“The remarkable thing about television is that it permits several million people to laugh at the same joke and still feel lonely.” T.S. Eliot
Television is a wonderful tool that entertains and educates. But it has a downside too. In the case of children and TV it can actually be detrimental to their health and well being. Research shows that the average child spends more time watching TV than in school. On average, children spend more time (20 or more hours) each week in front of the TV than they do on any other activity besides sleeping.
How do these figures stack up in your own home? Are your kids remote controlled? If you feel your family’s TV viewing habits have become too much of a good thing, you may want to participate in TV-Turnoff Week. April 24-30 presents an interesting opportunity to experience life without television. Each year for seven days at the end of April, families around the world turn off their televisions to find that life can be more rewarding and fulfilling when they watch less.
Since 1995, 24 million children and adults have participated in this grassroots project sponsored by the TV-Turnoff Network. The Network is a nonprofit organization that encourages children and adults to watch much less television in order to promote healthier lifestyles and communities. Partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the organization aims to provide families with practical advice on how to reduce the presence of television in their lives. The project is designed to create a bridge between the recommendations of experts and real families facing the day-to-day challenges of balancing their work and family lives.
According to follow-up surveys, many participants use TV-Turnoff Week to make long-term changes in their viewing habits by watching TV more selectively.
TV Violence
Research shows that programs geared to children are five to six times more violent than adult TV. In prime time shows there are three to five violent acts per hour opposed to 20 to 25 violent acts per hour in Saturday morning kids shows.
TV glamourizes violence by promoting violent acts as a fun and effective way to get what you want. Statistics show kids see about 10,000 television rapes, assaults and murders each year with the average child seeing 8,000 murders depicted on TV before completing grade school.
Watching TV violence can lead to more aggressive behaviour. Most violent acts on TV go unpunished and are often accompanied by humour. Even ‘good guys” beating up on the ‘bad guys’ give children the message that violence is okay. And what young child doesn’t like to imitate their favourite ‘good guy’ hero?
High Risk Behaviour
TV programs frequently show or talk about alcohol use. The presence of alcohol on TV ranges from drinking on prime time shows, to beer ads and logos showcased at sporting events. Rarely is alcohol shown in a negative light. Ads for alcohol usually show that people are happier, sexier and more successful when they drink.
Further the amount of sexual material on TV has increased over the past decade. The Kaiser Foundation reported that ‘family hour’ television contains more than eight sexual incidents per hour. Most of which didn’t address issues of safe sex and unplanned pregnancies.
Other statistics show most parents don’t talk to their kids about sex, birth control and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and that most schools offer incomplete sex education. As a result, kids get most of their information about sex from either TV or their peers.
The TV-Turnoff Network also works to raise public awareness about the negative impact of excessive television.
Published by Sherrie Le Masurier on April 7, 2006 03:34 PM
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