Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Kellie's Question

Is there really anything wrong with television?
Is television too graphic or not graphic enough? Is TV showing the real world or sugar-coating it? (EX. the news)
Is it right for parents to blame tv for the way their children act? (EX. cussing or hitting each other)
What about the millions of complaints the FCC received for the showing of "Saving Private Ryan" on television? And the Janet Jackson mishap? Were those people who complained out of line? Or did they do the right thing?
Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl halftime show.Saving Private Ryan movie clip.

12 comments:

English student said...

Yes, there are a lot of things wrong with t.v.
Sometimes t.v. is too graohic, but sometimes not. The news meadia does a good job sugar coating everything mostly to look bad not what is really going on or the good things the world is foing. They just want to show the deathe in the War in Iraq
Sometimes yes, but a lot of the times the parents are not paying enough attention to their children to know what they are watching, let alone make sure it is approiate.
I think that those people are right but the FCC needs to start doing more to help control what the celbs do on the t.v. becasue it is effecting our children so much.

Jamie

English student said...

I think tv can be too graphic at times. Some things should be saved for the battle field or the bedroom. We are becoming a less modest society and we wonder why kids want to have sex. It's a no brainer to me. I think that tv should be monitored a little more than it is, but then again, I don't know exactly how far you can go with the whole free speech thing, and I know that everyone has the option of just not watching it, but a little stricter monitoring of the programs wouldn't hurt.

~Adrianna~
PS. thanks for the reply to my question, but could I ask you to look at it again? i have posted another comment to clarify exactly what I meant with my question. I think you may have taken it the wrong way. I didn't at all mean a romantic relationship at all, just purely platonic. basically what I want to know is when it comes to having a best friend, does age matter? Can a friendship of such age difference work? So if you could please read again that would be great. If you don't want to change what yousaid or post a new comment that is fine! thanks for your time!

English student said...

Television shows what people want to see or at least will keep them tuned in. Graphic images of bloody Middle Eastern civilians cause unrest with the American people, yet they cannot seem to unglue their eyes from the television. CNN is a pro at this strategy to pull in viewers. Even when images bother us, we still find them interesting. Think of seeing someone in a wheel chair. We feel very sorry for the person, but some untangible force makes looking away hard to do. The things the liberal media shows are sometimes true (like the bloody images), but liberal networks choose not to include positive images such as an American soldier playing soccer with an Iraqi boy. Heck! A mistake like this could actually make people feel stable in their country and proud of their leaders. Where is the news in that?
Parents blaming TV for the way their children act are not totally in the right. Adults should monitor the shows their kids view. Violence and poor language is extremely rare on stations like PBS and EWTN.
CBS should not be blamed for the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction." Seriously, what did Justin Timberlake think would happen if he ripped Janet's top. J.T-Lake and J.J. should have been fined, not CBS.
-Michael Holmes

English student said...

T.v. is very graghic and out of content.Loose cothles and sex domnatates the scene.Dustin.

English student said...

Kellie,
I believe that tv is showing things that will keep people watching. Why wouldn't they, right? I don't watch a whole lot of tv because, first of all I don't have a whole lot of time, but secondly becuase I have never had more than 5 channels. There's not much to watch on 5 channels. But when I do watch, I watch things like Everybody Loves Raymond and Desperate Housewives(what a great show) anyway, i have seen some graphic movies. In fact I could not even get through Saving Private Ryan. Some people like that kind of stuff, though. In my opinion, those people don't really have the right to complain. What they need to realize is that with a click of a button, they could turn the channel or turn the television off. No one is forcing them to watch anything. If they think it is inappropriate, they should just turn it off, or find something different to watch. As for the children thing, I think that parents should monitor more of what their kids watch. I know that's hard to do becuase when the kid sits down in front of the tv, that's the parents' time for a break from them. And there's also a million channels and their kids could be watching anything. So i guess what I am trying to say is that it CAN all be controlled by everyone. Those people that complained can fix the problem. Turn it off. But, I am not disagreeing with the fact that they are showing too much on tv. I can do without blood and body parts.

Rebecca
Sorry everything is sort of jumbled, hope is kind of makes sense. If not, just email me.

English student said...

TV is awful at times, but that is why they make parental controls. I do think they have some programs on too early in the night, these days most kids do not go to bed until after 10:00. Shows that usually show after 9:00 need to move to after 10:00. I have seen a few shows come on as early as 6:00, and I thought they were to graphic to watch myself. I know that TV is big business, but I think that the world should start to worry more about our kids and maybe we would not have as much violence. Tv cannot take all of the blame for violence in children, parents need to take a more active role in what they watch. As far as the news goes, they do not show enough. We are only seeing what the government wants us to see, I want the whole story. I lived military life for a few years, and learned first hand that we do not get the whole story. I think as a tax payer, we deserve to hear what is really going on in the world. Darcy Cekander

English student said...

Watching to much television can be detrimental to a persons health. Not only does it relay improper messages and warped fundamentals, watching it over a long period of time can start to do damage to the brain. Parents should raise their children better and not blame everything on tv, the media, and music

Corey

English student said...

I do believe that T.V. has gotten to be too graphic at times. I appreciate a good movie with amazing special effects, but maybe they could cut out some of the graphic killing or some of the graphic sexual content. I would rather not see that. I understand that we all have a choice in what we watch, but anymore these days I can't flip through my T.V. channels without seeing someone being murdered, someone having sex, or just hearing sexual inuendos. If T.V. is already this grahic, I just wonder what it will be like when I have children.

I'm not sure that T.V. should be blamed for all children's actions, but it could most definately be a factor. If a child lives a hard life, and doesn't have many adults to look up to, then yes, I do believe T.V. influences bad decisions. Maybe they see their parents doing drugs, well, they'll never know whats right or wrong if they watch television. T.V. can make bad things appealing. I just hope that I will be able to monitor my future kid's t.v. stations, because there are definately things on television that just don't need to be for anyone's eyes, especially children.

Lindi Hettinger

English student said...

I think that there is something wrong with tv today. I think that certain programs that they show on tv are a little too graphic. They need to edit them if they are playing them on a channel for families. I think that on the news they kind of sugar-coat everything, but that's the news for you. I don't think that it is right for parents to blame tv for their childrens behavior. If the parent knows they program on tv is not good for their child to watch then why do they let them watch it; turn off the tv and pull out a game for your children. I think that the reason children have to result to tv for entertainment is because their parents won't give them the entertainment they are eager for. The Saving Private Ryan movie is a little too graphic for my liking. I don't think they should have let that go on air. The Janet and Justin incident, I think, should not have been live. I think the FCC should be able to see through and edit when needed everything that broadcast on tv; that way they won't have any complaints.
~Ashley Ross

English student said...

Hmmm, well I would have to say that T.V. is a little graffic but, if the children are watcthing the things that they are supposed to then it shouldn't be a problem.

I believe that it is somewhat of the parents fault. because with the technologey they can block out the stations that they don't want their kids to watch.

On the other hand, parents can't be there all the time. So that means that the children are open to whatever their little hearts desire!! They are going to do what they want N-E-Wayz, when their parents arn't around!! I Know I DiD.

Thanx audrey p.

English student said...

The only thing that I see wrong with T.V. is how people get their lives wrapped up way to much in drama series, sitcoms, reality T.V., and celebrity gossip shows. I think that if the people who are guilty of this spend all the time they do watching T.V. more wisely, such as focusing it towards their own lives, starting a new hobby, or read more, would be surprised at how much time they're actually wasting.

I think that the news shows what it does in order to get the message across the way they want it to.

Parents can't solely blame T.V. for the way their children act, because there are so many other influences on a childs life like movies, video games, and their peers.

I can't say wether or not the people who complained were right or wrong, as long as they felt justified in their reasoning in complaining.
Pat Mahoney

English student said...

I dont think there is anything wrong with television. They are just like anybody, out there trying to make money. I feel that if you dont like what is on that channel you should change it, these days there are hundreds of channels to choose from. I dont think kids should watch somethings, but they in the end they will watch whatever they feel like. Their parents just need to raise them right and remind them that alot of the things on TV are not reality. I dont think the people who complain were out of line. I think people should have the right to argue over whatever they feel like, know matter how stupid it is. Aaron Royse