In what way if any, do you think American TV hurts or helps society or the average American? ** To paraphrase.

Question

In reality, TV is not...

** Does TV try to explain the way that american society is ( Helps more than it Hurts ) or does it cuase american society to be more like TV. ( Hurts more than it Helps ).. The above is how I look at the question. Do not be restricted by this paraphrased statement..

Open Thoughts Please.

D'

Answer 1

Interesting question. I think art imitates life, but it's like a funhouse mirror -- you're getting back a distorted image of yourself. With a gazillion channels to choose from, you choose the programming that interests you personally, so really American TV is a reflection not only of American society but of you, personally.
Think of it this way: Let's say that you like a few selected sitcoms, a couple of dramas and one or two reality shows. You watch these shows because they entertain you, and because in one way or another they fit into your personal view of life. You don't watch the Discovery Channel because you think it's too informative and not entertaining enough (this isn't a conscious assessment; your brain decided this before you even picked up the remote). You don't watch VH1 because they don't play the videos you like, but you occasionally will flip onto MTV or CMT. You don't watch the Sci-Fi channel because it's just not your thing. The list goes on, but you see how your personal choices are based on who you are and what you want to see.
Now expand this to a national level. Shows that are watched by a lot of households get high ratings, and the studios see that and dump more money into those shows to keep them going, because they're making the studio money in advertising dollars, since the advertisers buy time in the spots that will give them the most exposure. So on an aggregate level, the shows that are watched by the most people survive, and the ones with lowest ratings eventually get cut from the schedule. So after a certain point in the season, the shows that remain are less a reflection of what life is really like in America and more a reflection of what Americans think is entertaining (just because Fear Factor is still being broadcast does not mean that Americans like eating live cockroaches, right?).
It used to be more relevant when you were stuck with four or five channels to choose from, because your TV habits were funnelled into a limited list of choices, and if you wanted to watch TV on a given night, you sometimes picked the least annoying choice, rather than your favorite. So you got fed a steady diet of whatever societal norm was depicted on the shows you watched -- that's why people got the image of Leave It to Beaver and Ozzie and Harriet as the ideal family and tried to emulate it (with sometimes disastrous results). Now that there are so many more options, you are better able to choose the shows that fit into your personal lifestyle the best, and it goes the other way -- rather than giving you a picture of what your life should be, it is a reflection of your tastes.
I don't think American TV helps or hurts society, specifically, except in terms of how much of it we watch when we could be out doing other things. It might affect how other countries view our society, because they see some of the weird stuff we broadcast and perhaps wonder why we think it's worth putting on the air. It might also hurt because, as always, it glamorizes the beautiful people and makes it appear the norm to look absolutely fabulous -- you don't see too many successful ugly people on TV, only the pretty faces on people who wear clothes the average viewer can't even afford. I guess the final answer is that it only hurts those who allow it to affect how they think and act.

Answer 2

Most of what's offered is mindless, insulting garbage. Even the news is scripted and sanitized - every news station shows the same (biased) report almost at the same time and almost always something depressing (GOTTA be more then this going on in this big old world of ours). There's no longer such a thing as investigative reporting so I don't believe much of what I see now anyway. The media is controlling this society and this society doesn't have a clue. I realize this sounds paranoid - but a case in point is when they do street polls - you never hear a contrasting opinion - it's like everybody agrees with whatever ~ which you've gotta know is impossible - BUT the result is, "if nobody else thinks this is a problem, I guess it isn't."

I also don't like the one-way communication that's going on. Ever try to express an opinion on something you saw on tv? How much time did you have to spend to find an email address or phone number? I've even had them deleted without being read - (my software allows this) - and what recourse does anyone have? This all scares the hell out of me because there's only a select few controlling all the information and information is power - I only wish it scared others too.

Answer 3

I think it all depends on how the person views what is broadcasted and obviously also has to do with age and so level of maturity...sometimes despite age. There are some people who refuse to see the difference between entertainment and themselves (real life). They may end up choosing to recreate negative they see on tv and sad to note that is well known. We cannot rightfully use television as an excuse tho and it should not be presented as such either. Parents play a huge role in this and should do so despite societal drama or their son/daughter. I think if a young child is going to watch even limited children's programming it could be very beneficial to have that be family time that is open for discussion or personal interest based. Anything that is routine should be gone over by the parent before it becomes a 1/2 hr before nap-time everyday. As for older sons and daughters they still need parental imput as well. People discuss when the tv is on anyways...young and old.

There are many positive shows on tv also and some very cool advertisements for products that are already tried and true/new. Actually, a commercial can be presented as a thank-you note to customers also and a well written commercial does just that. I just think writer's and those in the dicision-making chairs are split. Some do what sells due to greed and should consider that they may be looking at things backwards considering that they know how old one has to be to turn a television on and who their audience is young - old. Is the tv being used to prompt negative outcome? It could be but not everyone will get involved with such programming so the same should go for viewers. If advertisers sponser a show or movie that is tacky they're involved with what is showing and that's the bottom line. They can say they didn't write it but they can't honestly say they didn't or don't support it. It also appears that it takes more effort for the slim minded to come up with content that isn't suggestive to children and so possibly writer's plus need to take note concerning their own creativity and responsibility. Obviously writers are starting to do so and that goes for commercials as well.

Answer 4

The Obama administration’s bank- rescue efforts will probably fail because the programs have been designed to help Wall Street rather than create a viable financial system. The Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, isn’t large enough to recapitalize the banking system, and the administration hasn’t been direct in addressing that shortfall, he said. Stiglitz said there are conflicts of interest at the White House because some of Obama’s advisers have close ties to Wall Street. Rather than continually buying small stakes in banks, the government should put weaker banks through a receivership where the shareholders of the banks are wiped out and the bondholders become the shareholders, using taxpayer money to keep the institutions functioning, he said.

Answer 5

TV allows issues that in the past were closeted, to be brought out into the light. In that respect, I believe it to be very helpful. Issues like mental and physical abuse, racism, homosexuality, pedophiles, incest, etc. have all had forums and have seemed to have changed at least some of the people's attitudes toward the victims.
The shows that deal with social issues have made it easier for me to openly voice my opinion, to listen to other opinions and talk about issues that were taboo.
I have always had a problem with churches covering up for their clergy and then carting them off. Letting them go to some unsuspecting parish to do ungodly things. But, there was always someone there to defend the actions of clergy and to blame the victim.
Now that the cat is out of the bag (so to speak) it is probably harder for the clergy to find such easy prey. Because of tv, if even one child is able to save him/herself from these vultures then all the rest is worth it.

Answer 6

I think most programming these days gives a false sense of ideals. Educational tv has taken a back seat to reality television. For the younger generations, I think it hurts a lot more than helps.