Tv's Negative Influence On Kids

In “TV’s Negative Influence on Kids Reaffirmed” by Jeffery M. McCall, he claims that too much television is unhealthy for children. McCall states that children are more likely to be sexually active, violent, and socially impaired. The author claims that television not only negatively affects children, it also prevents children form doing productive activities such as doing homework, participating in sports, and reading. Even though all TV manufactures include v-chips in all televisions, McCall says that most families do not understand the system ratings that come with the v-chip. The author goes on to say that networks rate their own television programs and are not accurately labeling or rating their shows. McCall also argues that parents should
take it upon themselves to heavily monitor the media that children consume. McCall states that only preselected, sensible shows showed be on air. I disagree with McCall’s claims because I have grown up with television and have not experienced any the negative consequences like he claims I would. I have watch television shows that are of violent nature, yet I have not had the urge to harm anyone. I have seen many commercials advertising unhealthy food, yet I am not obese. If a child wishes to harm someone because of what they viewed on television, then they already had those urges in them to begin with. Video games do not make children shoot people, mental instability makes children or teenagers shoot people. You cannot blame any form of media for actions of that nature. Anyone who has any self-control or morals would not wish to inflict harm to someone regardless of what they saw on TV. A child cannot purchase the unhealthy fast food that they saw advertised on television. The parents of the child have to drive the child to the fast food establishment and purchase the food for them. The advertisement did not give the child fast food; the parents chose to give them their child fast food. Many parents want to find a scape goat for the problems his or her child is facing. The parents do not want to take the blame for what is happening to his or her child. Television, along with other forms of media, do not need to be heavily censored, parents need to start teaching children the difference between what is right and what is wrong. In my opinion, it is up to the parent to teach his or her child to distinguish what is right and what is wrong; if the child knows what is right, it will not matter what they watch on television. Children learn from parents, not from television or other forms of media.