Nowadays with the development of entertainment programs on television, more and more children are dedicated to television. They spend most of their leisure time glued to the television set. The underlying issue is above whether television is an idiot box and should be controlled. Advocates of this issue assert that television provides all kinds of information and enriches their lives. However, the quality of programmes on television is awful and meaningless.
Firstly, in order to reduce the hours people spend on watching television, family as a small social unit should have specific rules and set a time limit for the amount of television children are allowed to watch. They should plan more quality time to spend together doing some outdoor activities. For example, parents and children may create a schedule of activities. From 5pm to 6pm on weekdays children can watch cartoons; from 6pm to 7pm parents can watch the news. They can talk about books, have picnics, play badminton and other outdoor activities to relief boredom.
Secondly, some programs shown on television are really meaningless. In some shows are just for pure entertainment, movie stars take part in stupid games in order to attract their fans. Spending time on such meaningless even stupid shows is really a waste of time and life. In contrast to reading books, people absorb pictures without processing them properly. The passivity of the process is unlike reading, it diminishes the imagination and fails to provide people with the mental rigour that requires them to ingest the information.
Thirdly, health agencies should publicise how television is bad for the eyesight and the lack of physical activity leads to obesity. There also should be activities organised to encourage people to take part in community based activities.
Critics of this position feel that housewives are becoming a rare breed, mother do not have enough time to spend with their children, teaching them. In that way, the television helps a lot. It provides children with many educational programmes. However, often children watch television instead of doing their home work or having proper family dinners. Their eyes are glued to the television set and not actually conversing in a meaningful way.
With the unremitting efforts of all, from the creators of television programmes to children and adults who watch these shows, the challenge to fight against the television seems a losing battle. We can can minise the abuse of televison only by viewing each programme critically and insisting that the younger generation explore their physical environment. Turning our younger generation to the physical world in order to become more knowledgable and active will be a huge challenge in this electronic age.
Links on the same topic.
Yes, Idiot box
http://www.theage.com.au/news/science/the-idiot-box/2005/10/03/1128191629304.html
No, Lifeline
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/edu/2009/03/16/stories/2009031650820400.htm
Study linking aggression to television violence
http://faculty.palomar.edu/pjacoby/Television%20Viewing%20and%20Aggressive%20Behavior.pdf
Cultural effects of television
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/249068.stm
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