How much does TV influence your life?

[berlinlife06]

I worked for TV for 12 years, and got the chance to learn and discover many things. Most people don't realize it, but TV has an incredible influence in Wstern culture, where most every family owns a television. I used to be an addict to it, but living in Europe changed that. Still, I watch a couple of hours a day, and it is my main source for news. How is it for you? What do you think of TV? How much do you watch? Do you see any influence of it in your life?

 

[vicki2]

I was also in television (18 years of it) and very much think it has a powerful effect on most Americans. It's the ONE thing I agree with the Muslim fundamentalists about ...they don't want the influence on their culture whether it's soda pop ads or Anderson Cooper. Living in the UK, I became addicted to BBC4 radio which was great and upon returning to the States, my choices (where I live) are largely cable news channels which are so vapid, repetitive, narrow and biased compared to BBC4 radio that I'm embarassed!

 

[tater03]

I think it influences alot in our lives. Way more than it should. I am finding out just by having the news on in the room while my seven and five year old are in the room just how much they pick up that I am really unaware of until they make a statement about something that is going on in the news. So we don't do that anymore.
But I feel that it influences us alot in the way we look at society to what we buy.

 

[mtatum4496]

The funny thing is I think television had a larger impact on me personally back in the days of the Big Three Networks. I actually watch less television than I did back then. I seem to be more discriminating about what I will watch now also. If there is nothing that attracts my interest, I am much more likely to turn off the tv and do something else than I was twenty five or so years ago.

 

[FourBear]

I don't watch much television at all, but I can't deny that there is some influence. It's practically inescapable these days.

 

[dong]

As long as I'm watching it, it will in some way impact on my consciousness. That said, I rarely watch it these days.

I think the underlying concern over the 'media influence' is not that it exists (of course it does), but the sense of some agenda behind those who control what gets put on TV.

 

[vicki2]

I have a problem with that too, Dong. All the tv networks have become openly political and biased, and until you know what the slant is, you sit there wondering why there is so much editorial commentary about a story that should be straight reporting. There's so little straight forward journalism now that I find it amazing.