Television is one of the greatest
achievements of the 20th century. It is
the most popular part of mass media. Today every family has a TV-set, TV has changed
much since the time of its invention and its role has changed, too. There have
been numerous debates concerning advantages and disadvantages of television. When TV first appeared its main purpose was to give
official information to people. It was supported by the government. Now
television plays a big role in every civilized society. Today television gives
people a possibility to be well informed and enjoy "civilized
pleasures". The programmes are various and people have a chance to select what they
want to see. Television provides great
opportunities for education. There are programmes devoted to specialized subjects.
With the help of TV it is possible to learn foreign languages, to know a lot of
wonderful things. TV teaches the ideals of democracy and political argument.
Watching television can be compared with reading books. By the beginning of the
21st century TV became a coloured network. Numerous programmes people can
receive by satellite or cable. The choice of the channels ranges from six to twenty. These channels show programmes of various kinds, from
documentaries, current events and sport to American films and science-fiction
cartoons. Now this medium of communication allows people to see and speak with
each other even if they are separated by thousand kilometers. TV brought
ballet, opera and theatre to big masses of people. It was even in the vanguard
of new drama. Moreover, IV can help keep children quiet. If they are noisy,
their mothers turn on the set. If people don't like TV they don't buy it or just
switch it off.
At the same time there are a lot of
arguments against TV. It is said that
only three generations have grown up with television but they managed to
forget how to spend their free time without it. Its role is increasing not
because it is an entertainer or information but because of the grip it has on
many people. It is called "a living-room monster" or "one-eyed
monster". It is established that the biggest part of viewers are
pensioners and housewives. In total they spend five or more hours daily sitting
in front of the "boxes". Children watch commercials, horror films or
films of violence TV prevents children from creating their abilities. They get
accustomed to TV to such an extent that they watch it all time.
Moreover.
TV is damaging for health. It has bad effect on the eyes, particularly of
children. The physicians proved that if children don't watch TV, their eyesight
improves. But if children don't watch TV, they have nothing to talk about at
school, where comedians and singing stars are major topics. The same is true
about some adults. Sometimes people have nothing to speak about, except TV.
Nowadays some people in our country watch
TV programmes from about six in the morning to the early hours of the next day.
They watch everything, from news and
sport reports to dramas and educational programmes. Free time is regulated by
TV. It occupies our free time. Instead of going to the theatre or reading books
people watch TV. Very often programmes are bad, as TV can't pace with demand.
TV cuts people from real world. The virtual world becomes more important. TV is
absolutely irrelevant to real living. No surprise that television is often
called "chewing gum for men's brains". People become lazy. Dinnertime
is often pressed by television. If people are deprived for various reasons of
watching their favourite programmes they feel inconvenience.
Only few people can live without TV today.
As you see, television has a lot of advantages and disadvantages. And people must decide themselves
if they need to watch it so much or not.
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