Television’s Impact on its Viewers :: Television Media TV Essays

Television’s Impact on its Viewers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Problems arise abundantly in almost every situation, and solutions are even more scarce. To find one great solution to a pressing problem of contemporary society is difficult, yet not impossible. Americans are plagued by the influences of television day in and day out. It is one of the main constants in many individuals lives, while grabbing the attention of families in ninety-eight percent of America’s homes and is kept on for an average of six and a half hours every day (Cheney 2). Perhaps there isn’t a problem so much in the fact that so many people have this mysterious box on for periods of time, but rather the problem lies in the way the viewer interprets the program that is being presented to them. How much control does the viewer really have over what programs they watch and when? How can a viewer monitor their viewing as well as their children’s in a manner that will benefit them both? And what is the solution for those wh o watch television for hours on end, giving up employment, schooling and other important duties? These questions will be addressed throughout the course of this paper, along with the best possible solutions that I have conjured up for such a controversial topic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Television has become nearly unavoidable and American society is more affected by television than they realize. According to Nielsen Media Research, the average TV household in the United States now owns two sets, which are watched just over 30 hours every week by the typical American adult (Mahler 12). American society is more affected by television than is realized. Television offers thin slices of the real word, becoming a version of reality that is created by numerous components from mechanical parts to people, making up the medium of television. Because what is heard and seen on TV is a lot like what is experienced in real life, it’s easily and unconsciously assumed that what is on television- the sex, the violence, the commercials, the cartoons- is real, true, or normal. Viewers must realize the difference inbetween the fiction of TV and the reality of their own lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The term â€Å"couch potato† has been coined for those who sit around and watch television all day. Rutgers researcher Robert Kubey is one of the many academics troubled by the trend of excessive television viewing. Television’s Impact on its Viewers :: Television Media TV Essays Television’s Impact on its Viewers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Problems arise abundantly in almost every situation, and solutions are even more scarce. To find one great solution to a pressing problem of contemporary society is difficult, yet not impossible. Americans are plagued by the influences of television day in and day out. It is one of the main constants in many individuals lives, while grabbing the attention of families in ninety-eight percent of America’s homes and is kept on for an average of six and a half hours every day (Cheney 2). Perhaps there isn’t a problem so much in the fact that so many people have this mysterious box on for periods of time, but rather the problem lies in the way the viewer interprets the program that is being presented to them. How much control does the viewer really have over what programs they watch and when? How can a viewer monitor their viewing as well as their children’s in a manner that will benefit them both? And what is the solution for those wh o watch television for hours on end, giving up employment, schooling and other important duties? These questions will be addressed throughout the course of this paper, along with the best possible solutions that I have conjured up for such a controversial topic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Television has become nearly unavoidable and American society is more affected by television than they realize. According to Nielsen Media Research, the average TV household in the United States now owns two sets, which are watched just over 30 hours every week by the typical American adult (Mahler 12). American society is more affected by television than is realized. Television offers thin slices of the real word, becoming a version of reality that is created by numerous components from mechanical parts to people, making up the medium of television. Because what is heard and seen on TV is a lot like what is experienced in real life, it’s easily and unconsciously assumed that what is on television- the sex, the violence, the commercials, the cartoons- is real, true, or normal. Viewers must realize the difference inbetween the fiction of TV and the reality of their own lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The term â€Å"couch potato† has been coined for those who sit around and watch television all day. Rutgers researcher Robert Kubey is one of the many academics troubled by the trend of excessive television viewing.