Shane Sits on His Sofa for Hours

Shane sits on his sofa for hours on end, the remote control in hand, surfing through dozens of stations looking for something worthwhile to watch. Being a couch potato makes him sorely out of shape, but watching television also has a detrimental effect on his mind. I blame his attitude on the news: hours of sensational and bloody business. As a result of watching so many hours of the news, Shane has a rather bleak view of the world and he largely lives in fear. Afraid to travel, he has become a slave to what the mainstream media has to tell him. I try to remind Shane that he hears only one version of the truth and only one, often narrow perspective on politics, but he can't ignore the flashy journalism that characterizes television. Whether network or cable, news stations generally report limited stories and limited perspectives, in spite their assertion of being balanced sources of information. I don't necessarily blame the medium itself, for I know television can be a valuable source of information. In fact, news documentaries and public television do offer rounded perspectives on world events. Moreover, as an entertainment medium, television has few rivals. Comedies, dramas, old movies, and sporting events can be transmitted to people around the globe, offering hours of interesting content. It's up to viewers to discriminate between quality shows like Six Feet Under and the junk such as Jerry Springer. After all, society's ills cannot be blamed on the boob tube but on its faithfully passive viewers.

In general, watching too much television, especially of the wrong kind, can poison the mind and instill nothing but cynicism and fear into its viewers. Daytime talk shows display the underbelly of humanity, the lowest of the low. Yet the networks only deliver such coarse material because viewers eat it up. If the producers weren't making money, those shows wouldn't be on the air. Therefore, it is up to each individual to decide what to watch and to support quality programming. Unfortunately, many Americans actually enjoy watching daytime talk shows and believe everything they hear on the nightly news. The problem lies largely with America's poor educational system and a generally ignorant viewing public. However, the networks, producers, and writers are also partly to blame. Although they deserve to earn money, the producers should also realize that they are entrusted with a huge responsibility. Because so many people receive their cultural programming, their news information, and their worldviews from the tube, producers should select truthful, quality content to deliver. I believe that the public will watch whatever is on the air because people like watching TV. Therefore, improving television's content could have a positive impact on society.