Studies Fail to Prove a Direct Link to Violence in Television Causing Real-Life Violence
Many people believe that the violence in today's world is a direct link to the violence seen on television. If this were true everyone would be violent. Nearly every home in America owns a television, and many spend several hours a day watching it. Yet, they do not become violent; it is only a selected few in retrospect. The television industry wants to blame parents for not taking enough responsibility in what their children watch. However, some researchers feel that television has little, if any, effect on a person's violence. A person's environment has a lot to do with how violent they will become as they grow up. The studies done on the subject of violence on television and real-life violence are inconclusive and only appear to show the facts. Since so many studies fail to prove a link and there appears to be other factors involved when a person becomes violent television must not be to blame for real-life violence.
Saniresch shooting for children’s television pro...
Family watching television, c. 1958
Saniresch shooting for children’s television pro...Parents want to blame television for their children acting out. In a response to that censorship mechanisms like the V-chip and rating systems are being used to prevent young people from viewing violent programming that is not appropriate for a young audience. Despite the fact that programs are too mature for a young audience, marketers continue to aim for children. It is a known fact that violence sells. In 1999 American Enterprise noted that, "more than seven out of ten Americans say they think the TV industry needs to do more to reduce the amount of violence it unleashes to the public," (Torr 4). At the same time however they continue to watch these violent programs. The television audience would rather watch a news broadcast...