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Television Violence

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Who should be responsible for Television Violence?
Composition II

Who should be responsible for Television Violence? Can we afford to continue ignoring the connection between television violence and the increase in mass murders? The answer is no. We have to take a stance now and fight for stricter regulations by the government and the Federal Communications Committee (FCC). Television has been associated with influencing controversial acts since the beginning of its creation. One of the most recent acts that television is being blamed for is the violence associated Columbine High School murders in 1999 [ (Updated: TV and Film Violence Reaches a New High, 2011) ]. Many adults enjoy the entertainment of bad cop versus good cop, as well as the violent acts that are performed by both parties to get to the bottom of the case. However, are shows like CSI, Blue Bloods and Law and Order responsible for the violent acts done in society? Is there a connection between these shows and children who commit horrendous acts of violence? According to Leonard Eron, Senior Research Scientist at University of Michigan, “Television alone is responsible for 10% of youth violence” [ (Media Violence: Facts & Statistics) ]. There needs to be stricter laws to help eliminate many hours of television violence on air. This is a community effort in which action must be taken now. The government should have stricter policies in place for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate. The FCC should be regulating television violence like they regulate sex, nudity and foul language. Television is an enjoyable time for most families. It has been used in many ways to assist parents in their everyday routines. The option of television allows many parents to sit their kids in front of a box and complete tasks like work from home or preparing dinner. Children watch on average four hours a day of television (“Children”, 2011). During these times they are influence by many shows including cartoons with violent content. According to the Media Education Foundation, “The level of violence during Saturday morning cartoons is higher than the level of violence during primetime. There are 3-5 violent acts per hour in prime time, versus 20-25 acts per hour on Saturday morning” [ (Media Violence: Facts & Statistics) ]. Research on television and children has proven that children who are exposed to violence become immune to the horror of violence (“Children”, 2011). They develop a false sense that violence solves problems and they begin imitating these acts in real life. Many children depending on their home lives can identify with the good violence acts performed by super heroes as well as the bad violence acts performed by the villains in most shows like Power Rangers and the Avengers.
In today’s age and time it really does take a village to raise a child. Parents are the first half to the village theory. They have the everyday responsibility to manage the content in which their children are viewing. Parents have the ability to curve the violence right at home by following a few tips generated on Facts for Families in the article “Children and TV violence”. This article has several easy ways parents can become more involve and do their part in eliminating the violent acts done by children. The first is setting limits on the amount of time their children are spending watching television. In order to regulate this better the TV should be removed from their children’s rooms. The second is a moral training Parents can do anytime a child does see violence on television by exploiting the violence and explaining that violence never has solved any problem. The last thing parents can do to assist in the move eliminating violent television viewing is to reach out to other parents and encourage them to follow some of these same procedures. This works because it helps eliminate the peer pressure amongst children who can and cannot watch certain shows. The second half to the village theory is the way government handles certain regulations. Currently the government assigns the FCC to regulate all media matters. The FCC enforces laws prohibiting the airing of obscene programming at any time and the airing of indecent programming or profane language during certain hours [ (Indecency and Obcentity) ]. The FCC also has the ability to revoke a station license, impose a monetary forfeiture or issue a warning if any station violates the law. However this is limited to nudity and foul language [ (Indecency and Obcentity) ]. Congress has not given the FCC power to regulate violence. So, the message is it’s more important to bleep foul language or run to commercial if there is a wardrobe malfunction but the research that shows violence is link to aggression in children sends no red flag. Congress has the most influence so it is time for them to become more aggressive in regulating the time and amount of violence that currently airs. This was stated very clearly by the West Virginia, Senator Jay Rockefeller, “Congress, has not done enough to protect children and families from the kind of violence that occurred on Dec. 14 at Sandy Hook elementary in Connecticut.”(Plummer, 2012, Para. 11) The senator stresses many points in an interview on December 20, 2012 on the importance and responsibility that Congress has to make a difference. The senator is not alone on Capitol Hill, Vice- President Joe Biden has been meeting with the entertainment executives to develop a responsible way to air adult content shows.
The government needs to reconsider the proposal submitted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2007. The proposal included a stricter ratings system on television shows as well as video games (“Update” 2007). The FCC wanted to change the hours that were in place for adult television shows to being aired (“Update” 2007). The main reasoning behind changing the times has come from actions regulated in other countries. For instance, in India they have watershed hours in which restricted shows can air from 11pm-5 am (Sinha, 2013). Since violent shows are not the only cause of violent acts it is hard to say how much the new regulation has changed violent acts. However, it has limited the amount of complaints by viewers of the nudity, sex and violence that was previously aired prior to those hours in place now.
The First Amendment allows for freedom of speech and press. However, can we ignore the obvious signs that are ripping are nation apart with actions like the killings in the movie theater in Colorado. We as a nation have to pull together and develop a solid plan to protect the lives of our children from performing unspeakable acts as well as failing victim to violent acts. “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” (Adams, 2012). The issue is not to eliminate television shows like CSI, Bones or Looney Tunes. However, there is a time and place for everything especially adult content television shows. Most adults have developed social skills, moral and reasoning to separate fiction from reality when watching these shows. Therefore this is why there should be no opposition as to when these shows should airs, when only adults are able to view them.
In conclusion, there are many reasons violence has increased in recent years. The recent mass killings in Colorado and Connecticut have brought to surface that no nook or cranny can be ignored. We have to change many things in our nation to curve these actions of violence. We can start by regulating certain television shows during hours children are watching. Research has shown that “By the time the average U.S. child starts elementary school he or she will have seen 8,000 murders and 100,000 act of violence on TV”-New Scientist, (TV, 2011, para.1). The governments as well as parents have a responsibility to do whatever it takes to protect lives and to raise a better tomorrow.

Bibliography
Adams, N. (2012, July 20). How TV Violence Affects Kids. Retrieved February 9, 2013, from Livestrong.com: http://www.livestrong.com/article/221006-how-tv-violence-affects-kids/
Albinak, P. E. (2012, December 24). The Brutal Truth about TV violence. Retrieved February 9, 2013, from Broadcasting & Cable: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/491012-The_Brutal_Truth_About_TV_Violence.php
Children and TV Violence. (2011, March). Retrieved February 3, 2013, from Facts for Family: http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/children_and_tv_violence
Indecency and Obcentity. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2013, from Federal Communications Commission: www.facc.gov/topic/indecency-and-obscenity
Media Violence: Facts & Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2013, from Media Education Foundation: www.jacksonkatz.com/pdf/childrenmedia.pdf
Plummer, S. (2012, December 20). Rockfeller Introducing Bill Focused on Video Game Violence. Retrieved February 9, 2013, from Register-Herald: http://www.register-herald.com/todaysfrontpage/x98954366/Rockefeller-introducing-bill-focused-on-video-game-violence/print
Sinha, A. (2013, February 1). TV Body Bats for Entertainment of Watershed hours for Adult Contents. Retrieved February 9, 2013, from Indian Express: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/tv-body-bats-for-enforcement-of-watershed-hours-for-adult-content/1067385/
Update: Television Violence. (2007, October 5). Retrieved February 9, 2013, from Issues & Controversies On File: http://elibrary.bigchalk.com.bakerezproxy.palnet.info/elibweb/elib/do/document?set=search&groupid=1&requestid=lib_standard&resultid=8&urn=urn:bigchalk:US;BCLib;document;191284197&style=printable&edition=&start=1&language=
Updated: TV and Film Violence Reaches a New High. (2011, December 17). Retrieved February 9, 2013, from www.cybercollege.com

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