Television violence and children
Television of yesteryears is a lot more different today. Be it the product itself or the content that is aired. The child turns on the television and what does it see? Violence! Sex! It is everywhere, be it news, cable, regular television or the cartoon. This visual medium is supposed to have a positive influence, well when it comes to children it is just the opposite.
Television is not to be blamed. With growing corporate interest in media and increasing competition with the cable programs the only answer to hold the viewers seems to be- Violence and Sex, More violence and More sex. Although ratings have been issued and program locks are offered with cable subscriptions, is this enough to protect our children? Studies show that television is contributes to the delinquency of today’s American children. On an average, children in the United States watch 3 - 5 hours of television every day. The younger children watch preschool shows which are often educative but the primetime cable shows are often not so. The effect of the visual medium on the behavior of the children and their mental make up is known.
Excessive viewing of television violence can lead to increase in aggression in children. Few studies have shown that too much television viewing may cause children to become immune or numb to the horror of violence. The violence is always justified in these shows as the only way out. Onscreen violence emotes them and since the kid more often than not is unable to differentiate reality from the make believe world, they try practicing the horrors the watch on television there are several cases where children in their attempt to be superman, iron man hurt themselves. Most kids end up bullying their peers in imitation to their heroes.
Sometimes the impact of television violence may not surface until child grows up to be a teen or later, and irregardless of race, religion and socioeconomic development, all children are affected by violence on television.
News channels are also not spared from this violence. Be it crime reports or Iraq war all the gory details are explicitly shown making the effect even larger. The kind of news is such that they make even adults cringe, if only we would think of its effect of our kids.
In the name of freedom of expression in art, and true real news is it fair that we let our children pay heavy prices? Is there a way out of this mess? One thing that every parent can do is to limit the television viewing time. Encourage them to have hobbies, painting reading, outdoor games. Nature can be a better teacher than a television. It is about your kid and its future and the whole of nation’s next generation in question.