Linda Holmes Television 2015

Australian TV shows have changed rapidly over the years. The decades that will be discussed in this presentation include the 1960’s, 1970’s, 1980’s, 1990’s and the 2000’s. Australian TV has influenced many changes in our society; some of these included fashion trends, hobbies, job courses, the food we eat, our opinions on things and, the way that we view ourselves and others. Some social issues have arisen over the years include the negative effects on our youth due to television watching.

In Steven Johnson's persuasive essay “Watching Tv Makes You Smarter,” he defies what our culture teaches us about television. Our society teaches that television is making our youth “dumb” and that our culture enjoys the “simple pleasures” so that is what the media companies are feeding us with. But, Johnson states that based on what the show “24” suggests, the “exact opposite is happening: the culture is getting more cognitively demanding, not less” (1). The growing interest of TV programs with complex mental faculties involves three primary elements: multiple threading, flashing arrows and social networks (2).

Barbara Ehrenreich expresses her utter distaste for television in The Worst Years of Our Lives based in the 1980’s. Ehrenreich writes numerous assertions in regard to television’s unrealistic portrayal of every day life. She raises a valid argument when she points out that TV watchers will never see the commonplace facets of human life depicted on their TV screen. Instead, they watch shows filled with fake people, plastic smiles, ungenuine conversations, and unrealistic tasks all combined into a program that epitomizes the way in which we don’t live. Television distracts people from actually living their lives so instead they live vicariously through TV shows, wasting their lives away.

Just by looking at how we watch television today one can tell how society has evolved with media. There was a time before television, then it was all the rage, and now it’s starting to decline. I don’t watch much television because the commercials drive me

Steven Johnson bases his argument on the observation of increased complexity we have seen in TV shows over the last thirty plus years. In spite of this, most critics continue to argue that TV has a way of dumbing down our culture. Instead of focusing on the aspects of values, violence, sexual content, and obscenity in TV, Johnson focuses on how much mental work is required

Socialization is a fundamental aspect in the life of relatively every human. In the absence of having the ability or strength to interact socially, we tend to steer away from social norms and isolate ourselves. One may consider that watching television correlates with the effects of anti-socialization although, one may argue that is not the case. Television is a form of socialization that provides common ground for people to bond over, allows those lacking a social life to create their own social word, and provides an environment for conversation.

The term “Quality Television” is in itself both a colloquialism, and an academic critical lens. While in the everyday vernacular to friends and colleagues, we may use the term Quality Television, at that time we may only be expressing our opinion. Quality Television by an academic standard is used to describe TV that has a high production value and cinematic feel, a detailed and serialized plot, complex characters, sex and

The content of television shows today ranges from the highly probable to the highly bizarre. Characters are often put into scenarios that are either extremely realistic or totally outlandish. But no matter what the content there is something for everyone and the public keeps watching. In this day, a viewer can instantly switch from watching an hour long quasi-reality show that studies the lives of promiscuous 20-somethings on the Jersey shore to a 30 minute mockumentary that focuses on the not-so-monotonous life in the office to an hour long account of plane crash survivors and an island full of mystery. With so much to choose from, it is easy to worry about what kind of content you are feeding your brain. On the surface, television

Nowadays, with TV programs becoming many and TV channels and digital entertainment enterprises becoming countless, the quest for originality has become tougher, to the extent that originality has perhaps been raised in status, to become even above quality and common human ideals. When we lose human ideals, our morals and our conscience, we have lost everything, which keeps us a part of civilization. We no longer become civilized and we take limitless freedom, which is disastrous for the health of society and each individual in it.

If you have ever watched TV, you might notice many commonalities and trends between many of the TV shows that are on air. The shows usually follow similar storylines of a protagonist (usually male) who struggles with their own moral values, usually stirring up trouble for themselves and those around them. Now you’re probably asking yourself: “Hm I wonder why so many shows follow similar patterns?” Well the answer to that question is because of YOU! It’s all your fault that TV can be so monotonous and repetitive. You are a part of a giant collective that drives what TV shows are being shown, what TV shows are being cancelled, and even when TV shows are being played. You are a part of the audience. The audience is what drives TV shows to be the entertaining platforms that they are meant to be, but they are also the most crippling aspect of the television itself.

Television has greatly impacted our society in both negative and positive ways. There are compelling arguments on both sides from the way some see television as a rich source of information, education, and entertainment, while others blame it for society’s violence, obesity, and misinformation. It is an inevitable part of modern culture considering that we depend on TV to keep us updated and informed with news, weather, sports, entertainment, and information. Television has warped and revolutionized the way individuals view themselves and the environment around them by portraying unrealistic stereotypes and trying to appeal to the desired audience.

How quickly can something capture the eye? What could take a person on an emotional roller coaster, of happiness, sadness, hunger, fatigue, or being scared? The remarkable world of television can take a person anywhere. Television is a central form of communication which connects people with the outside world. The television has been around for decades and is found in practically every household. People watch the news, movies, game shows, or reality shows; there is a show for everyone, and, like it or not, there are plenty of advertisements. The creation of the television has been the beginning, with no sign of an end, connecting people to the past, present, and future,

Media has always been an important factor in society, and it always will be. The way an individual discerns the world dictates how they interact with it, but the dichotomy between media and society goes both ways. People perceive media differently based on experiences in their lives, within each decade a shift in norms, trends and technology is observable. Jerzy Kosinski uses a character that perceives society based on television alone to depict the way media affects an individuals perception and how they interact with society.

As television channels in the 1960’s continued to display numerous violence, American comedy, and offensive commercials, television programming offered scanty, enjoyable shows for the general audience. Newton Minow, the Federal Communications Chairman (FCC) from 1961 to 1963, argued for a better quality of television in his “Address to the Broadcasting Industry” to over 2,000 members of the National Association of Broadcasters. As a result, it generated a national debate about the quality of television programming. Throughout his speech, Minow argues for better television programming since other means of communication offer better content, children are exposed to only violence and cartoons, and the

With the world facing an increased speed in the spread of information through advanced technological gadgets, a number of population across the world gain access to high speed internet coverage, increased radio frequencies, and digital television coverage. Given the relatively cheap but wide coverage and in depth analysis of news and other programs, uses of television continue to rise. High numbers of populations enjoy wide television coverage at low cost. Due to this reason, the prevalence of television as a news and lifestyle programmer in the society continues to rise. Increasing the society’s access to television services is an important factor in developing educational, inspirational, and social programs for the growth of the society. However, despite these important components of television in the society, it presents negative impacts. Frequency and time spent on television, especially for the young children does not only define the children’s lifestyles, but also has a bearing on the development and growth of such children. Such factors responsible for shaping children’s culture and growth include time spent on following television, the nature of the programs, and the company of the children during such viewership. This paper explores the effects of television and its programs on the growth and development of children. Similarly, the paper develops control measures for ensuring the children enjoys watching television without compromising their lifestyle, social