THE THE SOCIAL SOCIAL

IMPACT OF IMPACT OF TELEVISIOTELEVISIO

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Today, the average Today, the average American watches close American watches close to four hours of TV each to four hours of TV each day. Based on this, by day. Based on this, by

age 65, the average U.S. age 65, the average U.S. citizen will have spent citizen will have spent nearly 9, nonstop, 24 nearly 9, nonstop, 24

hour-a-day hour-a-day years glued years glued to "the tube."to "the tube."

98. 5 percent of U.S. households have 98. 5 percent of U.S. households have at least one television setat least one television set

90% of U.S. households have two or 90% of U.S. households have two or more TV setsmore TV sets

87% of U.S. households have at least 87% of U.S. households have at least one VCR or DVD player one VCR or DVD player

The average U.S. home has the TV on The average U.S. home has the TV on more than 51 hours a week. more than 51 hours a week. (Obviously, the TV is on many more (Obviously, the TV is on many more hours a week than each family member hours a week than each family member spends watching it.)spends watching it.)

TV AND CHILDREN 81% of children ages 2-7 81% of children ages 2-7 watch TV alone and watch TV alone and unsupervisedunsupervised

70% of day care centers use 70% of day care centers use TV during a typical day TV during a typical day 54% of 4-6 year-olds who, 54% of 4-6 year-olds who, when asked to choose between when asked to choose between watching TV and spending time watching TV and spending time with their fathers, said they with their fathers, said they would prefer to watch would prefer to watch televisiontelevision

It has been shown that It has been shown that children who watch TV children who watch TV more than 10 hours a more than 10 hours a week suffer negative week suffer negative academic effects academic effects The average American The average American child ages 2-11 watches child ages 2-11 watches television 20 hours a television 20 hours a weekweek

TV AND CHILDREN CONT’D…

TV AND VIOLENCE BY AGE 18, THE AVERAGE BY AGE 18, THE AVERAGE

AMERICAN CHILD SEES 200,000 AMERICAN CHILD SEES 200,000 VIOLENT ACTS ON TV. VIOLENT ACTS ON TV.

BY AGE 18, CHILDREN BY AGE 18, CHILDREN WITNESSES ALMOST 20,000 WITNESSES ALMOST 20,000 MURDERS ON TV — MOST BY MURDERS ON TV — MOST BY HANDGUNS. HANDGUNS.

73% OF THE TIME THE PEOPLE 73% OF THE TIME THE PEOPLE IN TV DRAMAS WHO COMMIT IN TV DRAMAS WHO COMMIT VIOLENT ACTS GO UNPUNISHED.VIOLENT ACTS GO UNPUNISHED.

47% PERCENT OF VIOLENT 47% PERCENT OF VIOLENT SITUATIONS SHOW NO REAL HARM TO SITUATIONS SHOW NO REAL HARM TO THE VICTIMS, AND 58 PERCENT SHOW THE VICTIMS, AND 58 PERCENT SHOW NO REAL PAIN. NO REAL PAIN.

ONLY 4 PERCENT OF VIOLENT ONLY 4 PERCENT OF VIOLENT PROGRAMS SHOW NONVIOLENT PROGRAMS SHOW NONVIOLENT ALTERNATIVES TO SOLVE PROGRAMS. ALTERNATIVES TO SOLVE PROGRAMS.

80% OF HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVES 80% OF HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVES THINK THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN TV THINK THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN TV VIOLENCE AND REAL-LIFE VIOLENCEVIOLENCE AND REAL-LIFE VIOLENCE..

TV AND VIOLENCE CONT’D…

During Saturday morning During Saturday morning cartoons there are typically cartoons there are typically more than 200 "junk-food" more than 200 "junk-food" commercials. commercials.

At least 12 medical studies At least 12 medical studies link excessive television link excessive television watching to increasing rates of watching to increasing rates of obesity.obesity.

In 1963, 4.5% of children In 1963, 4.5% of children ages 6 to 11 were seriously ages 6 to 11 were seriously overweight; by 2001, this overweight; by 2001, this percentage had more than percentage had more than tripled.tripled.

TV and Obesity

☞Before graduating high Before graduating high school the average U.S. school the average U.S. child will see 360,000 child will see 360,000 commercials. commercials.

☞By age 65, this number By age 65, this number will expand to two-million will expand to two-million commercials. commercials.

☞The number of The number of commercials in TV commercials in TV programs per hour has programs per hour has been increasing each year.been increasing each year.

TV and CommercialsTV and Commercials

☺We like to be entertained.We like to be entertained.

☺ We like excitement. We like excitement.

☺We like to see handsome men and sexy We like to see handsome men and sexy women. women.

☺We like to vicariously (and safely) We like to vicariously (and safely) experience the experiences of other people. experience the experiences of other people.

☺We like to be drawn into fantasy worlds We like to be drawn into fantasy worlds that we will probably never be able to that we will probably never be able to experience first hand.experience first hand.☺Maybe most of all, we like to passively Maybe most of all, we like to passively relax in front of "the tube," select our relax in front of "the tube," select our vicarious experiences, and let them flood vicarious experiences, and let them flood over us without any real effort on our part.over us without any real effort on our part.

Why We Watch TVWhy We Watch TV