship between social attitudes and television is reciprocal; broadcasters have often demonstrated their power to influence viewers, either consciously through slanted political commentary, or subtly, by portraying controversial relationships (such as single parenthood, same-sex marriages, or interracial couplings) as socially acceptable. The symbiotic nature of television and culture is exemplified in every broadcast, from family sitcoms to serious news reports.

Cultural Influences on Television

In the 1950s, most television entertainment programs ignored current events and political issues. Instead, the three major networks (ABC, NBC, and CBS) developed prime-time shows that would appeal to a general family audience. Chief among these types of shows was the domestic comedy —a generic family comedy that was identified by its character-based humor and usually set within the home. Seminal examples included popular 1950s shows such as Leave It to Beaver, The Donna Reed Show , and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet . Presenting a standardized version of the White middle-class suburban family, domestic comedies portrayed the conservative values of an idealized American life. Studiously avoiding prevalent social issues such as racial discrimination and civil rights, the shows focused on mostly White middle-class families with traditional nuclear roles (mother in the home, father in the office) and implied that most domestic problems could be solved within a 30-minute time slot, always ending with a strong moral lesson.

Although these shows depicted an idealized version of American family life, many families in the 1950s were traditional nuclear families. Following the widespread poverty, political uncertainty, and physical separation of the war years, many Americans wanted to settle down, have children, and enjoy the peace and security that family life appeared to offer. During the booming postwar era, a period of optimism and prosperity, the traditional nuclear family flourished. However, the families and lifestyles presented in domestic comedies did not encompass the overall American experience by any stretch of the imagination. As historian Stephanie Coontz points out, “the June Cleaver or Donna Stone homemaker role was not available to the more than 40 percent of black women with small children who worked outside the home (Coontz, 1992).” Although nearly 60 percent of the U.S. population was labeled middle class by the mid-1950s, 25 percent of all families and more than 50 percent of two-parent Black families were poor. Migrant workers suffered horrific deprivations, and racial tensions were rife. None of this was reflected in the world of domestic comedies, where even the Hispanic gardener in Father Knows Best was named Frank Smith (Coontz, 1992).

Most domestic comedies in the 1950s portrayed an idealized version of family life and ignored social and political events.

Dennis S. Hurd – The Cleavers – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Not all programs in the 1950s were afraid to tackle controversial social or political issues. In March 1954, journalist Edward R. Murrow broadcast an unflattering portrait of U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy on his show See It Now . McCarthy, a member of the Senate Investigation Committee, had launched inquiries regarding potential Communist infiltration in U.S. institutions. Murrow thought that McCarthy’s aggressive tactics were a potential threat to civil liberties. His portrait cast the senator from Wisconsin in an unflattering light by pointing out contradictions in his speeches. This led to such an uproar that McCarthy was formally reprimanded by the U.S. Senate (Friedman, 2008).

Entertainment programs also tackled controversial issues. The long-running television western Gunsmoke , which aired on CBS from 1955 to 1975, flourished in a Cold War society, where U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness) stood up to lawlessness in defense of civilization. The characters and community in Gunsmoke faced relevant social issues, including the treatment of minority groups, the meaning of family, the legitimacy of violence, and the strength of religious belief. During the 1960s, the show adapted to the desires of its viewing audience, becoming increasingly aware of and sympathetic to ethnic minorities, in tune with the national mood during the civil rights era. This adaptability helped the show to become the longest-running western in TV history.

Violence and Escapism in the 1960s

During the 1960s, television news broadcasts brought the realities of real-world events into people’s living rooms in vivid detail. The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite , which debuted in 1962, quickly became the country’s most popular newscast, and by the end of the decade, journalist Walter Cronkite was known as the most trusted man in America. Following John F. Kennedy’s election to the presidency at the beginning of the decade, the 1960s took an ominous turn. Shocked viewers tuned into Cronkite’s broadcast on November 22, 1963, to learn about the assassination of their president. During the next few days, viewers followed every aspect of the tragedy on television, from the tremor in Cronkite’s voice as he removed his glasses and announced the news of Kennedy’s death, to the frantic scenes from Dallas police headquarters where the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, was gunned down by nightclub owner Jack Ruby, to the thousands of mourners lining up next to the president’s flag-draped coffin.

Television began to play a major role in U.S. politics during the presidency of John. F. Kennedy.

Wikimedia Commons – public domain.

Around the same time as Kennedy’s assassination, horrific images from Vietnam were streaming into people’s living rooms during the nation’s first televised war. With five camera crews on duty in the Saigon bureau, news crews captured vivid details of the war in progress. Although graphic images were rarely shown on network TV, several instances of violence reached the screen, including a CBS report in 1965 that showed Marines lighting the thatched roofs of the village of Cam Ne with Zippo lighters and an NBC news report in 1968 that aired a shot of South Vietnamese General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing a captive on a Saigon street. Further images, of children being burned and scarred by napalm and prisoners being tortured, fueled the antiwar sentiments of many Americans. In addition to the devastation caused by the president’s death and the Vietnam War, Americans were also feeling the pressure of the Cold War—the clash between the United States and the Soviet Union in the years following World War II. This pressure was especially great during periods of tension throughout the 1950s and 1960s, such as the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, a confrontation that caused many people to fear nuclear war.

As a result of the intense stress faced by many Americans during the 1960s, broadcasters and viewers turned to escapist programs such as I Dream of Jeannie , a fantasy show about a 2,000-year-old genie who marries an astronaut, and Bewitched , a supernatural-themed show about a witch who tries to live as a suburban housewife. Both shows typified the situation comedy , or sitcom, a comedy genre featuring a recurring cast of characters who resolve zany situations based on their everyday lives. Other popular sitcoms in the 1960s included The Beverly Hillbillies , a show about a poor backwoods family who move to Beverly Hills, California, after finding oil on their land, and Gilligan’s Island , the ultimate escapist comedy about seven characters shipwrecked on an uncharted island. None of the 1960s sitcoms mentioned any of the political unease that was taking place in the outside world, providing audiences with a welcome diversion from real life. Other than an occasional documentary, TV programming in the 1960s consisted of a sharp dichotomy between prime-time escapist comedy and hard news.

Figure 9.10

Escapist sitcoms like I Dream of Jeannie provided Americans with a much-needed diversion from the stressful events of the 1960s.

Diversity and Politics in the 1970s

During the 1970s, broadcasters began to diversify families on their shows to reflect changing social attitudes toward formerly controversial issues such as single parenthood and divorce. Feminist groups including the National Organization for Women (NOW), the National Women’s Political Caucus, and the Coalition of Labor Union Women pushed for equality on issues such as pay and encouraged women to enter the workforce. In 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court sanctioned women’s right to abortion, giving them control over their reproductive rights. Divorce rates skyrocketed during the 1970s, as states adopted no-fault divorce laws, and the change in family dynamics was reflected on television. Between 1972 and 1978, CBS aired the socially controversial sitcom Maude . Featuring a middle-aged feminist living with her fourth husband and divorced daughter, the show exploded the dominant values of the White middle-class domestic sitcom and its traditional gender roles. Throughout its 7-year run, Maude tackled social and political issues such as abortion, menopause, birth control, alcoholism, and depression. During its first four seasons, the show was in the top 10 in Nielsen ratings, illustrating the changing tastes of the viewing audience, who had come of age during the era of civil rights and Vietnam protests and developed a taste for socially conscious television. Other 1970s sitcoms took the same approach, including Maude ’s CBS predecessor, All in the Family , which covered issues ranging from racism and homophobia to rape and miscarriage, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show , which reflected changing attitudes toward women’s rights by featuring television’s first never-married independent career woman as the central character. Even wholesome family favorite The Brady Bunch , which ran from 1969 to 1974, featured a non-nuclear family, reflecting the rising rates of blended families in American society.

Figure 9.11

The popularity of controversial shows like Maude reflected the changing cultural and social values of the 1970s.

In addition to changing family dynamics on sitcoms and other prime-time shows, variety and comedy sketch shows developed a political awareness in the 1970s that reflected audiences’ growing appetite for social and political commentary. Sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live ( SNL ) premiered on NBC in 1975 and has remained on air ever since. Featuring a different celebrity guest host every week and relatively unknown comedy regulars, the show parodies contemporary popular culture and politics, lambasting presidential candidates and pop stars alike. Earlier NBC sketch comedy show Laugh-In , which ran from 1968 to 1973, also featured politically charged material, though it lacked the satirical bite of later series such as SNL . By the end of the decade, television broadcasting reflected a far more politically conscious and socially aware viewing audience.

The Influence of Cable Television in the 1980s

Until the mid-1980s, the top three networks (ABC, NBC, and CBS) dominated television broadcasting in the United States. However, as cable services gained popularity following the deregulation of the industry in 1984, viewers found themselves with a multitude of options. Services such as Cable News Network (CNN), Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN), and Music Television (MTV) profoundly altered the television landscape in the world of news, sports, and music. New markets opened up for these innovative program types, as well as for older genres such as the sitcom. During the 1980s, a revival of family sitcoms took place with two enormous hits: The Cosby Show and Family Ties . Both featured a new take on modern family life, with the mothers working outside of the home and the fathers pitching in with housework and parental duties. Despite their success on network television, sitcoms faced stiff competition from cable’s variety of choices. Between 1983 and 1994, weekly broadcast audience shares (a measure of the number of televisions in use that are tuned to a particular show) for network television dropped from 69 to 52, while cable networks’ shares rose from 9 to 26 (Newcomb, 2004).

With a growing number of households subscribing to cable TV, concern began to grow about the levels of violence to which children were becoming exposed. In addition to regularly broadcast network programs, cable offered viewers the chance to watch films and adult-themed shows during all hours, many of which had far more violent content than normal network programming. One study found that by the time an average child leaves elementary school, he or she has witnessed 8,000 murders and more than 100,000 other acts of violence on television (Blakey, 2002). Although no conclusive links have been drawn between witnessing violence on television and carrying out violence in real life, the loosening boundaries regarding sexual and violent content on television is a persistent cause for concern for many parents. For more information on the social effects of violence in the media, please refer to Chapter 2 “Media Effects” .

Specialization in the 1990s and 2000s

Although TV viewership is growing, the vast number of cable channels and other, newer content delivery platforms means that audiences are thinly stretched. In recent years, broadcasters have been narrowing the focus of their programming to meet the needs and interests of an increasingly fragmented audience. Entire cable channels devoted to cooking, music, news, African American interests (see sidebar below), weather, and courtroom drama enable viewers to choose exactly what type of show they want to watch, and many news channels are further specialized according to viewers’ political opinions. This trend toward specialization reflects a more general shift within society, as companies cater increasingly to smaller, more targeted consumer bases. Business magazine editor Chris Anderson explains, “We’re leaving the watercooler era, when most of us listened, watched and read from the same relatively small pool of mostly hit content. And we’re entering the microculture era, when we are all into different things (Gunther, 2006).” Just as cable broadcasters are catering to niche markets, Internet-based companies such as Amazon.com and Netflix are taking advantage of this concept by selling large numbers of books, DVDs, and music albums with narrow appeal. Section 9.3 “Issues and Trends in the Television Industry” and Section 9.4 “Influence of New Technologies” of this chapter will cover the recent trends and issues of this era in television.

Black Entertainment Television (BET)

Launched in 1980, Black Entertainment Television (BET) was the first television network in the United States dedicated to the interests of African American viewers. The basic-cable franchise was created in Washington, DC, by media entrepreneur Robert Johnson, who initially invested $15,000 in the venture. Within a decade, he had turned the company into a multimillion-dollar enterprise, and in 1991 it became the first Black-controlled company on the New York Stock Exchange. The company was sold to Viacom in 2003 for $3 billion.

Pre-dating MTV by a year, BET initially focused on Black-oriented music videos but soon diversified into original urban-oriented programs and public affairs shows. Although BET compensated somewhat for the underrepresentation of Blacks on television (African Americans made up 8 percent of the prime-time characters on television in 1980 but made up 12 percent of the population), viewers complained about the portrayal of stereotypical images and inappropriate violent or sexual behavior in many of the rap videos shown by the network. In a 2004 interview with BET vice president of communications Michael Lewellen, former BET talk show host Bev Smith said, “We had videos on BET in those days that were graphic but didn’t proliferate as they seem to be doing now. That’s all you do seem to see are scantily dressed women who a lot of African American women are upset about in those videos (Fox News, 2004).” Despite the criticisms, BET remained the No. 1 cable network among Blacks 18 to 34 in 2010 and retained an average audience of 524,000 total viewers during the first quarter of the year (Forbes, 2010).

Television’s Influence on Culture

Despite entering a microculture era with a variety of niche markets, television remains the most important unifying cultural presence in the United States. During times of national crises, television news broadcasts have galvanized the country by providing real-time coverage of major events. When terrorists crashed planes into the World Trade Center towers in 2001, 24-hour TV news crews provided stunned viewers around the world with continuous updates about the attack and its aftermath. Meanwhile, network blockbusters such as Lost and 24 have united viewers in shared anticipation, launching numerous blogs, fan sites, and speculative workplace discussions about characters’ fates.

Televised coverage of the news has had several cultural effects since the 1950s. Providing viewers with footage of the most intense human experiences, televised news has been able to reach people in a way that radio and newspapers cannot. The images themselves have played an important role in influencing viewer opinion. During the coverage of the civil rights movement, for example, footage of a 1963 attack on civil rights protesters in Birmingham, Alabama, showed police blasting African American demonstrators—many of them children—with fire hoses. Coupled with images of angry White segregationist mobs squaring off against Black students, the news footage did much to sway public opinion in favor of liberal legislation such as the 1964 Voting Rights Act. Conversely, when volatile pictures of the race riots in Detroit and other cities in the late 1960s hit the airwaves, horrified viewers saw the need for a return to law and order. The footage helped create an anti-civil-rights backlash that encouraged many viewers to vote for conservative Republican Richard Nixon during the 1968 presidential election.

During the past few decades, mass-media news coverage has gone beyond swaying public opinion through mere imagery. Trusted centrist voices such as that of Walter Cronkite, who was known for his impartial reporting of some of the biggest news stories in the 1960s, have been replaced by highly politicized news coverage on cable channels such as conservative Fox News and liberal MSNBC. As broadcasters narrow their focus to cater to more specialized audiences, viewers choose to watch the networks that suit their political bias. Middle-of-the-road network CNN, which aims for nonpartisanship, frequently loses out in the ratings wars against Fox and MSNBC, both of which have fierce groups of supporters. As one reporter put it, “A small partisan base is enough for big ratings; the mildly interested middle might rather watch Grey’s Anatomy (Poniewozik, 2010).” Critics argue that partisan news networks cause viewers to have less understanding of opposing political opinions, making them more polarized.

Table 9.1 Partisan Profile of TV News Audiences in 2008

Social Controversy

The issue of whether television producers have a responsibility to promote particular social values continues to generate heated discussion. When the unmarried title character in the CBS series Murphy Brown —a comedy show about a divorced anchorwoman—got pregnant and chose to have the baby without any involvement from the father, then–Vice President Dan Quayle referenced the show as an example of degenerating family values. Linking the 1992 Los Angeles riots to a breakdown of family structure and social order, Quayle lambasted producers’ poor judgment, saying, “It doesn’t help matters when prime-time TV has Murphy Brown, a character who supposedly epitomizes today’s intelligent, highly paid professional woman, mocking the importance of fathers by bearing a child alone, and calling it just another ‘lifestyle choice (Time, 1992).’” Quayle’s outburst sparked lively debate between supporters and opponents of his viewpoint, with some praising his outspoken social commentary and others dismissing him as out of touch with America and its growing number of single mothers.

Similar controversy arose with the portrayal of openly gay characters on prime-time television shows. When the lead character on the ABC sitcom Ellen came out in 1997 (2 weeks after Ellen DeGeneres, the actress who played the role, announced that she was gay), she became the first leading gay character on both broadcast and cable networks. The show proved to be a test case for the nation’s tolerance of openly gay characters on prime-time TV and became the subject of much debate. Embraced by liberal supporters and lambasted by conservative objectors (evangelical Baptist minister Jerry Falwell infamously dubbed her “Ellen DeGenerate”), both the actress and the show furthered the quest to make homosexuality acceptable to mainstream audiences. Although Ellen was canceled the following year (amid disagreements with producers about whether it should contain a parental advisory warning), DeGeneres successfully returned to television in 2003 with her own talk show. Subsequent shows with prominent gay characters were quick to follow in Ellen ’s footsteps. According to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), 18 lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender characters accounted for 3 percent of scripted series regulars in the 2009–2010 broadcast television schedule, up from 1.3 percent in 2006 (Mitchell, 2009).

Creating Stars via Reality Television

Emerging out of the 1948 TV series Candid Camera , in which people were secretly filmed responding to elaborate practical jokes, reality television aimed to capture real, unscripted life on camera. The genre developed in several different directions, from home-video clip shows ( America’s Funniest Home Videos , America’s Funniest People ) to true-crime reenactment shows ( America’s Most Wanted , Unsolved Mysteries ) to thematic shows based on professions of interest ( Project Runway , Police Women of Broward County , Top Chef ). Near the turn of the millennium, the genre began to lean toward more voyeuristic shows, such as MTV’s The Real World , an unscripted “documentary” that followed the lives of seven strangers selected to live together in a large house or apartment in a major city. The show drew criticisms for glamorizing bad behavior and encouraging excessive drinking and casual sex, although its ratings soared with each successive controversy (a trend that critics claim encouraged producers to actively stage rating-grabbing scenarios). During the late 1990s and 2000s, a wave of copycat reality TV shows emerged, including the voyeuristic series Big Brother , which filmed a group of strangers living together in an isolated house full of cameras in an attempt to win large amounts of cash, and Survivor , a game show in which participants competed against each other by performing endurance challenges on an uninhabited island. Survivor ’s success as the most popular show on television in the summer of 2000 ensured the continued growth of the reality television genre, and producers turned their attention to reality dating shows such as The Bachelor , Temptation Island , and Dating in the Dark . Cheap to produce, with a seemingly never-ending supply of willing contestants and eager advertising sponsors, reality TV shows continue to bring in big ratings. As of 2010, singing talent competition American Idol is television’s biggest revenue generator, pulling in $8.1 million in advertising sales every 30 minutes it is on the air (Bond, 2010).

Figure 9.12

The stress of appearing on reality television shows has proved detrimental to some contestants’ health. Britain’s Got Talent star Susan Boyle suffered a nervous breakdown in 2009.

Banalities – SuBo Dreamed a Dream – CC BY 2.0.

Reality TV has created the cultural phenomenon of the instant celebrity. Famous for simply being on the air, reality show contestants are extending their 15 minutes in the spotlight. Kate Gosselin, star of Jon & Kate Plus 8 , a cable TV show about a couple who have eight children, has since appeared in numerous magazine articles, and in 2010 she starred on celebrity reality dance show Dancing with the Stars . Survivor contestant Elisabeth Hasselbeck became a co-host on TV talk show The View , and several American Idol contestants (including Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood) have become household names. The genre has drawn criticism for creating a generation that expects to achieve instant wealth without having to try very hard and also for preying on vulnerable people whom critics call “disposable.” When Britain’s Got Talent star Susan Boyle suffered a public meltdown in 2009 after the stress of transitioning from obscurity to stardom in an extremely short time period, the media began to point out the dangers of reality television. In 2009, TheWrap.com investigated the current lives of former stars of reality shows such as The Contender , Paradise Hotel , Wife Swap , and Extreme Makeover , and found that at least 11 participants had committed suicide as an apparent result of their appearances on screen (Adams, 2009; Feldlinger).

Key Takeaways

• Television has been reflecting changing cultural values since it first gained popularity after World War II. During the 1950s, most programs ignored current events and political issues in favor of family-friendly domestic comedies, which featured White suburban middle-class families. Extreme stress during the 1960s, caused by political events such as the Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crisis, led people to turn to escapist television offered by fantasy sitcoms. These provided a sharp dichotomy with the hard-news shows of the era. Social consciousness during the 1970s prompted television producers to reflect changing social attitudes regarding single parenthood, women’s roles, and divorce, and sitcom families began to reflect the increasing number of non-nuclear families in society. The increasing popularity of cable TV in the 1980s led to an explosion of news and entertainment channels, some of which raised concerns about the levels of violence on television. During the 1990s and 2000s, TV networks became more specialized, catering to niche markets in order to meet the needs of an increasingly fragmented audience.
• Television reflects cultural values, and it also influences culture. One example of this is the polarization of cable TV news, which is no longer centrist but caters to individual political tastes. Critics argue that this influences cable news viewers’ opinions and makes them less open to opposing political viewpoints. Entertainment programs also play an influential role within society. By portraying controversial relationships such as single parents or gay couples as acceptable, TV shows have the power to shape viewers’ attitudes. In recent years, broadcasters have created the concept of the instant celebrity through the genre of reality television. Contestants on reality TV shows now permeate every aspect of culture and the media, from the music charts to popular magazines and newspapers.

Please respond to the following short-answer writing prompts. Each response should be a minimum of one paragraph.

• Choose a popular sitcom from the past 50 years you are familiar with (you can view episodes on Hulu.com to refamiliarize yourself if necessary). Using the ideas in this section as a starting point, identify three ways in which your chosen sitcom reflects or reflected American culture.
• Spend a few days reviewing news coverage on Fox News and MSNBC. How is coverage of similar news stories different? Do you think partisan news networks can affect public opinion? Why or why not?

Adams, Guy. “Lessons From America on the Dangers of Reality Television,” Independent (London), June 6, 2009, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/lessons-from-america-on-the-dangers-of-reality-television-1698165.html .

Blakey, Rea. “Study Links TV Viewing Among Kids to Later Violence,” CNN Health , March 28, 2002, http://archives.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/parenting/03/28/kids.tv.violence/index.html .

Bond, Paul. “‘Idol’ Listed as TV’s Biggest Revenue Generator,” Hollywood Reporter , May 5, 2010, http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i8f1f42046a622bda2d602430b16d3ed9 .

Coontz, Stephanie. “‘Leave It to Beaver’ and ‘Ozzie and Harriet’: American Families in the 1950s,” in The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trip (New York: BasicBooks, 1992), 28.

Forbes, “BET Networks Unveils New African American Consumer Market Research and New Programming at 2010 Upfront Presentation,” April 14, 2010, http://www.forbes.com/feeds/prnewswire/2010/04/14/prnewswire201004141601PR_NEWS_USPR_____NE86679.html .

Fox News, The O’Reilly Factor, “Is Black Entertainment Television Taking a Disturbing Turn?” Fox News , May 26, 2004, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,120993,00.html .

Frank Feldlinger, “TheWrap Investigates: 11 Players Have Committed Suicide,” TheWrap, http://www.thewrap.com/television/article/thewrap-investigates-11-players-have-committed-suicide-3409 .

Friedman, Michael J. “‘See It Now’: Murrow vs. McCarthy,” in Edward R. Murrow: Journalism at Its Best , publication of U.S. Department of State, June 1, 2008, http://www.america.gov/st/democracyhr-english/2008/June/20080601110244eaifas8.602542e-02.html .

Gunther, Marc. “The Extinction of Mass Culture, CNN Money , July 12, 2006, http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/11/news/economy/pluggedin_gunther.fortune/index.htm .

Mitchell, Wendy. “GLAAD Report: Gay Characters on Network TV Still on the Rise,” Entertainment Weekly , September 30, 2009, http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2009/09/30/glaad-report-gay-characters-on-rise/ .

Newcomb, Horace. ed., Encyclopedia of Television (New York: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2004), 389.

Poniewozik, James. “CNN: Can a Mainstream News Outlet Survive?” Time , May 3, 2010, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1983901,00.html .

Time, “Dan Quayle vs. Murphy Brown,” June 1, 1992, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,975627,00.html .

Understanding Media and Culture Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Influence of Television on the American Society Research Paper

Introduction, influences of tv on american society, discussion and conclusion, works cited.

The television was one of the most novel inventions of the 20 th century. This device replaced the radio as the mass communication media medium of choice and its impact on society was phenomenal. Huston and Fairchild reveal that the television revolutionalized American society in the post World War II years and it grew to become an integral part of many homes (23).

This is because television played a versatile role in the society with the range of programs aired serving many purposes. Programs that were offered could be classified as: entertaining, informational, and educational. While newer technologies such as the computer and the internet have reduced the influence of the television, its role in modern society still remains major.

The television is today an integral part of the lives of most Americans and its influence continues to be great. With these considerations, this paper will set out to discuss how the television has influenced American society. The paper will consider the various negative and positive influences this invention has had so as to demonstrate the major impact that the television has had on our society.

Positive Influences

The television plays a great role in ensuring that Americans stay informed. From the reports of events aired on the television, people are made aware of events that are taking place locally, nationally and even internationally. Indiscriminate reporting results in people being given information on matters that affect them or other people throughout the world.

With this information, Americans are able to make sound decisions or react in an appropriate manner to situations. Huston and Fairchild reveals that most major stations dedicate significant resources to producing informative programs which result in a better informed nation (23).

Television has been critical in changing the manner in which Americans view other people. Specifically, television has influenced the perceptions that American’s have on minorities in the US as well as people from other regions in the world (Gentz and Kramer 31).

Television has significantly helped to correct some of the stereotypes and misconceptions about minority groups. Through TV programs, people have been able to obtain new information which has helped dispel the stereotypical views that were previously held. Gentz and Kramer assert that television provides a lens through which we make sense of new conditions and information that we receive in our every day lives (32).

This has been true for the American population where television has resulted in a better understanding of various issues from around the world. In this age of globalization, the television has ensured that people are aware of other cultures, which may be significantly different from their own. This knowledge has led to appreciation and tolerance for people whose traditions and cultures are different.

The television has been used to guide the consumption habits of Americans. This is because the opinions offered by the television reinforce attitudes and behaviors of people, hence influencing a person’s opinion on some things (Gentz and Kramer 156). Advertisement is specifically aimed at influencing consumers to adopt or maintain a pre conceived form of ideology.

The rampant advertisement that characterizes television has contributed to the culture of consumerism for which American’s are universally known for. Even so, advertisements have a positive impact since they inform the population about new products that have been introduced to the market. They also help the television to operate since advertisers are the prime revenue source for many television stations (Croteau and Hoynes 143).

Croteau and Hoynes suggests that television has played a major role in socialization which is the process through which people learn and internalize the values, beliefs, and norms of the cultures they are exposed to (132). Through forums and talk shows, people are exposed to different ideas and arguments are presented.

The television has been able to bring together people of different cultures, social classes, and races and allow this people to appreciate each others diversity. Croteau and Hoynes assert that television shows give people common topics to talk about with their friends and family (3). As such, television to some extent dictates the topics which people are talking about.

Negative Influences

One of the major negative influences that television has had on the population is that it has over exposed people to violence. Violence as entertainment has been a defining characteristic of the television industry and programs which contain high levels of violence are highly rated by viewers. This overexposure has resulted in desensitization to violence as people have become accustomed to violent scenes being played on the television.

Funk et al. reveals that constant exposure to violence through the TV leads to desensitization in subtle quantities which makes it hard to the individual to realize what is happening (25). This phenomenon eliminates the cognitive or even behavioral response that a person naturally has to violence. Television has therefore made American’s less empathetic when responding to violence and in extreme cases; it has brought about strong pro-violence attitudes in individuals.

Television has since its early years been used by governments as a tool of advancing propaganda and generally manipulating public opinion on various issues. While rampant propaganda through television has not happened in America, television is guilty of practicing favoritism in its news reporting which goes against the ideals of the media being fair, unbiased, and without prejudices.

Barker and Lawrence admonish television for telling the masses what to think through the use of forums where journalists give their opinions on political events with the sole objective of swaying public opinion (4). Television is therefore used to sway public opinion in favor of politicians whom the particular station is sympathetic to. In elections, television shows have been known to significantly influence the outcomes by praising some candidates at the expense of their opponents.

Television also dictates the topics which people should pay attention to. As it is, television stations are at liberty to choose the news which will be aired to their viewers. The stations concentrate on incidents which have the greatest commercial incentive.

This has resulted in a questions being raised concerning news reporting on television and how to determine what is newsworthy. Gentz and Kramer document that following the 9/11 terror attacks, television has over reported on terrorism activities (124). The US population is therefore inclined to view the world as a dangerous place with terrorist attacks being imminent.

Television acts as the principal mode by which our culture views itself. As such, Americans rely on the television to understand public issues. This is especially the case with regard to the political climate of country as well as economic and social issues. Huston and Fairchild protest that television has led to the trivialization of the content in public discourse (143).

This is because television places the highest value on entertainment and as such, the items presented are supposed to be entertaining in order to qualify for television time. Television therefore presents people with material that is sometimes inconsequential at the expense of dealing with serious matters that affect the society.

Decades after its invention, the television continues to play a critical role in society. It continues to fulfill its three primary aims which are: informing, educating and entertaining the people.

However, technological advances and in particular the invention of the computer and the internet have had some impacts on television. The internet has removed the previous monopoly as the information provider of choice that the television had. People today make use of the internet for information, entertainment as well as educational purposes.

This paper set out to discuss the influence that television has had on American society. To this end, this paper has demonstrated that television has since its invention influenced the society in profound ways. The paper has discussed the many positive influences of the television including its educational and informational value.

However, this paper has made it clear that not all the influences of the television are positive. Television has promoted violence and it has been used as a tool for manipulating public opinion. Nonetheless, television viewing has continued to be a major recreational activity for many Americans. It can therefore be projected that television will remain to be a major influence in the American society for years to come.

Barker, David, and Adam Lawrence. Media favoritism in presidential primaries: reviving the direct effects model . 11 Mar, 2004. Web.

Croteau, David, and William Hoynes. Media Society: Industries, Images, and audiences . NY: Pine Forge Press, 2003. Print.

Funk, Jeanne, et al. “Violence Exposure in Real-life, Video Games, Television, Movies, and the Internet: is there Desensitization?” Journal of Adolescence 27.2 (2004): 23–39

Gentz, Natasha, and Stefan Kramer. Globalization, Cultural Identities, and Media Representations . California: SUNY Press, 2006. Print.

Huston, Alexa, and Ford Fairchild. Big world, small screen: the role of television in American society . Nebraska: University of Nebraska press, 2002. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2018, October 31). Influence of Television on the American Society. https://ivypanda.com/essays/influence-of-television-on-the-american-society/

"Influence of Television on the American Society." IvyPanda , 31 Oct. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/influence-of-television-on-the-american-society/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Influence of Television on the American Society'. 31 October.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Influence of Television on the American Society." October 31, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/influence-of-television-on-the-american-society/.

1. IvyPanda . "Influence of Television on the American Society." October 31, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/influence-of-television-on-the-american-society/.

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IvyPanda . "Influence of Television on the American Society." October 31, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/influence-of-television-on-the-american-society/.

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You Are What You Watch? The Social Effects of TV

There’s new evidence that viewing habits can affect your thinking, political preferences, even cognitive ability.

By Jonathan Rothwell

Other than sleeping and working, Americans are more likely to watch television than engage in any other activity .

A wave of new social science research shows that the quality of shows can influence us in important ways, shaping our thinking and political preferences, even affecting our cognitive ability.

In this so-called golden age of television , some critics have pointed out that the best of the form is equivalent to the most enriching novels. And high-quality programming for children can be educational. But the latest evidence also suggests there can be negative consequences to our abundant watching, particularly when the shows are mostly entertainment.

The harm seems to come not so much from the content itself but from the fact that it replaces more enlightening ways of spending time.

‘Sesame Street’ as a social experiment

Cognitive ability is a complex characteristic that emerges from interactions between biological dispositions, nutrition and health, parenting behaviors, formal and informal educational opportunities, and culture.

Studying the connection between intelligence and television consumption is far from straightforward, but researchers have developed compelling ways to isolate the effects of television.

Some of the best research has been done on the television program “Sesame Street.” The show, which began in 1969, was meant to develop early literacy, numeracy and emotional skills for children of preschool age. A detailed analysis of the show’s content in its first and second years reveals that 80 percent of the program was dedicated to those goals, with the rest meant to entertain.

Researchers randomly assigned groups of low-income children age 3 to 5 into an experimental group and a control group. In the experimental group, parents were given access to the show if they lacked it and encouraged in person once a month to have their children watch the show.

[The topics new parents are talking about. Evidence-based guidance. Personal stories that matter. Sign up for the NYT Parenting newsletter for the info you need.]

Almost all (93 percent) parents of children in the experimental group reported that their children subsequently watched the show, compared with roughly one-third of children in the control group (35 percent). Among watchers, those in the experimental group also watched more frequently.

Over six months, from November 1970 to May 1971, the experimental group gained 5.4 I.Q. points — a large effect — relative to the control group and showed stronger evidence of learning along several other dimensions. Gains in cognitive performance were especially large for those who viewed the show frequently relative to those who did so rarely or never. A more recent meta-analysis of published research in 15 countries shows that “Sesame Street” has similar effects around the world.

In newly published research , the economists Melissa Kearney and Phillip Levine examined longer-term effects of “Sesame Street” by comparing the educational outcomes of children and young adults in counties more or less likely to have access to the program during its early years. They found that children living in counties with better “Sesame Street” coverage were less likely to be held behind a grade level.

Other experimental research is consistent with the original “Sesame Street” findings. Low-income prekindergarten children scored higher on a social competence index six months after being randomly assigned to an experimental group, in which their parents were encouraged to replace age-inappropriate television with educational television.

Less reading and more watching

In Norway, and a handful of other developed countries, average I.Q. scores have declined slightly in recent years, after rising for many decades. This is known as the negative Flynn effect, a variation of the more famous Flynn effect , which is named after the psychologist who first published comprehensive evidence of I.Q. gains over time. Among native Norwegian men taking an exam at age 18 for military conscription, those born in 1974 scored two I.Q. points higher than those born in 1987.

In an academic article published this year, the Norwegian economist Oystein Hernaes and his co-authors attributed some of this decline in I.Q. scores to access to cable television, which also coincided with a sharp decline in reading. After the introduction of cable in 1981, Norwegian teenagers and young adults drastically cut back on daily time spent reading from 1980 to 2000, and increased their time watching TV. Moreover, relative to public television, cable television had far less educational content and was focused on entertainment and advertisements.

To estimate the effect of cable television on I.Q. scores, the Norwegian scholars analyzed data on the introduction of cable network infrastructure by municipality. They calculated years of exposure to cable by considering the age of eventual test takers when cable became available in their municipality. They controlled for any potential geographic bias by comparing siblings with greater or less exposure to cable television based on their age when cable infrastructure was put in.

They estimate that 10 years of exposure to cable television lowered I.Q. scores by 1.8 points. In related research , Mr. Hernaes finds that exposure to cable television reduced voter turnout in local elections.

Berlusconi television

A similar study was conducted by the Italian economist Ruben Durante and his co-authors and released in this month’s issue of the American Economic Review. They examined the introduction of Silvio Berlusconi’s television network, Mediaset, which specialized in light entertainment such as game shows featuring scantily clad women.

The economists document that Mediaset devoted almost no programming to educational content and did not offer news in early years, whereas its main competitor — the state-owned channel — devoted the majority of its airtime to news or educational material.

To study the effects of Mediaset, Mr. Durante and his co-authors obtained data on the location of Mediaset transmitters in 1985 and calculated the strength of the broadcasting signal in every Italian municipality based on the position of the transmitters and other technical features of the municipality.

They found that children raised in areas with greater access to Mediaset (a standard deviation in signal strength) had lower cognitive scores as adults by the equivalent of 3 to 4 I.Q. points.

People more exposed to Mediaset as children were also less likely to be civically engaged adults and more likely to vote for parties with populist tendencies like Forza Italia and the Five Star Movement.

A handful of American studies along these lines have focused on the political consequences that news media coverage can have, showing that exposure to Fox News could increase Republican Party vote shares significantly, and that exposure to MSNBC increased Democratic Party voting share (but with a much weaker effect).

Art and public health

We know that education increases cognitive ability, so it stands to reason that educational television would also have a positive effect.

Concerns about culture are hardly novel: Plato made a case for regulating the quality of artistic productions to avoid the corruption of youth and weakening of their character. Twenty-three centuries later, it is easier than ever to placate children as well as lose yourself in entertainment options — in the ocean of online videos, podcasts, cable, and streaming shows and movies.

These options are most likely harmless. Some provide relaxation, and others may modestly reshape cultural attitudes for the better; one study found that the introduction of cable TV empowered women in India. High-quality shows and films can be inspiring, even edifying.

Still, media providers and advertisers compete aggressively for our attention. Most lack the altruistic motivations that guided the producers of the original “Sesame Street.” The evidence from social science suggests that biased or sensationalist news programs may misinform citizens or discourage civic engagement, and that we should also be cautious about what we give up for the sake of entertainment.

Jonathan Rothwell is the Principal Economist at Gallup, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a visiting scholar at the George Washington University Institute of Public Policy. He is the author of a book, “ A Republic of Equals : A Manifesto for a Just Society,” to be published by Princeton University Press in the fall, on the causes of income inequality. You can follow him on Twitter at @jtrothwell , and listen to his podcast, “ Out of the Echo Chamber .”

Essay on Television for Students and Children

500+ words essay on television.

Television is one of the most popular devices that are used for entertainment all over the world. It has become quite common nowadays and almost every household has one television set at their place. In the beginning, we see how it was referred to as the ‘idiot box.’ This was mostly so because back in those days, it was all about entertainment. It did not have that many informative channels as it does now.

Moreover, with this invention, the craze attracted many people to spend all their time watching TV. People started considering it harmful as it attracted the kids the most. In other words, kids spent most of their time watching television and not studying. However, as times passed, the channels of television changed. More and more channels were broadcasted with different specialties. Thus, it gave us knowledge too along with entertainment.

Benefits of Watching Television

The invention of television gave us various benefits. It was helpful in providing the common man with a cheap mode of entertainment. As they are very affordable, everyone can now own television and get access to entertainment.

In addition, it keeps us updated on the latest happenings of the world. It is now possible to get news from the other corner of the world. Similarly, television also offers educational programs that enhance our knowledge about science and wildlife and more.

Moreover, television also motivates individuals to develop skills. They also have various programs showing speeches of motivational speakers. This pushes people to do better. You can also say that television widens the exposure we get. It increases our knowledge about several sports, national events and more.

While television comes with a lot of benefits, it also has a negative side. Television is corrupting the mind of the youth and we will further discuss how.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How Television is    Harming the Youth

Additionally, it also makes people addict. People get addicted to their TV’s and avoid social interaction. This impacts their social life as they spend their time in their rooms all alone. This addiction also makes them vulnerable and they take their programs too seriously.

The most dangerous of all is the fake information that circulates on news channels and more. Many media channels are now only promoting the propaganda of the governments and misinforming citizens. This makes causes a lot of division within the otherwise peaceful community of our country.

Thus, it is extremely important to keep the TV watching in check. Parents must limit the time of their children watching TV and encouraging them to indulge in outdoor games. As for the parents, we should not believe everything on the TV to be true. We must be the better judge of the situation and act wisely without any influence.

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7 Conclusion

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As the ABC billboard emphasizes that watching TV exudes hipness and honour in spite of the negative connotations that it is attributed with, this is made possible only because this advertising was released during the age of the Internet. Although there may be people who stay up all night while surfing the net or tinkering nonstop with the computer, television viewing could also be associated with the lack of education, unemployment, and may even be seen as an ‘addiction’. While the case studies presented in this book exhibit opinions of those from the middle class in terms of how television viewing can be associated with vulgarity, laziness, and passivity, the book has also observed how television viewing causes its most severe media effects on those from this social class.

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The Impact of Television on Modern Day Society

This essay will explore the influence of television on contemporary society. It will discuss how television has shaped public opinion, culture, and family life, and its role as a source of entertainment, information, and advertising. PapersOwl offers a variety of free essay examples on the topic of Gender.

How it works

In modern day society, TV has impacted and influenced the lives and ideas of many individuals, often helping to control the ideals of societies as a whole. The television was introduced in 1954 and to this day, television has influenced millions around the world from inaccurate reflection of reality, perpetuation of of stereotypes, or even glamourization of bad behavior (encyclopedia). TV can influence both behavioral and ideological changes in society. The TV has been considered one of the best inventions in modern day society (123helpme).

TV is in the presence of most families around the world since the 1950’s (encyclopedia). It has impacted society by influencing the way that people think about such important social issues such as race, gender, and class (encyclopedia). It has disseminated messages faster throughout the world, unlike the radio which is bound to a certain limit. It brought families together to sit down and watch TV programs, which contributed to American materialism.

Before the 1970s, the majority of people on television were mostly white people (encyclopedia). They were considered normal in all programs such as sports, news, entertainment, and advertisement. The few races that weren’t white often portrayed as stereotypes and played minor roles. African American actors played roles as household servants, while Native Americans often appeared as warriors (encyclopedia). This also impacted Gays and Lesbians, they weren’t on TV until the early 70s. In the beginning they were only featured on single episodes. The characters they played were usually one-dimensional, and served as a purpose of creating conflict among regular characters (encyclopedia). Homosexuals became for visible to society and TV shows began to reflect that by also portraying them as stereotypes. The roles they played were portrayed as unrealistic (encyclopedia).

Television became a way to spread messages quickly throughout the world. Television made it so everyone could watch the elections and see what was going on. In 1952 for the first time, television news was able to broadcast the Republican and Democratic conventions live from Philadelphia to the rest of the nation (livinghistoryfarm). The importance of that event for rural America went beyond the fact that rural residents knew in real time that Dwight D. Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson were running for President against each other (livinghistoryfarm). TV shows, news, sports events had national dialog on the people. After major events, everyone would know and speak about it. Between 1949 and 1969, the number of households in the U.S. with at least one TV set rose from less than a million to 44 million (livinghistoryfarm). Movements such as the Civil Rights Movement was displayed on TV, which showed the march on Washington and brought the issues Martin Luther King Jr portrayed a reflection on the people and brought those issues into mandatory focus (livinghistoryfarm). When television also showed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, most Americans turned on the television to receive news. The message spread like wildfire also when Jack Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin who killed President John F. Kennedy (livinghistoryfarm).

In the 1950s, television was considered a form of family entertainment (encyclopedia). It brought families together to watch their favorite shows. The shows that were shown on TV were for a general audience and were suitable for all ages. Fictional families portrayed on television reflected and influenced the real lives of American families (encyclopedia). Comedy shows were one of the favorites a family would sit down and watch. The increasing popularity of sitcoms started to make families more together and enjoyable. TV families of the early 50s showed some diversity and didn’t represent the typical lifestyle of American families (encyclopedia). There were big families and couples with no children living under one roof. Some lived in rural areas and others lived in big cities or suburbs.

Although the impact of TV had good outcomes, it also had some bad outcomes on society. Sometimes TV is deliberately applied to misinform people, for instance governments use TV as an advertising tool (123helpme). In addition, family members may be to concentration on watching TV that they lack communication with others (123helpme). Children are also impacted, since they are more sensitive than adults. Children watching too much TV makes children lose important social skills.

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Essay on Impact of Television on Children’s

Students are often asked to write an essay on Impact of Television on Children’s in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Impact of Television on Children’s

Introduction.

Television is a powerful medium that can greatly influence children’s minds. It can shape their thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

Educational Influence

Educational TV shows can foster learning. They can improve children’s language skills, creativity, and understanding of the world.

Exposure to Violence

However, exposure to violent content can make children aggressive. They may imitate harmful behaviors seen on TV.

Health Impact

Excessive TV watching can lead to sedentary lifestyles, causing health issues like obesity.

While TV can be educational, parents must regulate viewing to prevent negative impacts.

250 Words Essay on Impact of Television on Children’s

Television, a pervasive form of media, has a profound influence on children’s cognitive and social development. Its impact extends beyond mere entertainment, shaping perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors.

Academic Impact

Television can both positively and negatively affect children’s academic performance. Educational programs foster intellectual growth, enhancing language skills and critical thinking. However, excessive viewing can lead to decreased academic performance, as it reduces time for homework and reading.

Social Development

Television shapes children’s socialization process. It introduces diverse cultures and societal norms, aiding in broadening their worldview. Conversely, exposure to violent or inappropriate content can lead to aggressive behavior and distorted social perceptions.

Health Implications

Prolonged television viewing has been linked to sedentary behavior, contributing to childhood obesity. It also disrupts sleep patterns and can lead to vision problems.

The impact of television on children is multifaceted, influencing their academic, social, and physical health. As such, it is crucial to monitor and control the content and duration of children’s television viewing, promoting a balanced and healthy media diet.

500 Words Essay on Impact of Television on Children’s

Television, an omnipresent medium in our society, has a profound impact on the development of children. The effects of television on children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development have been a subject of extensive research and debate.

Cognitive Development

Television can significantly influence a child’s cognitive development. Educational programs such as “Sesame Street” and “Dora the Explorer” can enhance children’s learning abilities, improving their language skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. However, excessive viewing, particularly of non-educational content, can lead to attention problems and hinder academic performance.

Children learn social norms and values from their surroundings, and television is a substantial part of that environment. Positive portrayals can foster understanding and empathy, while negative or stereotypical depictions can influence children’s perceptions about gender roles, racial and ethnic groups, and societal norms.

Emotional Development

Television programming can impact children’s emotional development. Shows with violent content may induce fear, anxiety, and aggressive behavior. On the other hand, programs that promote kindness, cooperation, and conflict resolution can support emotional growth and prosocial behavior.

Excessive television viewing is associated with sedentary behavior, which can contribute to obesity and other health problems in children. Advertisements for unhealthy food and drinks can influence children’s dietary choices, further exacerbating these health issues.

Parental Role and Regulation

Parents play a crucial role in mitigating the negative effects of television. By monitoring content, limiting viewing time, and encouraging active engagement, parents can ensure that television serves as a positive tool for their children’s development. Furthermore, regulatory bodies should enforce strict guidelines on children’s programming and advertising to protect young viewers from inappropriate content and harmful influences.

In conclusion, while television can be a valuable educational and entertainment tool, its impact on children’s development is complex and multifaceted. It is crucial to strike a balance between viewing time and other activities, and to ensure that the content viewed is age-appropriate and beneficial. As television continues to evolve with the advent of streaming services and smart devices, understanding its impact on children is more important than ever.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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• Essay on Disadvantages of Television
• Essay on Bad Effects of Watching Television
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The Negative Impact of Television

Everyone watches television every day, thinking that it helps them to relieve stress after a hard day. It applies to all ages since children are similarly prone to the habit of watching cartoons on television. As they get older, everyone finds a show or hobby program that keeps people coming back to the screen every day. However, this does not bring relaxation and satisfaction of moral needs, but only a stream of negativity, a shift in perception, and distraction from real problems.

Adults most often watch the news and informational programs that talk about various negative events. These can be programs about world news, wars, political debates that make a person upset. Furthermore, the information may be incorrect, inaccurate, distorted, or grossly exaggerated. It leads to disputes with friends, colleagues, and families, who may look at the news on the same topic in other sources. The harmful component is most likely when choosing to disseminate information about a particular event.

Human perception is formed based on external factors, one of which is television. For example, advertising for a product forces customers to make a purchase decision, even if the person does not need the good. Television is considered the authoritative source of information; therefore, it is used for large-scale manipulation (Pan). Additionally, it can be used to promote ideas and principles that people blindly follow. Television strongly influences the perception of a person and their further actions; therefore, it is necessary to select reliable sources carefully.

A person, watching programs that he does not need, is distracted from his real problems instead of solving them. For example, an adult comes home from work, where he cannot resolve the difficulty and wants to relax. The television can distract him from the problem and fill his head with other completely unnecessary things. Furthermore, parents send their children to watch television instead of spending time together playing developing games. The TV does not help to solve critical tasks but only clogs the head with unnecessary things.

Pan, Jennifer. “The Effects of Television News Propaganda: Experimental Evidence From China.” SSRN . 2020. Web.

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• Essay On Advantages And Disadvantages Of Television

Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Television

500+ words essay on advantages and disadvantages of television.

In today’s world, communication is a crucial aspect of life. Technological advancements made communication more accessible and cheaper. Among all the communication devices such as smartphones, radios, and emails, television is the prominent and common medium for communication. We get to see television in every household. It is an integral part of our society that significantly impacts our social, educational, and cultural life. It reaches a mass audience and provides information about the daily happenings in the world. Furthermore, it is a common source of entertainment among family members.

John Logie Baird invented the television in the 1920s. The word “tele” means distance, and “vision” means to see, which means to watch it from a distance. When television was invented, it showed only pictures of low resolution. But, later on, televisions were modified with the latest technologies. Televisions that we purchase today come with multiple features. We can connect our phone, laptop, tab, and internet access various online apps, HD/UHD quality pictures, 4k-8k resolutions, etc.

We can also watch various educational channels on television. It also keeps us updated by providing news about the world through different news channels. Along with information, it also entertains us with movies, serials, dramas, reality shows, music channels, yoga channels, etc.

So, having a television at home seems to be a great advantage, but the disadvantages are also threatening. The time it consumes from our day-to-day life is more. You can see people going out of routine or postponing schedules if they become addicted to watching television.

Here, in the essay, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of watching television.

Advantages of Television

Television comes with enormous advantages. The most important is it gives us information about current affairs and events across the globe. This information is broadcasted through various news channels, which helps us to keep ourselves updated about recent happenings. It also shares information about multiple programmes or facilities launched by the government. The government also take the help of news channels to communicate with the mass.

We can watch daily soaps, reality shows, music channels, movies, etc. We can also watch food channels and try out recipes at home. During the morning time, if you switch on the television, you will get to watch telemarketing ads. Specific channels broadcast only ads for multiple products, and people can also buy them.

Children can watch various cartoons on the television. Some cartoons teach children about moral values and lessons. It also keeps us informed about the economic condition and the stock market. We also get to watch various fashion shows and keep updated about the latest trends on television.

Earlier, television was costly, but now it comes at an affordable price with multiple features. Now, we get the option to subscribe to our favourite channels and only need to pay for those channels. Educational programmes are also available on television. We can also watch live cricket shows and cheer for our country. Television also telecasts interviews of various political leaders, celebrities, influencers, famous personalities, etc. We can also gain knowledge by watching various quiz programmes.

Television provides opportunities to spend time with our family and friends. We can enjoy watching a movie together. Various channels telecast comedy shows that help us keep positivity in our lives. We also watch movies in different regional languages like Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, etc. It helps us connect with people from diverse backgrounds.

Nowadays, we can also play games on the television and watch agricultural programmes specially designed for the farmers. It promotes national integration.

Disadvantages of Television

There are advantages of watching television, but it also comes with disadvantages. Watching too much TV affects our mental and physical health. When we watch television continuously, it affects our eyes and makes us lazy. Even there are some programmes which are not suitable for kids. We even compromise our sleep to watch TV. Children lose their concentration on their studies by watching too much television. Children prefer to watch TV over reading books to spend their leisure time.

Conclusion of Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Television

There are advantages and disadvantages of television. If television is helpful, it is harmful too. One should not watch television excessively.

We hope you found this essay on the advantages and disadvantages of television helpful. Check BYJU’S for more such CBSE Essays on different topics. You can also find CBSE study materials and resources for Classes 1 to 12.

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The Impact of Professional Scholarship Essay Writing Services on Academic Success

I t’s hard to overestimate the usefulness of writing services for someone who needs a good essay for a scholarship application. At the same time, there are some concerns about the probable negative impact of writing services on academic success. Let’s consider both the potential negative and positive impact of a scholarship essay writing service to decide what’s stronger.

One of the most widespread concerns about the impact of essay writing services is the ethical side of use. Evidently, it is improper if people will provide someone’s work as their own. Even though such concern cannot be called groundless, it’s a matter of choice. Writing service is a tool, and it’s only the customer's choice how to use it. A person can buy a knife to cut fruits and vegetables or to take someone's life. This is not about the tool but about the ethics and decisions of the particular person who uses the tool.  

Another concern is related to the dependency. When people overuse writing services and outsource their own tasks to other experts, it rather decreases their own skills that ought to be developed with the assignments. It’s once again about human conscience and ethics. In this context, it can be useful to compare writing services with coffee. Sometimes, this drink can be very useful to help you wake up or not fall asleep for longer. However, with excessive use, it can be harmful to health and be addictive. And, if you are regularly using coffee to wake yourself up or to stay awake, you probably have to reconsider your time management.

One more concern is about the money. Writing services obviously don’t provide their help for free. Hence, the frequent use of it can cause a financial burden for people who use such services. Thinking this way, one can assume that any type of purchase can cause a financial burden. Most writing services insist on price transparency and the absence of any hidden additional increase in the price. One can see the price before placing an order and deciding whether this money will harm the budget.

As you can see, although the concerns about writing services aren’t baseless, they’re more about the weakness of human nature than about the negative impact of writing services themselves. People who can act unethically will find their way with or without writing services. And if a person has trouble managing money it will be evident from the different aspects of life, not only the use of writing services. You can be careful using writing services, but not more careful than with anything else in life. 

Except for the concerns considered above, writing services can also positively impact academic success when used properly. A person who needs to write a scholarship essay often faces the problem of procrastination and blank page syndrome. In such a case, help from a writing service can be incredibly useful to overcome the problems. A person can use the paper from the writing service as an example to follow or, in contrast, decide that everything must be written differently. Most importantly, one will start working on the scholarship essay instead of waiting for inspiration or being lost in anxiety. 

• The positive impact on mental health comes from the previous advantage. Applying for the scholarship is a stressful process. A person is concerned about all the papers that must be gathered and forms to be filled out in the proper way, about the future if the scholarship will be obtained, and about the development of the events if not. Writing services that provide personalized examples of scholarship essays can help reduce stress and anxiety and, hence, have at least a small positive impact on mental health. 
• Expert guidance can be crucial for a person who needs a scholarship. Yes, you can find free examples of scholarship essays on the web, but you might not be sure which is most suitable for your particular case. Writing services have professionals who often write scholarship essays and know their specifics. In addition, a personalized example is the most useful one to understand what and how you can write to succeed. 
• Time management is the last but not the least point in this list. Writing services have short deadlines of just a few hours, which allows a person to get a ready example on the same day it was ordered. This saves time that a person might spend reading and understanding the nuances of the scholarship essay. Instead of that, one can take this time for other no less essential papers or activities related to getting a scholarship.

Final words

As one can see, scholarship essay writing services can potentially negatively and positively impact academic success. Such services can be a powerful tool to save time, avoid stress, and get a well-written personalized example of a scholarship essay. However, as well as in the case of any tool, it must be used wisely and ethically. 

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Television Negative Effects on Society

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