Television is the leading cause of violence in today`s society

Asawayofintroduction,itisnecessarytotalkaboutcommunication.
Communicationispartofourlife.Itisaskillwhichcanbedevelopedandestablishedthroughthe
relationshipwithotherpersons.Thecommunicationcanalsobedefinedsuchatoolwhichisusedforour
professional,interpersonalgrowthanddevelopmentofthepersonthroughtheinternalanalysisand
comprehensionofthingswhicharearoundofus.Communicationhasbeenpresentinourlifethrough
time.Itisimportanttoknowthatformanyyearscommunicationhasbeenusedbyhumanityforexpress
ideas,feelings,actionsandthoughts,anywhere,anytimeandwhereveryouwant.
Throughtimenewwaysofcommunicationhasbeencreatedsuchas"Magazines,Newspapers,Television
programs,Radio,InternetanditsdifferentpagesasGoogle,Facebook,Hotmail,Twitter,YouTube,etc,"
whichareusedbyoldersandyoungersinanyplaceoftheworld,forstudying,investigating,knowingnew
people,talkingwithfriendsandrelatives.Thesewaysofcommunicationsarepartoftheevolutionof
technologywhichwascreatedmanycenturiesago,withtheonlypurposeofcommunicateandexpressas
humanbeings.
Televisiononeofthesetypesoftechnologyandrepresentsafundamentaltoolinoursocietyandculture.
Itbroughttheentertainmentrevolution,communicationandspeciallyinthefieldofeducationalsystem
becausethroughthis,wecanhaveandknowthedailynews,globalinformationoftheworld,learnsome
values,howtopreparethedinnerandalotofthingselse.Butalthoughtherearepositiveandbenefit
things,italsohasnegativethingswhicharedangerous.Inotherwordseverybodyknowsthateverything
hasapositiveandnegativeaspect,inthesameway,televisionalsohasadvantagesanddisadvantages,for
thisreasonitisimportanttoknowtheseaspectsformakeabetteruseofpositivethingsandreducethe
frequentuseofthebadthings.
Accordingsomeresearchesthetelevisionhasoneofthehigherlevelsofviolence,inmostofthecases
theseprogramsarewatchingtelevision,itcanbeanegativeinfluenceanditalsoaffectschildrensgrades,
sleepanddailyactivities,forexampletheeducativehabit,ifyouaretryingtostudywiththetelevision
turnonitwillbeevidentthatyoudidnotpayanyattentiontoyourstudies,ontheotherhand,thereare
somecaseswherechildrenbelievethattelevisionshowstherealworld,andtheywanttoimitatetheir
favoritesartistic,thereforetheyhasbeenaddictedtotheTelevision.
AccordingtoGeorgeGerbner,Ph.D:Childrenwhoobserveviolenceontelevisionislikelytoactout
whattheysee,andtothinkthatviolencactsareacceptable.Forthisandotherreasonsisreally
importantthesupervisionofthefamily,becausetheyareresponsibleofthevalues,andbehavioroftheir
children.
47 months ago

Television is the leading cause of violence in today's society

Closed
now a days so many TV shows and so many TV channels are showing violence and crime
reports over TV all our youths and kids are getting spoiled, we see our kids are glued to TV
serials and others they have stopped playing out door games as well, this will all put bad
impact on kids as well as on youths obviously violence increase
47 months ago

Unfortunately much of todays television programming is violent, while Tv violence is not

only cause of aggressive or violent behaviour. television on the effectsof violence in the
media on effects of violence in the media on society from a conservative is doing past year
analysis of the effects of violence on televisio . While this my be partly true to violence.
Finally conclusion is violence shown through movies effect society and criminal activities.
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47 months ago

Yes, it is true, because in most of unwanted and political issues are being shown on first
cum first basis and this is creating disturbance in peoples minds and mindsets
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47 months ago

It is hampering the mind set of school going children as well as adults, as a result of which
they lacking interest in other productive activities.
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0 comments

47 months ago

It is hampering the mind set of school going children as well as adults, as a result of which
they lacking interest in other productive activities.
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0 comments

47 months ago

It is hampering the mind set of school going children as well as adults, as a result of which
they lacking interest in other productive activities.
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47 months ago

Tv has some of its advantages and disadvantages too. Misleading news reflect bad impact
on people and they normally tends to get violent. in addition to this, some of television
shows based on action , politics also create a nasty environment.
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47 months ago

This is partly correct . TV programmes related to crime reports and voilence are in a way
creative awareness for the society on different ways of conducting voilence.
Now a days so many TV shows and so many TV channels are showing violence and crime
reports over TV all our youths and kids are getting spoiled, we see our kids are glued to TV
serials and others they have stopped playing out door games as well, this will all put bad
impact on kids as well as on youths obviously violence increases
yaa TV is the main cause of voilence in the society, we see all the kids watching all the
channels, which is not useful for them, some children were livin at home alone, becoz there
parents are in profession. and they don't have time spent with his child. So child's are move
to TV.
now a days so many TV shows and so many TV channels are showing violence and crime
reports over TV all our youths and kids are getting spoiled, we see our kids are glued to TV

serials and others they have stopped playing out door games as well, this will all put bad
impact on kids as well as on youths obviously violence increases

ersuasive Essay-TV Violence

Many people believe that television violence has a negative effect on society because it
promotes violence. This statement is true. Children in America watch about four hours of
television a day. Television can be a major influence in behavioral growth and forming values.
Sadly, more than 60 percent of television programs contain violence. Studies show that both
children and teens are affected by this in a negative way.
When a child or teen watches a violent program they become more aggressive. Seeing
repetitive violence without a consequence lets children think they too can get away with violent
acts. Less that 5 percent of violent programs show a consequence of using violence. A 9-year-old
boy surrendered after the robbery of a midtown Manhattan bank. His lawyer claimed his crime
was influenced by crime programs on television and that he was only playing when he pointed a
toy gun at a teller at the bank and demanded money.
What a child learns about violence, a child learns for life, says ACT Against Violence.
When a toddler watches television they dont know the difference between fantasy and reality.
This causes the toddler to think what he or she is watching is okay and happens all the time. As
children get older from ages 6 to 11 their views on violence dont change. At this age, children
will start to show aggressive behavior trying to act like their favorite characters. A fifteen year
old boy, Ronny Zamora, shot 83-year-old, Elinor Haggart, at her Miami Beach home in a robbery
in 1977. The boys unsuccessful lawyer argued that violent television shows like Kojak led him
to this murder. The only thing on Zamoras mind during the event was being like his famous
television characters he watches and learns from daily. This was the source that ultimately
influenced him to commit this crime.
Studies show that people who watched violent television as children are more likely to be
violent when they become adults. Seeing these violent programs growing up sticks in the back of
adults heads and makes them a more aggressive person. . Mark Twitchell, 31 years old, is on
trial for murder. He was obsessed with the show Dexter, who was portrayed as a serial killer.

Twitchell wanted to be just like him and planned detailed descriptions of how he was going to
become a serial killer. It was said he did not know the difference between fantasy and reality.
Television does have a negative effect on children and teens nationwide. But, your child
doesnt have to end up violent and aggressive. By monitoring your childs programs, surround
them with physical activities, and teaching them the negative effects of violence, these things can
be avoided.

anonymous

Yes because if children watch "Happy Tree Friends" it is the most violent cartoon channel on
the world (that I have see) and they would start and think that it would be perfect to be very
aggressive and violent. Television also had been the reason why some people could go to
obesity but this goes with fast food.
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7

TV corrupts our children.

Jerome Singer once said, If you came and saw a strange man teaching your kids to punch
each other, or trying to sell them all kind of products, youd kick him right out of the house,
but here you are; you come in and the TV is on, and you dont think twice about it. He is
correct; entertainment television is an especially bad influence on children for many
reasons, including not enough control on violence. These things are quite literally ruining
America by corrupting our next generations leaders, our children.
This year, more American children will die from a fired gun than from children who will die of
asthma, pneumonia, influenza, cancer, and AIDS combined. What does this have to do with
TV? Multiple studies have come to the conclusion that youth who are avid TV watchers
become aggressive adults. A study from the University of Michigan showed that children who
watched violent TV were more inclined to show violent tendencies as adults. According to
that study, men who were high TV-violence viewers as children were significantly more
likely to have pushed, grabbed or shoved their spouses, to have responded to an insult by
shoving a person, to have been convicted of a crime and to have committed a moving traffic
violation. Such men, for example, had been convicted of crimes at over three times the rate
of other men. It also stated that, Women who were high TV-violence viewers as children
were more likely to have thrown something at their spouses, to have responded to someone

who made them mad by shoving, punching, beating or choking the person, to have
committed some type of criminal act, and to have committed a moving traffic violation. Such
women, for example, reported having punched, beaten or choked another adult at over four
times the rate of other women.
The study also reported that the said violence was glorified by being black and white. The
good guys were okay to shoot the bad guys, resulting in a happy ending. This leads to
children trying to be the good guys, by resulting in violence instead of working or talking the
problem out. Another problem is that the bad guys have little to no back-story, with
usually nothing more than a nickname to identify them with. Most of these problems base of
the fact that children under 8 cannot tell the diference between fantasy and reality. Which
covers another topic not censored enough.
In conclusion, television is a sinister vehicle for bad habits of all sorts. How can you prevent
this from happening to you and your families? The answer is simple: limit TV time to two
hours a day. One might be reluctant to do so, but look what the old telly can and will do to
America. As Nicholas Johnson said, All television is educational television. The question is:
what is it teaching? .
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2

Television shaping society.

For decades television has been the main source of mass media who feeds the American
people with lies and illusions. Everything we watch is controlled by the government and we
all know how corrupt our government is. They block any sort of information they don't want
us to know and tell us that everything is under control. Seriously people your children are
getting brainwashed!
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Negative Impact on television

I think violence is displayed too widely on television and the youth see that. I feel like as
much as certain shows are entertaining some people get the wrong idea act out according to

what they see. I think if they had better parental controls and maybe diferent times for
certain previews. At times when children are normally asleep.
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Television is evil!

Famous actress Marlene Dietrich said with the television you are inviting in all the violence,
debauchery, filth, materialism, etc. into your home. Isn't that what you're doing each time
you press the 'On' button? Whatever it is you're watching, that's influencing you whether
you realize it or not! You're feeding your mind with all the filth, vanity, lies and ultimately
wasting your life!
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1

It influences our behaviour.

In a 1977 survey with "TV Guide," out of 208 prisoners, 9 out of 10 admitted that they
learned new tricks by watching crime shows. Four out of 10 admitted that they attempted
the crimes seen on TV.
I don't know what else to put as an example supporting my topic.
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Just Look At The Behaviour

If we look back, even 20 years, how often would we have seen a nine year old wearing
booty-shorts and a v-neck tank top? They are already addicted to social media and are
barely afected by foul language and inappropriate behaviour, simply because they are so
used to seeing it; and for some, participating in these things themselves. But what are they

supposed to think when they turn on the TV and see shows like "Ice Loves Coco" or "16 and
Pregnant"? Many children aspire to be famous, and seeing this behaviour on television leads
them to think that not only is behaving this way acceptable, but also, that if they behave
this way themselves they might be rewarded with fame and the fortune that follows. If
children had a more stable and moral example to follow (not to go as far as rigid educational
television) then their behaviours might be improved.
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A Weakening Fabric of Society

One simple reason, there is no age appropriate television. Reason two, there is no age
appropriate television. Reason three, there is no age appropriate television. Reason four,
there is no age appropriate television. Reason six, there is no age appropriate television.
Reason seven, there is no age appropriate television. Thanks.
Posted by: MrJacobs
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1

Television is showing too much real life wherein children have open access to
everything.

Children can see various negative activities such as drug activity, sex, and murder on just
about any primetime show on television.
Posted by: Pumpkito
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1

Television has a negative influence on society because it portrays so much violence

and cruelty and makes it seem so tidy.

A recent study showed that by the time they graduate from high school, children who watch
TV a normal amount of time will have seen thousands of realistically enacted murders,
beatings, rapes, robberies and terrorism. Shows like "CSI" show graphic scenes of gore that
have desensitized people to the gruesome. Basically, it is hard to shock anyone anymore. I
was on a jury for a murder, and we had to view gruesome autopsy photos and murder scene
photos. Yet all of us immediately flashed to CSI. We had seen it all before. And though we
were not indiferent, we were not traumatized as we would have been if these were new
experiences. Those who say TV is not powerful enough to influence people and that children
understand it is entertainment are kidding themselves. Why do advertisers pay millions for a
30 second TV spot? Because they know that TV can influence our buying decisions, our taste
in clothes and food. TV has made certain behaviors socially acceptable (e.g. the promiscuity
in "Friends" that would have scandalized people only a few years earlier.) TV could work its
power for good, but who will be the arbiter of what is good? We don't want censorship and I
personally love my boob tube. But we need to be aware of the power of seeing scenes that
are totally real and riveting to the viewers (e.g. even adults will get totally involved in Soaps
as if these were real people living these dramatic lives.) Parents can use some parental
controls on their TV's but who is controlling the parents? This is a real issue that must have
some solution that could mitigate the damage being done to harden the hearts and minds of
a generation.

No, people have the right to choose.

TV is just entertainment. It is up to people what influences them. Some people think TV

programs are violent. Well, shows like iCarly on Nickelodeon are for them. They have no
inappropriate scenes. So, you choose whats inappropriate and whats wrong for you or your
family to watch. Dont follow other people: you choose.
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It's up to them.

Everybody has their own conscience that determines what is right or wrong. So if they
choose to watch something, it's up to them whether they want to watch something
inappropriate or not. Just because there are shows out that may not be to your liking, it
doesn't mean that all TV is bad. You can't put a name on TV just because it has a few bad
shows. If you have a problem, don't watch TV. But just because it may go against what you
like doesn't mean you have to go around saying all that stuf! It's your opinion, but that
doesn't mean all TV shows are bad, so keep it to yourself. If you never want to watch TV
again, its up to you. So ha!

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3

As a man thinks he is.

If a man has murder in him Television only lights the spark he has. It is already in him, you
cannot blame an in-animate object for the stupid decisions we make in life. It is ultimately
up to us to decide what we do. Without television we not would know of disasters such as
earthquakes, hurricanes or even tidal waves around the world.
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No it does not.

No, that is like saying there was no violence before this time period of TV. In fact more
violence has been going on due to other things beside TV and games. Many famous people
have played violent games and been successful. Bill Gates played the Super Nintendo and
creates these games that are considered bad.
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1

We are already desensitised, violence brings us back to reality

Human beings have been fighting wars, slaughtering animals, having sex and not caring for
a long time, most of our history in fact. This is not a new phenomenon which has occurred in
the last century. What parent groups consider to be inappropriate is usually reality. I trust
most parents feel no obligation to take their kids to a slaughter house or a petting zoo
before feeding them McNuggets. We're happy for kids to celebrate memorial days for
soldiers but a graphic depiction of war should be restricted to adults. We tell kids not to talk
to strangers or wander of on there own but don't tell them what a child molester is or show
them an actual case of children being kidnapped and murdered, because then you're

"traumatising" your kids. The real world isn't G rated and sooner or later your kids have a
right to learn that.
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The real world is worse

What people see on T.V. is not bad compared to how things are in the real world or what kids
learn in history class about the wars and how mean diferent ethnic group were enslaved. If
you just turn on the news everything bad pops up there or even take the Bible (for all the
Christians) the bible tells about every kind of evil out there. At least when it is on T.V.
everyone knows its fake (except the News or Documentaries) and if parents really don't
want there kids to watch it turn it of don't let them watch it if your that worried. But no kid
is really influenced by something the see on T.V. At least not anything really violent like
killing someone, they are influenced by the world around them the environment they live in
not a moving picture on a screen.
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Television, when viewed appropriately, can actually enhance who we are as people.

I watch a lot of television. Television opens my eyes to diferent cultures, diferent ways of
life, and opposing ideas. I feel like I am actually smarter because of the shows I choose to
watch. Some shows are guilty pleasures, though, and do no good other than to kill some
time. My children also watch a lot of TV. My four year old son can speak some Spanish and
can identify more animals than I can. This is a direct result of the shows he watches. TV also
helped teach him to count, rhyme, and solve riddles and puzzles.
Posted by: TownNoam
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It depends who it is.

I myself love watching T.V. but I know when something is wrong and shouldn't be done. I also
know when to change the channel. I am not limited to such T.V. hours but I know when
enough is enough and start to read a book instead. I also watch anything that can help me
out in school when I get the chance
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it can have both

Most of the arguments for it having a negative afect on society is that the shows are violent
or inappropriate for children, but there are plenty of other shows as well. Who hasn't seen
cooking or music shows or even the news? Things like this benefit the society and should be
watched, so it is your choice on how tv influences you and your children.
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the people who think that tv has a negative impact on society should not watch tv
March 27, 2011

Many people believe that television violence has a negative effect

on society because it promotes violence. Do you agree or disagree?
Use specic reasons and examples to support your response.

Television can be considered as one of the most important inventions of the

last century, which contributes to the break-neck changes happening to our
society. It brings us a brand new approach to information, help disseminating
knowledge and information. Along with the advantages that televisions have
brought to human life since it first appeared in the 1950s of the 20th century,
it also brought about a lot of troubles to our life. Many people believe that
television violence has a negative efect on society because it promotes
violence. To a certain extent, I have to agree with their arguments. There

exist some truth in the argument that there is a link between the violence in
the society and violent scene on TV screen.
For the last few year, along with the development of broadcasting industry, a
lot of movie has been produced and broadcasted on the television. Thanks to
the advent of television, we have a convenient way of education. Movies with
good contents can easily convey almost every moral lesson to our audiences
and make inroads into our audiences behavior. Nonetheless, this merit is
also the disadvantage. The violent images of a film with bad content can be
easily absorbed by the TV viewers, especially the teenagers. Young people
are the ones who are likely to be afected by the violence they have seen on
television. In many places around the world, there are many terribly violent
actions which could be traced back to the violent scenes on the television. I
suppose that all of us were still haunted by the massacre in Virginia
University of Technology in 2007, caused by a Korean boy called Cho Seunghun. 3 years has passed, however, the aftermath of this massacre is still
embed in the minds of many people. There are many evidences showing the
links between Chos actions with some films with a lot of violent scene. The
above-mentioned story is not the only case of violence originating from the
fierce scenes on television. For better profits, directors of many films can
produce any kind of films to adapt to customers preference. There exists
nothing like humanity in such films. The main characters may be the heroes,
however, the ways they exercised the so-called morality are somehow
bloody, and vicious. I often cannot help looking at the screen and often shift
to other channels. Many young boys, however, seems to interested in such
scenes. They think of becoming the heroes of the world by following what
they have seen on TV. Day by day, behaviors become characters, the habits
have the power to shape the personalities of people. What ensues next is not
difficult to guess, which is the escalating crimes happening in the world.
Television Violence

Violence in television, is it turning our children into violent,

destructive, and hateful toddlers. Yes or no? In today's society television
plays such a big role in our everyday lives that it is hard to see if it
effects our children's behavior. Television has the potential of being a very

constructive learning tool, if used correctly. On the other hand if used in a

destructive manner it could, hypothetically, turn our children and future
leaders of tomorrow into deadly hate mongers. I believe that television does
effect the way people think and behave.
In a survey given in 1978 at an unnamed college in Washington D.C., when
asked if what was seen on T.V. effected the way they acted ,2% thought it did ,
7% didn't know and ,91% didn't think it effected them at all(2). In 1993 a
similar survey was given in London by the Broadcasting Standard Council( BSC ).
When people were asked if they thought T.V. effected the way people behaved
41% said yes, 4% left without finishing the survey, and 55% said that they
didn't think it effected the way people acted(14).
As seen in the survey the problem of television violence is being made
more aware to the people of the world. The problem has also grown over the
years to a more serious dilemma making the government start to try and solve
the problem by initiating laws in which television stations must limit violence
on T.V.(6). It is still not enough though the problem must be taken care of
promptly before it changes society as a whole. If the problem is not taken care
of swiftly then it could effect the future of the world by having violence
rampage the streets of our towns.
In the past when television was first invented it was a much happier
time. people could walk on our streets without having to care if they were
going to make it home alive. I'm not trying to say that television is the reason
that society today is so dangerously violent, but as violence on television
evolved so did the violence on our streets. In the past there were not as many
violent T.V. shows if there were even any. Also T.V. was more of a family
recreation, most families could only afford one T.V. set so when children
watched T.V. they were supervised by their family making violence almost an
impossible thing to see if parents were not interested. Today, there are an
average of three televisions per household so it is harder for parents to make
sure their children are watching suitable programs. This also makes it easier
for a child to watch unsuitable violent television shows(7).
In today's society violent acts occur commonly that can be linked to

television or movies. In December of 1993 a young ten year old child after
watching an episode of Beavis and Butthead went into his two year old sisters
room and lit her baby crib on fire. This not only burnt the house down , gave
the ten year old kid serious third degree burns, but also killed the two year
old baby by burning to death(8). Also in October of 1993 after watching a
movie intitled " The Program " a handful of college kids mimicking a scene from
the movie laid down in the middle of a busy intersection and dodged traffic.
This little sheraid killed two of the kids, gave another two serious injuries
which put them in the critical care unit of the hospital for a month before
recovering , and gave one student a fractured collar bone and multiple
fractured ribs(15). Because of these two incidents and many more television
violence has been brought to the attention of the citizens of the world. It has
also grabbed the attention of the United States government. Since these
occurrences the government has strengthened there hold on the collar of the
television stations around the U.S. by making stricter restrictions on T.V.
shows(3).
In the future, The government has put together laws that they would like
to pass to limit television violence. Such rules are 1) A set of 1-800 numbers
for parents to call to get information on T.V. shows that contain violence.
This way the parents can choose or limit the viewing of violent programs for
there children. 2) Also there would be a count of violent incidents in a show
before each program on the television, this would also allow parents to
regulate children's viewing. 3) Violence warnings would be shown before each
show containing violence ( This is already done with most television stations ).
4) The government would monitor promotional spots for violent shows. The
government would prohibit a commercial for violent television shows until an
hour later in the evening when children are asleep. 5) There would also be the
organization of a presidential commission to identify other potential solutions
to television violence. 6) Finally, there would be a disallowance of tax
deductions for the cost of advertising on violent shows(9). Also there is anew
invention out called the V-chip that would be put into all new television sets.
This invention takes signals sent from the television stations, and then
translates them telling the T.V. if there is violence in the television show
being watched. Then if the parents want to program the T.V. set to not show
violent material the T.V. blacks out such material preventing children to

watch(13).
There are many arguments why television can't be completely abolished.
One of these reasons is the constitution. The first amendment states freedom of
speech, this is the biggest reason for television stations to continue
delivering violent programs to are homes through television sets. Any time the
government makes a substantial move towards relieving the problem of television
violence the television stations cry out that it is interfering with their
right to freedom of speech(5). This may be true but where in the constitution
does it state that we can not have the choice to choose what are children can
watch. The T.V. stations believe that it is are right to choose what we watch,
but the best way to do this is not by limiting what the stations can show but
by screening television viewing in the home by the parents. Many people feel
the same way, in a book intitled Classroom Combat teaching and television by
Maurine Doerken she writes that it is not the responsibility of the television
stations to keep children from watching violent shows, but is the
responsibility of the parents to teach their kids to turn such garbage off
themselves(4). Another argument for the television stations is that children
here violent terms and see violence any way so why take it off the air. This
argument states that children at school hear such terms as "drop dead out-fit ",
and " break a leg " so why stop it on television . They also state that at
schools children see fighting and hate between other students so why don't
people try and ban violence at school before they try to ban anything else(1).
Television stations also fight that there is no substantial evidence saying
that violence on television directly effects the way people and children act,
and until there is they refuse to take such violence off the T.V.(11). Although
all these reasons if looking at them from their point of view sound good enough
there are also some very good reasons to put a stop to television violence.
First there are the stated deaths of many adults and children that can
be linked back to a scene from a television show or just the show itself.
Included in these are the ones mentioned earlier in this paper, but there are
also more. Such as: In 1990 when the movie "Natural Born Killers" came out two
kids one male one female went on a killing spree stating they had gotten the
revelation after watching the movie, in which to similar people go around
killing person after person just for fun. Also after the movie "Dracula" was

released three teenage kids in Florida killed a tourist and tried to suck her
blood. There are also many more accounts of incidents such as these all
relating to a movie or television show that contained a violent nature. All
these violent occurrences and yet television stations see no direct relation
between them and television? Another thing is that when the constitution was
written there was no such thing as television, so how can that be used as an
excuse to keep violence on television(12). T.V. stations also suggest that it is
not there responsibility to teach children what is right and wrong, but it is
the responsibility of the parents. This may be true but with so many families
with two working parents it is almost an impossible feat to regulate what their
children watch, so there has to be some kind of regulation on the violence to
keep the children from getting these horrible ideas in their head. Television
violence is a problem, there is no possible way to say that it isn't. We have
to stop that problem, and the only way to do so is to put tougher restriction's
on television stations.
There is no doubt that television and movies can be used to help
children as a learning tool. In New Mexico, an organization offers entertaining
alternatives to television violence, to families afflicted by violence. This
organization puts video's out so parents can give their children something to
watch other than the violent material on television(10). Organizations such as
these are great. They are trying to help the youth of today before the problem
gets to big.
In conclusion, I hope that this information given can help show the
problems with television violence. It is said that by the time children
graduate from high school they would have seen eight-teen thousand murders or
other violent acts on television(10). That is to many acts of violence to not
effect the way children or adults behave. There must be something done before
it's to late, and our children grow up violent, non-caring, hate filled people.
We must stop it now or in the future, our future leaders who are the generation
X , who learned from watching television well be terrible people doing terrible
things around the globe. It is not to late we just have to get busy and make
things right, starting now.

Television Violence
The article Television Violence: The Power and the Peril is an article written by George Gerbner in 1994
that covers information about television violence over a period of twenty one years. Gerbners purpose in
this article is to address the audience about the problems that exist in television today. This article covers
a very big controversy that has brewed up in our society. The controversy is that there is way too much
violence on television, and therefore it could be affecting the way that we think and act on a regular basis.
In this article Gerbner presents the audience with poll results and statistics about what we actually see on
television.
I thought Gerbners article was a very affective piece about television violence. Although I thought this
article seemed to a little repetitive and confusing at times, I think Gerbner does a good job in presenting
the audience with bunches of facts about what we are actually watching on our television. The most
appealing thing about this article in my opinion is the fact that the study in this article was a study that
took over twenty years. In twenty one years of research, someone can get a real feeling of what is actually
happening. Gerbner is real effective in getting his point across about the abundance of violence on
television.
Cherry 2
First, I think Gerbner is most affective in this article with the facts and evidence from the Cultural
Indicators project (CI), which began in 1967. This shows that by 1994 its computer archive contained
observations on 2,816 programs and 34,882 characters coded according to many thematic, demographic
and action categories (Gerbner 15). From this study they were able to break down characters in shows
from their behavior, their ethnic background, or even their social status. This study shows that average
viewer of prime time television drama sees in a typical week an average of 21 criminals arrayed against
an army of 41 public and private law enforcers. There are 14 doctors, 6 nurses, 6 lawyers, and 2 judges to
handle them (Gerbner 16). To go with these characters, there is an average of 150 acts of violence and
about 15 murders (Gerbner 16) that happen every week.
Gerbners article is also affective because he does not fail to leave anything out. Every counter
argument that could be derived from this article, I think is covered by Gerbner. He is very precise on the
way that he organizes his information. There are many variables that Gerbner uses to make his
information affective. I thought that a very good comparison was when Gerbner compared heavy viewers
of television compared to light viewers of television. This study proved to be effective because it showed
that heavier viewers in every subgroup express a greater sense of apprehension than do light viewers in
the same groups (Gerbner 17).
Gerbner wraps up the last remaining paragraphs of this article by presenting us with results from
numerous public opinion polls. A Times-Mirror national poll in 1993 showed that Americans who said they

were personally bothered by violence in

Cherry 3
entertainment shows jumped to 59% from 44% in 1983 (Gerbner 22). From these public opinion polls we
can assess that Gerbner is not alone on his belief that there is too much violence on television.
All in all the article Television Violence: The Power and the Peril is a very effective piece. The facts,
the polls, and all of the studies that were done over the twenty one years are the components that make
this an effective article. This article proves that things we watch on television are indeed affecting people.
Right now there is no way to block what is shown on television. The only advance that has been made is
the ratings system that comes up on the corner of your screen before the program comes on. Until
something else happens it will be up to the parents to monitor what is seen on television
Violence and Television
In todays society, television violence is shaping the way our children behave, making them prone to
violence and abuse as they get older. Living in a world where the majority of our entertainment is
television, it is very likely that we would become more immune to the physical and damaging acts of
damaging force committed. Violence is all over our media but mostly on the TV. Parents should monitor
what their children are watching closely, so that their behavior does not become more destructive at; even
at the age of 5.
History shows that some of the first violent acts were noticed in the 1950s. They say that even back then
a lot of television was filled with destructive acts. From talking to my grandparents television was not as
much of a necessity as we believe it to be today. Being the society that has to be entertained around the
clock, we just do not think about what is going into our childrens heads. It seems to affect children more,
because their behavior patterns are still developing, and are very vulnerable, and we dont want them to
develop into what they see on TV.
Children who watch television a lot of the time become less aware to the pain and suffering of other
people around them. If they are always in front of the tube, and just sit there, and soak in all of that bad
stuff they are seeing, they become not as aware as they should be. When terrible acts of violence happen
in the childrens life that do watch a lot of TV, they are not as aroused by the acts going on in front of
them. It is not as disturbing as it would be for a child who does not watch a lot of violent television. A study
was shown that a child who had watched a violent television show such as The Power Rangers, rather
than a nonviolent show like My Little Pony, were slower getting involved when they saw a younger child
getting beat up or playing destructively.
Instead of children taking action, or getting involved if they are old enough, they are more fearful of the
things going on around them. If a child watches a lot of violence, when a violent or destructive situation
came up they might be afraid to take action. They could be fearful that they would get hurt. In this case,

we need to let our children know that if there is a dangerous situation that they should be brave enough to
go and tell an adult or someone in authority. If they are too afraid to even help, situations may turn for the
worse, if their not stopped at an early enough age.
The third reason we should monitor what our children watch more , is when they get so used to watching
violence, anything else they watch is not exciting enough for them. They get so used to watching violent
things on television, they are going to need something more exciting. Violence could be anything from
murder, to rape, to robbing. So do we want our children to get excited by watching someone being raped
on the television? What kind of world is this coming to if our children are excited to see someone killed on
TV?
Even with all of the violence going on in our media today, we have to remember that not all of it is bad. Or
we just can not help the violence that is in the news or the newspapers. Violence happens in our world
everyday, but we are the ones that need to protect out children from certain types of violence, such as
killing, or hurting people in unnecessary ways.
I am not a mother yet, but I watch plenty of children to know that even without watching all of the violent
things on TV, that they can be rough. I can not even imagine what they would be like if they did spend a
lot of time in front of the television. I know that when I am a mother that I will be a great mediator of what
my children watch. If television is shaping the way our children behave, I do not want my children watching
it. Children should always be able to watch plenty of TV. Just make sure you know the kind of television
they are putting into their heads.
In today's society television plays a big role. People watch T.V. for
many different reasons. People watch T.V. mainly for entertainment, they also
watch T.V. to learn, and to find out news. Some people watch T.V. and get the
wrong idea about what they're watching, they feel that what they are watching
is okay to do. Violence is a major factor, it affects people of ages. The worst
outcome of T.V. is that it sends out the wrong messages. Some people get bad
ideas from the violence on T.V. Although violence on television is not the
greatest thing, it should be not be banned or restricted in any way.
Most people watch T.V. to get away from reality. Watching shows that
depict a fantasy world are a lot more interesting to watch. People don't want to
see things that happen to them on a regular bases. Although sometimes seeing
something that has happened to you before may be funny. Watching T.V. relieves
stress and can be good for your health. Doctors say that laughing is good for
your health.

Violence on T.V. is a very debatable issue. Some people say that it is

totally wrong and that it should be banned. Most people like the violence and
find it to be very entertaining. Parents find it very hard to restrict their
kids from watching violent television programs. The child would want to watch
that program twice as much just because their parents said not to watch it. The
child would be curious to find out what is so wrong about the program. Some
people get the wrong messages or get bad ideas from watching some shows. If
parents were to educate their children before watching shows like "Mighty
Morphan Power Rangers", " X-Men" and "Cops" , then they wouldn't have to worry
about their child getting wrong messages. Television shows also send out wrong
messages to adults too. People that watch shows like "Cops" may and try the
violent acts that are shown on this show.
T.V. can a very strong influence and can have a major affect on the ways
we see things. Some people feel that violence on television should be banned.
Other people feel that it is entertaining. The people behind the whole thing
feel that whatever the majority wants, it's what they're going to get.
Acts of minors killing minors across our nation is sadly becoming trendy and familiar. School shootings
are tragic and yet that is all that is said about them. It seems as though words of action to stop such
tragedies are just that. Educated experts study reasons why such crimes take place, but the findings are
rarely put into action. The violence and content that the media of the United States displays to children
causes hidden irreversible damage that most deny. What it would take to minimize the spread of school
shootings is simple and the results would surprise American society. The content of movies, music, and
other forms of entertainment have a serious effect on children because media inadvertently trains their
minds for violence and needs to be stopped.
Almost two years has passed since the most brutal and televised school shooting occurred in Colorado
at Columbine High School. Dozens of threats and killings have occurred since then and yet no action to
prevent such out brakes has been taken. The great majority of people in this country are concerned and
responsible adults who want a safe environment for themselves and for children. Even though adults and
the majority of society are "concerned" it seems this problem is expanding and getting out of control
(Charry 1998).
In extremely recent current events of this past week the spreading trend has come to pass yet again. In
the suburb of Santee, California a 15- year- old high school freshman shot and killed two classmates and
wounded 13 others. The shooter, Charles "Andy" Williams smiled as he reloaded the revolver with only
revenge on his mind. Hopefully this event, among several others, will spark the call for more gun control

for the sake of the children and future generations. Because of the right to bear arms, it is possible for
anyone old enough to walk to have access to destructive weapons. Andy had access in his own home
with plenty of ammunition. The result is a breeder of violence has been released to the rest of America's
children ("Tragedy at Santee" 2001).
"Threats of school violence surfaced in New Mexico on the wake of recent school shootings in other parts
of the country" ("Several New Mexico Schools Threatened With Violence" 2001). Personally my heart
breaks with the news that the schools my friends and family, work and learn in are filled with the fear of
being killed. The article I read from a New Mexico news station where bomb threats and weapon reports
in schools across our state alone proved the ripple affect that televised violence causes. "Elementary
students were even affected Wednesday when a man left a message on the answering machine at El
Dorado Elementary saying he was going to blow up the school" ("Several New Mexico Schools
Threatened With Violence" 2001). Statements like that create the fear in me as well as others that my
younger brothers and their generation have to fear, simply getting an education that could cost them their
life. "It scares me to death that I'm sending my child to a school and in light of getting an education, I
may end up burying her" (Donohue 1999).
Video games and media violence may not appear to teach children to kill on the surface but, because of
the way a mind develops, media is the leading cause. Media violence is being presented as entertainment
for children and the hidden consequence of this fact is the catastrophic result of death. Soldiers have to
be trained to kill and in several ways this training is similar to the way a child's mind is trained to kill
through media violence. The training methods that the military uses such as classical conditioning,
brutalization, and operant conditioning are the same methods media trains children beginning as young
as 18 months. These training aspects are where solutions to preventing and reversing can begin.
You should be aware that kids this age (under 6) are particularly scared of things that change suddenly
from the ordinary to the grotesque. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, have found that
preschoolers are far more disturbed by the transformation into the Incredible Hulk than by the movie Jaws
(Levine 1996).
Brutalization involves the taking away of individuality and goes the most unnoticed. As Infants mimic what
is on television, mentally and physically they begin to become unable to separate fantasy and reality.
When a child is exposed to bloodshed on television, on video games, and in song lyrics violence is
embraced and to them soon becomes real. Classical conditioning teaches children to correlate violence
with gratification, death related to comedy, and human agony with laughter. I see something wrong with
this picture and wonder how this all came to be. Operant conditioning prepares children in a way that even
though they may be fearful, they still do exactly what they have been conditioned to do. In all reality this is
precisely how the media prepares a child's mentality to be a trained assassin right in front of our very eyes
(Grossman 2000).
Several precautions exist currently to help with the media violence issue and there are various more

things that can still be done. Parental advisory labels, television rating systems, movie ratings, and video
game content labels are fluent and abundant. Unfortunately, several items of restricted material are in the
hands of an underage possessor due to the lack of enforcement. I doubt that various people take this
issue seriously, and the majority of parents are not involved in a child's life enough to know the type of
content their child is being exposed to. Parents and adults who own weapons that a child at any age can
have access to is just begging for some type of disastrous accident to occur. Future generations need
more enforcement and protection from media violence.
The content of television is becoming increasingly vulgar and makes me wonder if all of it is even
necessary. Murder, rape, sex, profanity, crimes of all varieties as well as abuse are displayed on
television, in movies and in music just for the purpose of entertainment. The media would help the
violence explosion by editing content in the things children are the main supporters of. The damage that
violent and vulgar content execute on children should not be ignored or denied for one life is to many to
lose because of violence.
Media and its content along with the American people can help to exterminate and replenish the damage
violence has positioned in our nation's children. Making the growing generations a less traumatized one
should be a goal for all of the United States. Content of entertainment that inadvertently harms the minds
of children is training them for violence and needs to be put to a halt.

Works Cited
Charry, Dana and Ellen Charry. "The Crisis of Violence." The Christian Century Journal. V.115 no. 20.
First search: Wilson Select. 17 Feb. 2001.
Donohue, Elizabeth, Vincent Schiraldi, and Jason Zindenberg. "School house hype: kids' real risks." The
Education Digest. V. 64 no. 6. First search: Wilson Select. 17 Feb. 2001.
Gardels, Nathan. "Does rock wreck families." New Perspectives Quarterly. V. 15 no. 3. First search:
Wilson Select. 17 Feb. 2001.
Grossman, Dave. "Teaching Kids To Kill." National Forum: Phi Kappa Phi Journal. V. 80 no. 4. First
search: Wilson Select. 5 Feb. 2001.
Kaminer, Wendy. "Toxic Media." American Prospect. V. 11 no. 22. First search: Wilson Select. 7 Mar.
2001.
Levine, Madeline. "Handling the 'boo tube'." Diss. New York, N.Y. Parents. V. 71. First search: Wilson
Select. 17 Feb. 2001.
Lynch, Patrick G. "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing: what we know about the role of the media in
state politics." Perspectives on Political Science. V. 29 no. 2. First search: Wilson Select. 7 Mar. 2001.
Napier, Kristine M. "Antidotes to pop culture poison." Policy Review Journal. No. 86. First search: Wilson
Select. 17 Feb. 2001.

Shapiro, Joseph P. "Teenage Wasteland." U.S. News and World Reports. V. 119. First search: Wilson
Select. 17 Feb. 2001.
"Several New Mexico Schools Threatened With Violence." Editorial. Eyewitness News Channel 4. 8 Mar.
2001.
"Tragedy at Santee." House Editorial. The Washington Times. 7 Mar. 2001.
The effects of television violence and children can vary according to the child. There are various effects,
both physical and psychological, that can occur. First of all, the child, through his years of watching
television, may develop the concept that violence is a way to solve problems. The watching of these
television shows is where most of the children pick up this aggressive mindset they have. It is to be said
that eighty percent of what you learn when you are a child, is from what you see. That in it can become
very dangerous to the child in many ways.
Secondly, the child may have a favorite character he or she looks up to, who may have a violent role in the
cartoon. Seeing their favorite cartoon character kill another character may give an impression that it?s
funny and is okay to so the same. The bright colors from cartoons simply catch the child?s eye. . The
viewing of violence does not make the child violent, but it kind of tells them that it is acceptable for their
favorite cartoon character to hurt others.
There have been researches that have shown that the estimated child, once passed elementary, will have
been introduced to eight thousand murders, and more than one hundred-thousand acts of some sort of
violence on television. Those numbers show a dramatic change in the way television shows have
increased their violence rate. With numbers like these, violence can be extremely harmful to a child. In
recent studies it has been proven that once children are put in front of a television, their concentration
cannot be broken or wrecked. Most children who watch these violent shows have been less patient, more
aggressive, and more likely to have lower grades than the children who watch television shows like Mr.
Rogers. The more the child watches these violent shows, the faster he or she will unnaturally speed up
the impact of the adult world. Also, it causes them to have more distrust in others. These effects can be
long lasting or
even worse, never ending. Others see television violence as an unhealthy intrusion into a child?s learning
process. If that occurs, there whole learning process can ruin there whole future in school, because of the
disruption it causes.

Since its introduction, television has increased in popularity to such

an extent that the TV has become the electronic member of the family. The TV
can hypnotize us and lure us into worlds of fantasy and adventure as we escape

from our worries and cares. It can also inform us and bring us up to date on
the latest news. The TV can be a teacher, a friend, and a source of knowledge
and information, or it can have a negative effect on our behavior. No matter
what effect television has on a person, it is often possible to know someone's
lifestyle by observing the way he watches TV.
When the television was first introduced, critics claimed that it would
be mind numbing, addictive, and utterly passive. These critics were describing
the stereotypical TV watcher, the Addict. As his name implies, this person's
life revolves around watching television. TV is like a drug to him, and he
cannot get enough of it. He epitomizes the couch potato and the boob in boob
tube, and can often be described as intellectually empty, especially while he is
watching TV. The Addict lives hand to mouth from the potato chip bag. He is
lazy and will often go for hours without moving from the television.
If the Addict is not glued in front of the TV, he is most likely to be
found paging through his latest issue of TV guide, carefully selecting the shows
which he will watch that week and marking them off with a highlighter. On an
average day the Addict will come home from work or school, put off all
responsibilities, and escape into the world of TV. In this world, the Addict
has no demands or responsibilities. The TV becomes his only focus of attention,
and all of his energy goes into staring at the TV. While watching one of his
favorite shows, the Addict becomes totally oblivious to the world around him.
He will not answer his phone, talk to his family or friends, or do anything else
which may distract from his viewing pleasure. He lives to watch TV.
Just as the Addict emerged with the invention of the TV, the Surfer
arose with the invention of the remote control. When a Surfer sits down to watch
television, he first grabs the remote before anyone else can get to it. He
turns on the TV with the remote, and it does not leave his grasp until he is
finished watching. He is constantly changing the channels and will pause on a
particular show only for a moment. The Surfer is a person who likes to be in
control, and the ability to change the channel at any instant gives him the
power for which he hungers. If he walks into a room where people are already
watching TV, he will do his best to take control of the remote, stealing it out
of another person's hand when necessary. While a Surfer is watching TV, others
in the room will often shout phrases such as, this looks good, this is my
favorite show, leave it here, or Hey! I was watching that!; however, the
Surfer will ignore all of these pleas.

In fact, a Surfer will usually be changing the channels so fast that

non-Surfers will not even be able to see what they are missing. To the Surfer,
changing the channels on the TV is an art form. He knows whether what he sees
is interesting or dull the second that he sees it, which allows him to quickly
pass over anything he does not want to watch. He knows all of the best stations
on his cable TV and has each channel number memorized so that he will never be
found sitting through a boring commercial. Instead, this interactive watcher
will be constantly changing the channels until he finds the show of most
interest. He will then leave the TV on this channel for a brief period during
which he becomes part of what he is watching, often talking back to the people
on the show. Unlike the passive Addict who sits immobilized in front of the
television, the Surfer is an interactive watcher who loves the power and control
which he feels when he holds the remote in his hand.
TV watchers who are neither Addicts nor Surfers will most likely fall
into the category of Non-Watching watchers. This type of watcher is a person
who leads a very busy life and likes to do many things at once; therefore, he
will often have the TV on even if he is not mesmerized by it. It is even
possible for a person to change the channel on the TV without him noticing. For
the Non-Watcher, the TV is just one area of interest among many others. He
involves himself simultaneously in several activities by alternately
reassigning and prioritizing his attention to his many areas of focus.
The Non-Watcher has been around since the introduction of TV, but has
not been as widely recognized as he is in this era of multimedia. In the past,
the Non-Watcher was the housewife who would have the TV on while she was taking
care of her children and doing chores around the house. Although her main focus
would not be on the TV for the majority of her time, this did not mean that she
would turn off the TV. Rather, she would go about her business taking care of
her children, cooking, and cleaning, and during the short periods when she had
the opportunity, she would watch the TV to catch something of interest.
In this modern day of multimedia there is an increasing number of NonWatching watchers. We live in a society in which our televisions are always
turned on. It is not uncommon for a television to be turned on though nobody is
watching it. Because of this, children are growing up accustomed to always
having the TV on. With the increasing popularity of new technology such as
video games, compact disc players, and computers, children are becoming even
more accustomed to being involved in several activities at the same time. An

average student may come home from school, turn on the TV, put on their favorite
CD, talk on the phone, and do their homework all at the same time. The NonWatcher's attention shifts to and from the TV, including it, but not excluding
the other activities.
The Addict, Surfer, and Non-Watcher watch TV in three totally different
ways, which correspond to the lifestyles they lead. The Addict tends to be lazy
and mindless, often sitting for hours at a time in front of the boob tube. The
Surfer, who loves to be in control, enjoys a much more active form of watching
television as he talks back to the TV and quickly changes the channels against
the will of those around him. Finally, for the Non-Watcher, TV is just one of
a multiplicity of activities which he enjoys. Although watching television may
seem like nothing more than a common form of recreation, it can actually be an
indication of the lifestyle a person leads.

Effects of Television Violence on Children and Teenagers

Does violence on television have a negative effect on children and teenagers? The violence shown on
television has a surprisingly negative effect. Television violence causes children and teenagers to become
less caring, to lose their inhibitions, to become less sensitive, and also may cause violent and aggressive
behavior.
Television violence causes children and teenagers to be less caring, to lose their inhibitions, and to be
less sensitive. In a study on the connection between violence and television done with 1,565 teenage
boys over a six-year period in London, William Belson, a British psychologist, found that every time a child
saw someone being shot or killed on television they became less caring towards other people (Kinnear
26). William Belson also discovered that every time a child viewed this violence on television, they lost a
fragment of their inhibitions towards others (Kinnear 26). In addition to William Belsons study, studies
done by many scientists and doctors show that seeing violence on television causes viewers to become
less sensitive to the pain of others (Mudore 1).
Furthermore, television violence causes aggressive behavior in children. Many people believe that
children who watch violent television programs exhibit more aggressive behavior than that exhibited by
children who do not (Kinnear 23). According to the results of many studies and reports, violence on
television can lead to aggressive behavior in children (Langone 50). Also, when television was introduced
into a community of children for the first time, researchers observed a rise in the level of physical and
verbal aggression among these children (Langone 51). The more television violence viewed by a child,
the more aggressive the child is (Children 1).
Television violence is also a cause of both violent and aggressive behavior in teenage boys. According to
the evidence in a study done by Turner, Hesse, and Peterson-Lewis, it was concluded that watching
television violence had a long-term increase in aggression in boys (Hough 1). In addition to this study, Dr.

William A. Belson evaluated fifteen hundred boys, aged thirteen to sixteen years, and he determined that
boys with heavy television exposure are more likely to commit violent acts than other boys (Langone 51).
In Belsons study, he discovered that the effect of each violent act on television was collective, and over
time, Belson discovered that the boys engaged in many aggressive acts, including painting graffiti,
breaking windows, aggressive play, swearing, and threatening other boys with violence (Kinnear 26).
Furthermore, violence shown on television may cause violent behavior in both children and teenagers.
The Federal Government concluded that high levels of television violence could lead to violent behavior in
children (Kinnear 24). Surgeon General C. Scott Everett Koop reported that exposure to violence on
television is a factor in childhood violence (Langone 49). Also, George Comstock, a leading authority on
the effects of violence in television and film, found in studies he reviewed, that watching television
violence increased the level of violent behavior in children (Kinnear 27).
Television violence causes children and teenagers to become less caring, to lose their inhibitions, to
become less sensitive, and also may cause violent and aggressive behavior. Television violence has been
around for a very long time and this violence that is shown on television must be stopped. Parents should
take action in their communities to bring about the lessening of television violence by writing a letter to
their cable company, starting a petition, and by limiting the television programs their children view.

One has only to turn on the TV to observe the growing proliferation of violent and
aggressive content in today's media. A regular offering includes daytime talk shows,
some of which are characterized by blatant emotional, psychological, and physical
abuse by panel guests toward each other. WCW (World Champion Wrestling) is
viewed by a growing number of Americans, many of whom include young children
and adolescents who watch along side of their parents. Network news is littered
with graphic renderings of murders, kidnappings, traffic accidents, international
war scenes, and the like of which violence is the key component.
Prime time TV sports a number of shows that promote violence as a sanctioned
means for settling conflicts. The good guys kill the bad guys, most often with an
arsenal of weaponry that has become a commonplace possession for today's TV
characters. How does all of this affect our children? What do we know about the
impact of TV violence on our children's values, attitudes, and behavior? Actually, we
know a lot.
There is a growing body of research that has tackled these very questions, and the
results are in. TV violence can negatively effect our children on a number of levels.
Let's begin with some general statistics, and then I will review the main research
that has been conducted along with their findings.

Statistics
The Nielson data collected in 1993 reveals that the American child watches TV 21 to
23 hours per week. On the average this includes about 2 hours per day for
children up to the age of five, about 4 hours per day for children between the ages
of five and twelve, and then viewing drops off to 2 to 3 hours during adolescence.
Furthermore, 98% of American households have TVs, making television the single
most important source of media in the lives of children and adolescents.
In terms of violent content, prime time portrays 3 to 5 violent acts per hour, and
children's Saturday morning programming offers 20 to 25 violent acts per hour.
According to a report from the American Psychiatric Association (1996), adolescents
will have viewed 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence by the age
of 18. Worse yet, the current portrayal of violence is highly graphic and realistic,
offering anatomically detailed simulations of killings, maiming, and other physically
violent acts. At the same time, violent acts go unpunished 73% of the time. The
"good guy" is often the perpetrator of violence, which sends the message that
violence is justified and a viable method for dealing with problems.

Primary Effects of TV Violence

The research on the effects of TV violence have been summarized by the National
Institute of Mental Health (1982): " . . . violence on television does lead to aggressive
behavior by children and teenagers who watch the programs. This conclusion is
based on laboratory experiments and on field studies. Not all children become
aggressive, of course, but the correlations between violence and aggression are
positive."
NIMH goes on to say that there are two other deleterious effects of TV violence on
children:
(1) Chronic exposure to violent depictions can cause desensitization to violence.
This means that children may become more willing to accept violence from others
as well as perpetrate violent acts themselves.
(2) Overexposure to violence, and particularly realistically portrayed violence, may
lead children to believe that the world is primarily a dangerous and unsafe place.

They may begin to overestimate the possibility that they will be victims of violence,
leaving them with undue anxiety and stress.

Research Findings
There are a number of studies that have linked the viewing of TV violence with
aggressive behavior. One of the earliest and most well-known studies was
conducted by Bandura in 1963. He had a group of children view a TV video of a
model who kicked and punished an inflated plastic doll. After the viewing, the
children were placed in a playroom with other children who had not seen the video.
Those that saw the video displayed significantly more aggressive behavior than
those who didn't.
A second study (Liebert & Baron, 1972) confirmed Bandura's findings. This study
investigated children's willingness to hurt other children after viewing aggressive TV
programs. Two groups of children watched a different TV program, one of which
had aggressive content and one of which was neutral. Those who saw the
aggressive program (The Untouchables) were found to be more willing to hurt
another child after viewing the program than those who watched the neutral
program (a track race).
Several other studies found that the same held true for viewing violent cartoons,
and additionally that children were less likely to share their toys after viewing
violent cartoons. One of the most convincing studies compared the incidence of
aggressive behavior among children both before and two years after TV was
introduced into the Canadian community where they resided (Joy, Kimball,
Zabrack ,1986; Williams, 1986). There was a significant increase in both physical and
verbal aggression after two years of viewing TV. What's important about this study
is that it was easier to isolate the variable being tested, which was the effect of TV,
since television had never previously been available to these children.
Other studies have focused more on the question as to whether all children have
the same reactions to TV violence. For a long time, it was believed that only certain
types of children and adolescents were adversely affected by violent programming.
These are termed high trait aggressive individuals, or those whose personalities are
characterized by aggressive tendencies. These children seem to be aroused (or
excited) by aggression. They seek out aggressive television programming more than
other children, and are more prone to be adversely effected by viewing it. In fact,
high aggression children view action and adventure TV programming four times as

often as low aggression children (Singer & Singer, 1986). These same children have
also been found to be more prone to aggressive behavior toward other kids as a
result of viewing televised violence.
Most researchers agree that aggressive children and adolescents are more prone
to the negative effects of TV violence than those who are not aggressive. However,
many studies such as the Canadian study show that all children are susceptible to
harm from exposure to TV violence.
Moreover, the harm is much greater for children who are preadolescent, especially
those younger than eight years of age. This is because children younger than eight
still may have some difficulty in separating fantasy from reality. Further, these
children have not yet developed enough abstract thinking to be able to evaluate
what they see and measure it against reality. They are more in what I call the
"sponge" stage. That is, they tend to soak up what they are exposed to rather than
analyze and evaluate their exposure and experience.
One study was able to make an important link between heavy viewing of TV
violence by 8-year-olds with serious criminal behavior by the same group at the age
of 30 (Huesmann, Eron, Lefkowitz & Walder, 1984). At the same time, this
correlation did not hold true for 18-year-olds who preferred TV violence, i. e., the
18-year-old group did not display any significant increase in aggressive behavior
resulting from viewing violent programming. This study verifies that younger
children are likely to experience more profound negative effects from viewing TV
violence, especially a steady diet of it, than are older teens who have some capacity
for evaluating what they see and for distinguishing fantasy from reality.
The final finding has do to with the effects of chronic exposure to TV violence as
opposed to the occasional viewing. According to a study conducted by Bushman
(1998), it has been found that when we view violent programming, we store in
memory a perceptual and cognitive representation of the event. That means we
can draw it up in our thoughts, and also visually. Then when we are in a real
situation that is similar to the memory we have stored (the violent vignette we saw
on TV), that memory is activated and the memory or script becomes available to
us. This fits in with the research on 8 year-old-boys. At a much later age, the violent
vignettes they had stored in their memories were pulled up and activated when
they were adults and influenced their behavior. They were in fact more aggressive.
Bushman's research takes this a step further. He believes that chronic exposure to
TV violence results in chronic accessibility to these stored memories, which he calls

"primed aggressive constructs." In other words, the more exposure to TV violence,

and the younger the child, the more harm done.

What Parents Can Do

In trying to decide what steps to take to protect your children from the negative
effects of TV violence, it is important to realize that in today's modern culture they
will be exposed to a certain amount of this type of programming even if they don't
see it at home. So we must adjust ourselves to that reality and figure out what can
be done in view of that. We suggest the following:

Restrict TV Time
Try and restrict television time to one or two hours per day, however, keep in mind
that quantity is not as much an issue as quality. In other words, it's what is watched
more than how much is watched that is most important.

Preview ahead.
Preview ahead programs that your kids want to watch and make an informed
decision as to whether they are appropriate or not.

Select approved videos over network

programming.
Substitute your children's favorite videos for network programming. Most kids like
to watch favorite videos repeatedly.

Discuss violent content with your children.

Frankly discuss any violent content with your children. Be sure that they have a firm
grasp on the difference between fantasy and reality. Focus on the suffering caused
by violence as opposed to messages that portray violence as acceptable. Research
has found that one of the best ways of avoiding the negative effects of TV violence

on children is to involve them in discussions about how children can be fooled or

hurt by what they see on television.

Select pro-social prgramming.

Encourage viewing of pro-social and educational TV programming. Some research
suggests that viewing television programs that enhance learning, teach moral
lessons, and model caring behavior (such as Mister Rogers' Neighborhood) can be a
positive influence.

Turn off the TV.

Find alternatives to watching TV. Encourage reading, participation in sports or
extracurricular activities, or simply more creative play that occurs when the TV is
off.

Avoid using TV for babysitting.

Don't use television as a babysitter. This is sometimes hard, especially for working
parents. It's quite tempting to sit kids in front of the TV so you can get dinner on the
table, or attend to chores that need to be done, or even have a few moments to
yourself. Be sure that the TV viewing is going to be a positive experience for your
child no matter what the circumstances.

Be an involved parent.
Finally, and this is probably the most important one - you want to be sure that you
have a close relationship with your child that is nurturing and caring. You must
spend adequate positive time together. Also, take the time to teach the values you
want them to internalize. Help them learn to solve problems and conflicts through
nonviolent means and effective communication. Children who have strong
attachments to their parents, and feel loved and secure in those relationships, are
much less likely to be negatively effected by television than those who feel isolated
and neglected. Be sure that you are the primary influence in your child's
development rather that the TV.

Violence in the 20th century has proven to be an increasing social problem. Younger
and younger youths are expressing themselves by committing the most heinous crimes.
With this rise in youth related violence, society as a whole has begun to point the finger.
Everyone and everything under the sun has been placed under the proverbial spotlight.
Our quickness to place the blame and resolve the problem promptly has resulted in
blaming one major aspect of society in America. The Entertainment
An Analysis Of J. Michael Bishop's "Enemies Of Promise"
An Analysis of J. Michael Bishop's "Enemies of Promise" Contents I. Prologue: A War of Ideologies II. The Antagonists: Zealots, Ignorants,
and Other Assorted Annoyances III. The Battles: The Result ...

Industry has been singled out as the number one cause of violent behavior. By placing
the blame solely on media, we are disregarding thousands of different social problems
and regarding any "study" as true testament. In order to come to grips with this problem
we must, as a whole, recognize and evaluate every aspect of what causes violence. In
doing so, we will find that the media is not the leading cause of reality based violence,
but a combination of
Violence In The Media: Effects On Society
Violent behavior of individuals may be linked to media violence. There are a number of different ways that people can be influenced by media
violence. Who will be affected, by ...

many different factors. With the introduction of media and with the introduction of
television in 1945, the world has been united in a very beneficial way. As the years
progressed, events of the world have been able to be broadcast around the globe. Last
nights problems in China are now known around the world. Famine and disease in third
world countries are affecting people half way around the globe. As televisions became
increasingly more popular and were becoming much more
Violence On Children's Tv
Media is a powerful communication tool in society. We learn many things about everyday life from television. But as for underage children,
they can not distinguish between right ...

prevalent in the common household, the increase of homicides in the United States
increased. A study performed, showed that from 1945 to 1974, homicide rates increased
93% in the United States. The same survey proved almost the same in Canada as well.
This new type of media had the same effect on society, as did the radio. Families would
gather around their radios and listen to captivating programs. This family gathering
brought unity to family life and brought to a

Who's to blame media or parents

What has the world come to these days? It often seems like everywhere we look, violence rears its ugly head. We see it in the streets, back
alleys, schools, ...

close a long arduous day. Television had the same effect as well. People could now put
a face to what they heard. Bigger and better television programs caught the attention of
many and thus brought about the problems we are facing as a nation today. Media
certainly has had a profound effect on its viewers and listeners from day one. Before
television, the radio mesmerized millions, and even before that, newspapers. One such
radio program in the 1930 s proved
Tv And Violence 2
More and more today we are seeing children going into their schools and committing violent crimes. What has the world come to these
days? It often seems like a ...

astonishingly well, that it had a certain hold on its listening audience. On the evening of
October 30th 1938 thousands of listeners tuned into an Orson Wells program entitled,
"Mercury Theater on the air" in which an alien invasion was being broadcast.
Unbeknownst to many of its audience members, this particular program was, in fact,
fiction. Merely broadcast for entertainment value. Thousands of people took this as fact
and chaos broke out nationwide. This particular situation proves that media, even
Violence in the Media
Violence in the Media There has been a debate about the effects of violence on children long before there was television or media of any
kind. This debate ...

in its infancy, had a very costly effect on its listeners. People who believe that media
violence is the number one source of society based violence can utilize many statistics
and facts to back their stance. Certain violent movies have been blamed for "real life"
violence. John Hinckley s attempt to assassinate the President in 1981 was inspired by
the violent movie, "Taxi Driver". Television is one of the first sources of media violence
that children come across. It is
Video Game Violence
Doomed: Are Teens Taking Video Games to Far? A sniper perched high in a eagles nest zooms in through his scope to the head of his
enemy, pulls the trigger, ...

both powerful and pervasive. Visual images on television or the big screen have a great
impact on society. Millions of dollars are spent on advertisements, because the
advertising industry knows the type of impact images have on the consumers. Movies
and television are very similar. Movies and television sell the idea of violence instead of

selling products. Movies and television bring a fantasy world into the homes of millions
day in and day out. The programs often show behavior and
How And Why Does Mass Media Violence Affect Children?
How and why does mass media violence affect children? Within a span of a few short years, violent television and video games have
increased in popularity dramatically. Yet, the voices ...

actions that are inspirational to its audience. A common reason media violence affects
minors the way it does is that children are great imitators. Children often imitate
television heroes and superstars who outsmart the "bad guy". With fiery explosions and
trail blazing car chases, children see this as the "good" thing to do. These so called
heroes or "good guys" are imitated much more frequently than Martin Luther King, the
President of the United States or Ghandi. Children are fascinated
Television Violence
The Effects of Television Violence on Children Throughout the history of television, producers have always been challenged with the task of
capturing an audience in hopes of keeping the television ...

with the hero s actions, usually violent, more than his appearance or catch phrase. As
children develop and mature, they will have seen countless hours of television. The
average person in the United States watches close to 4 hours of television a day. This
constant bombardment of images over a course of many years will affect anyone in one
way or another. But does it lead to high school massacres and other grisly crimes? The
American Psychological Association stated, "that
Who's To Blame Media Or Parents
What has the world come to these days? It often seems like everywhere we look, violence rears its ugly head. We see it in the streets, back
alleys, schools, and ...

by seventh grade the average child has seen seven thousand murders and one
hundred thousand acts of violence on television". After years of exposure, children s
level of sympathy decreases and they are increasingly more desensitized to the sight of
blood, raw carnage and dead bodies. This level of desensitization can greatly affects
society as these children step out into the real world. Military training involves
desensitizing the common person. This desensitization is critical in the military because
hesitation to
Media Violence
Where's the Problem, Media or Parents? In the past few years, media violence has increased on television, in turn bringing inevitable
resistance from concerned parents. What they don't stop to ...

kill your aggressor can result in your death. The military has stated that computer
games such as Quake and Doom are used to help facilitate a soldier s "killing attitude".

Thousands of studies related to this issue have stated that they can prove that media
violence does have a direct correlation between real life violence in a very big way. Is it
the leading cause of crime? A study in 1973, conducted in Canada, carefully observed
first and second graders
Does Violence On Television Cause Aggressive Behavior?I
Does Violence on Television Cause Aggressive Behavior? An 18-year-old boy locks himself in his room, mesmerized for hours by the corpsefilled video game Doom, while shock-rocker Marilyn Manson screams obscenities ...

after wiring the town with television signals. The result, after two years, showed that
incidents of hitting, biting, and shoving, increased 160 percent. Studies similar to this
one have been tested numerous times and show similar results. Aletha C. Huston, a
professor at the University of Kansas and chairwoman of the American Psychological
Association s Task Force on Television and Society, stated that, "There is more
published research on the topic of media violence and its effects on real life
Violance on television Cause Aggressive Behavior
An 18-year-old boy locks himself in his room, mesmerized for hours by the corpse-filled video game Doom, while shock-rocker Marilyn
Manson screams obscenities from the stereo. Shelved nearby are a ...

violence, than almost any other social issue of our time". Unfortunately this does not
show that it is all solid evidence. Not only is violence in prime time television and
movies, but it is also in shows aimed towards younger children. Saturday morning
cartoons are satiated with violent acts. A major concern with media violence and its
affects on real life violence is that consequences for one s actions are rarely seen.
Cartoons, programs aimed at younger audience members, rarely
Does Violance on television Cause Aggressive Behavior
An 18-year-old boy locks himself in his room, mesmerized for hours by the corpse-filled video game Doom, while shock-rocker Marilyn
Manson screams obscenities from the stereo. Shelved nearby are a ...

show consequences for any wrongdoing. Yosemite Sam is often shown shooting himself
in the face by accident, but the over all result is nothing more than riotous laughter. The
viewing audience does not see any real physical pain or emotional problems that go
along with victims of violent crimes. As children see this time and time again, they begin
to get the sense that being violent towards someone else will result in nothing more
than a slap on the wrist.
Television
Television Violence and Children The world s most powerful teacher has been sitting on most living room floors across the United States for
nearly sixty-five years. A classic American icon, ...

Perhaps it will even be amusing. So their natural response might be to react in a violent
manner. Studies have shown that seeing aggressive responses to certain emotions,
such as, anger, can cause people to act similarly when confronted by that same
emotion in real life. It causes an effect called a "cueing effect". When the "cued" person
feels he or she is being threatened, he or she acts in a preprogrammed manner. Often a
violent outburst, such as physically
Violence, Television And Children.
The debate over whether or not violence on television causes aggressive behavior in children has often been discussed. Many studies have
been done to determine the extent of which violent ...

hitting someone, or the very extreme response, which is to ultimately end that person s
life. Researchers have also stated that the human mind becomes "preprogrammed
subconsciously" by what we see in our everyday lives. A child s reaction to anger could
be merely a subconscious response. Even after studies are released and are said to be
proof of media violence being the number one impact on real life violence, after close
examination they have yet to give sound evidence
Television Born Killers - (Whether Viewing Tv Violence Causes Real World Violence)
Television Born Killers This essay attempts to evaluate the view that television violence is a cause of real world violence. Several studies
supporting and opposing this view are examined as ...

of this. Since the beginning of the colonization of the United States, violence has been a
major part of our history. In order to achieve order and to establish ourselves as a nation
we felt the need to "flex our muscles". Proving to the rest of the world that we would
survive as a whole was a violent struggle. Now that we have emerged into a powerful
nation, we are stepping back and evaluating our society. Violence is not being
Television Born Killers
Television Born Killers This essay attempts to evaluate the view that television violence is a cause of real world violence. Several studies
supporting and opposing this view are examined as ...

tolerated anymore. Even though television, movies, video games and music all play an
extremely vital role in our society today, violence does not have to be. There is no
longer any debate as to whether violence in the media is a serious problem. The debate
lies in how much of an affect does it have and if it is the leading problem. Media greatly
influences the minds of everyone. But the most influential are the adolescent
consumers. Does a rousing
School Violence As Studied By Social Scientists
Over the past few years that has been an extremely fast in a short amount of time. There have been multiple deaths throughout the past six
years and have ...

game of Quake II, a first person computer game, in which the ultimate goal is destroy a
murderous horde of alien monsters, spark a bloody rampage at a high school? Do
violent depictions of carnage on screen create such monsters as Ted Bundy? In order to
deal with our violent society we must discover everything associated with it. Taken from
a report by the Addressing Violence in Oklahoma Coalition they have taken many
researchers views and opinions as to the
Censorship
Censorship should be Censored by our Society In todays society there is an issue of whether or not certain topics that arent fully
accepted by our culture should have set ...

main factors attributed to violent behavior. The main factors that came out were broken
down into groups. Social risk factors, Community risk factors, Family based risk factors
and Individual risk factors. The major Social risk factors established were poverty,
racism, sex role socialization, inciting events (sports or political) and high levels of
media violence. The Community risk factors that were mentioned were drugs,
prostitution, youth gangs, lack of community involvement or support for youths, and
witnessing violence in the community.
Does Violance on television Cause Aggressive Behavior
An 18-year-old boy locks himself in his room, mesmerized for hours by the corpse-filled video game Doom, while shock-rocker Marilyn
Manson screams obscenities from the stereo. Shelved nearby are a ...

The Family-Based risk factors were family dysfunction, which includes domestic
violence, parental drug use or alcoholism, physical or sexual abuse of children, or
chronic neglect of children. And the Individual risk factors include, limited cognitive
abilities, poor communication skills, low self esteem, traumatic brain injury, neglect as a
child, drug use and

How Watching Violence on TV Affects Kids

Last Updated: Jan 17, 2014 | By Nicole Adams

American children watch, on average, three to

four hours of television daily.Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Stockbyte/Getty Images

Television programming as of 2010 is all about showing reality without censorship, meaning that child
watchers are inundated with shows depicting physical and sexual violence, as well as the use of illegal
substances and harsh language. Unfortunately, due to this proliferation of negative media content, it may
only be a matter of time before life imitates fiction, and children begin to copy the acts they view.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, Extensive research evidence indicates that media
violence can contribute to aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being
harmed.

Statistics
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics website, children between the ages of 2 and 18 spend an average
of three hours each day watching television. A three-year National Television Study, reported by the AAP, found that
childrens shows had the most violence of all television programming. Statistics read that some cartoons average
twenty acts of violence in one hour, and that by the age of 18 children will have seen 16,000 simulated murders and
200,000 acts of violence on television. Young people are especially in jeopardy of the negative effects of television
violence because many younger children cannot discriminate between what they see and what is real, reports the
American Academy of Pediatrics.

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Morals

An estimated 70 percent of Americans are concerned about the moral standards portrayed in movies and on
television, according to Princeton University. In an age where children have easier access to inappropriate content,
parents may worry about what their children are exposed to, whether it be on reality shows, in movies, through
music or violent stories read online. Studies have shown that children who are extensively exposed to violence on
television can have trouble with moral reasoning.

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Desensitization
According to the article Media Violence, the American media shows heroes justifiably using violence as a means
to resolve conflict. The American Academy of Pediatrics website suggests that prolonged exposure to this type of
violence increases acceptance of violence as a means of solving problems. The 1995 to 1997 AAP National
Television Study showed that 61 percent of programming portrayed interpersonal violence, much of it in an
entertaining or glamorized manner. Children are drawn to such programming when the violent act seems surreal
and the lack of consequence attractive.

Depression
According to Children, Adolescents, and Television, 37 percent of parents reported their child being frightened or
upset because of a television news story. While children are watching television, they are being bombarded 60
percent of the time with various images of violent acts. Viewing hour after hour of violence increases the likelihood
that a child will see the world as a dark and sinister place. The American Academy of Pediatrics calls this the mean
world syndrome.

Aggression
Fear of being the victim of violence is a strong motivation for some young people to carry a weapon, to be more
aggressive, claims the American Academy of Pediatrics website. Violence portrayed on television is shaping the
attitudes and manners of society. More than 3,500 research studies have examined the association between media
violence and violent behavior; all but 18 have shown a positive relationship, states Media Violence. Repeated
exposure to violence on television increases the likelihood of responding to others with violence. The American
Academy of Pediatrics reports that, every year, more than 150,000 adolescents are arrested for violent crimes.

The Effects of Television Violence on Children

Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Presented by APA Member Dale Kunkel, PhD
Professor of Communications
University of Arizona
June 26, 2007
I have studied children and media issues for over 20 years, and am one of several researchers who led the National
Television Violence Study (NTVS) in the 1990s, a project widely recognized as the largest scientific study of media
violence. In my remarks here today, I will briefly report some key findings from the NTVS project, as well as
summarize the state of knowledge in the scientific community about the effects of media violence on children.

The Effects of Television Violence

Concern on the part of the public and Congress about the harmful influence of media violence on children dates back
to the 1950s and 1960s, and remains strong today. The legitimacy of that concern is corroborated by extensive
scientific research that has accumulated over the past 40 years. Indeed, in reviewing the totality of empirical evidence
regarding the impact of media violence, the conclusion that exposure to violent portrayals poses a risk of harmful
effects on children has been reached by the U.S. Surgeon General, the National Institutes of Mental Health, the
National Academy of Sciences, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the
American Academy of Pediatrics, and a host of other scientific and public health agencies and organizations.

These harmful effects are grouped into three primary categories:

(1) childrens learning of aggressive attitudes and behaviors; (2) desensitization, or an increased callousness towards
victims of violence; and (3) increased or exaggerated fear of being victimized by violence. While all of these effects
reflect adverse outcomes, it is the first an increased propensity for violent behavior that is at the core of public
health concern about televised violence. The statistical relationship between childrens exposure to violent portrayals
and their subsequent aggressive behavior has been shown to be stronger than the relationship between asbestos
exposure and the risk of laryngeal cancer; the relationship between condom use and the risk of contracting HIV; and
exposure to second-hand smoke in the workplace and the risk of lung cancer. There is no controversy in the medical,
public health, and social science communities about the risk of harmful effects from childrens exposure to media
violence. Rather, there is strong consensus that exposure to media violence is a significant public health concern.

Key Conclusions about the Portrayal of Violence on Television

Drawing upon evidence from the National Television Violence Study, as well as other related research, there are
several evidence-based conclusions that can be drawn regarding the presentation of violence on television.
1. Violence is widespread across the television landscape.
Turn on a television set and pick a channel at random; the odds are better than 50-50 that the program you encounter
will contain violent material. To be more precise, 60% of approximately 10,000 programs sampled for the National
Television Violence Study contained violent material. That study identified an average of 6,000 violent interactions in
a single week of programming across the 23 channels that were examined, including both broadcast and cable
networks. More than half of the violent shows (53%) contained lethal acts, and one in four of the programs with
violence (25%) depicted the use of a gun.
2. Most violence on television is presented in a manner that increases its risk of harmful effects on childviewers.
More specifically, most violence on television follows a highly formulaic pattern that is both sanitized and glamorized.
By sanitized, I mean that portrayals fail to show realistic harm to victims, both from a short and long-term perspective.
Immediate pain and suffering by victims of violence is included in less than half of all scenes of violence. More than a
third of violent interactions depict unrealistically mild harm to victims, grossly understating the severity of injury that
would occur from such actions in the real world. In sum, most depictions sanitize violence by making it appear to be
much less painful and less harmful than it really is.
By glamorized, I mean that violence is performed by attractive role models who are often justified for acting
aggressively and who suffer no remorse, criticism, or penalty for their violent behavior. More than a third of all
violence is committed by attractive characters, and more than two-thirds of the violence they commit occurs without
any signs of punishment.
Violence that is presented as sanitized or glamorized poses a much greater risk of adverse effects on children than
violence that is presented with negative outcomes such as pain and suffering for its victims or negative
consequences for its perpetrators.
3. The overall presentation of violence on television has remained remarkably stable over time.
The National Television Violence Study examined programming for three years in the 1990s and found a tremendous
degree of consistency in the pattern of violent portrayals throughout the television landscape. Across the entire study
of roughly 10,000 programs, the content measures which examined the nature and extent of violence varied no more
than a percent or two from year to year. Similar studies that have been conducted since that time have produced
quite comparable results.
This consistency clearly implies that the portrayal of violence on television is highly stable and formulaic -- and
unfortunately, this formula of presenting violence as glamorized and sanitized is one that enhances its risk of harmful
effects for the child audience.
In sum, the evidence clearly establishes that the level of violence on television poses substantial cause for concern. It
demonstrates that violence is a central aspect of television programming that enjoys remarkable consistency and
stability over time.

Implications for Public Policy

It is well established by a compelling body of scientific evidence that television violence poses a risk of harmful effects
for child-viewers. While exposure to media violence is not necessarily the most potent factor contributing to real world
violence and aggression in the United States today, it is certainly the most pervasive. Millions of children spend an
average of 20 or more hours per week watching television, and this cumulative exposure to violent images can shape
young minds in unhealthy ways.

Given the free-speech guarantees of the First Amendment, the courts have ruled that there must be evidence of a
compelling governmental interest in order for Congress to take action that would regulate television content in any
way, such as the indecency regulations enforced by the FCC. In my view, the empirical evidence documenting the
risk of harmful effects from childrens exposure to televised violence clearly meets this threshold, and I should note
that former Attorney General Janet Reno offered an identical opinion to this Committee when she testified before it on
this same issue in the 1990s.
There has been a lot of talk in recent weeks about the U.S. Court of Appeals (2nd Circuit) ruling regarding fleeting
expletives that were cited as indecent by the FCC (Fox et al. v. FCC, June 4, 2007). Some have suggested this
ruling threatens the future of any content-based television regulation. While
I am not a legal expert, let me draw several important distinctions between this indecency case and the situation
policy-makers face with the issue of television violence. First, there is no clear foundation of empirical evidence to
document the effects of childrens exposure to indecent material in any quantity, much less modest and fleeting
examples of it. In contrast, there is an elaborate, solid foundation of evidence regarding the cumulative effects of
televised violence on children. While fleeting expletives occur occasionally on television, they are generally quite
rare. In contrast, violent portrayals are not only common, they are pervasive across the television landscape, and are
found in a majority of programs.
Indeed, it is the cumulative nature of childrens exposure to thousands and thousands of violent images over time that
constitutes the risk of harmful effects. Just as medical researchers cannot quantify the effect of smoking one
cigarette, media violence researchers cannot specify the effect of watching just a single violent program. But as
exposure accrues over time, year in and year out, a child who is a heavy viewer of media violence is significantly
more likely to behave aggressively. This relationship is the same as that faced by the smoker who lights up hour after
hour, day after day, over a number of years, increasing their risk of cancer with every puff.
The scientific evidence about the effects of televised violence on children cannot clarify which path is the best for
policy-makers to pursue to address the problems that research in this area has identified. That decision rests more in
value judgments, based upon the relative importance that each of you place on protecting childrens health as
contrasted with the other competing interests involved, such as freedom of speech concerns. But when you make
that judgment as each Member of this committee will eventually be called upon to do it is critical that you
understand that television violence harms large numbers of children in this country, and significantly increases
violence in our society.
To conclude, the research evidence in this area establishes clearly that the level of violence on television poses
substantial cause for concern. Content analysis studies demonstrate that violence is a central aspect of television
programming that enjoys remarkable consistency and stability over time. And effects research, including corelational,
experimental, and longitudinal designs, converge to document the risk of harmful psychological effects on childviewers. Collectively, these findings from the scientific community make clear that television violence is a troubling
problem for our society. I applaud this Committee for considering the topic, and exploring potential policy options that
may reduce or otherwise ameliorate the harmful effects of childrens exposure to television violence.