Ever since Television was first invented during the 1920’S, and since then, it has managed to shape and influence human behavior to a large extent, more so during a time of sudden crisis as seen during world war 2 and Vietnam war. While on the outset, there are many who may decry the negative aspects of television and the fact that it can be addictive, the fact remains that television did have a major impact on our society as a whole, making it one of the most effective mass communication tools to date. If you wanted to get a message out to everyone then television ads, would be the preferred format, given the reach. Here’s to taking a closer look at some of the positive and negative aspects of television.
Positive impact of television:
Thanks to the advancements in technology, television has indeed come a long way from the ‘boxed’ appearance to a more modern, sleek appearance of a plasma screen. And of course, the price tag has already shot up to reach astronomical levels. With so many models out there, you are bound to be spoiled for choice.
Entertainment: The television is one of the mainstays in any home; you probably watch the television when having dinner. In fact, most families do just that and chances are, most are dependent on the same to provide them with day to day news, entertainment shows, and even movies. To put it simply, television is so well entrenched in our society that it is hard to imagine our society without one.
Marketing: One of the most effective ways to market your products and services is through television and television ads. Given the reach that the humble television comes with and the fact that most people watch their television during prime time, it makes more sense to target key demographics through customized ads.
Education: It should be pointed out television also has a beneficial effect on education given the number of educational programs that are aired often on TV.
Negative impact of television:
Here are some of the negative aspects of television.
Health: Watching television regularly can lead to binge-watching and addiction, and both of these can have long-term effects on your health. It is a fact that watching television for prolonged periods may make you susceptible to developing issues with your eyes. Apart from this, addicts are known to get emotionally and psychologically affected if they are unable to watch their television programs any longer. It is advisable to seek medical counseling under these circumstances.
Time-consuming: While the various TV programs can be entertaining, the fact remains that it still consumes valuable time. You could have used this time to do something more constructive or useful instead of watching the latest episode of Supernatural.
Radiation: The television does generate a small amount of radiation and while on the outset this radiation by itself may not be harmful, it can nevertheless impact your health especially if you binge watch. In which case, overexposure to even minimal amounts of radiation can harm your body,
Influence: Television can actually influence human behavior and to this end, certain shows or movies aired on the television can influence others to behave in a certain manner. This can lead to unfortunate circumstances. For example, some of the notorious serial killers in the recent past have claimed that they behaved the way they did and were influenced by one program or another to commit their vile crimes. As a social influencer, television is indeed a powerful marketing tool. Given this, it still needs to be regulated heavily.
These are some of the positive and negative aspects of television and while no one is claiming that television causes you to experience Nirvana or develop hives, it should still be born that it can influence human behavior and not often in a good way. This is why most television channels are monitored round the clock. But it is just next to impossible to watch every single television program. This could account for the fact that some television programs that should have never gotten the license but were aired during prime time. While television on a whole does provide a platform for instant communication and sharing of ideas, some of the negative aspects should be borne in mind as well. This is why it makes more sense to quit watching television for a while and take part in some other activity, that has a positive impact on one and all.
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