THE BI-POLAR BOX:
TELEVISION’S INFLUENCE ON AMERICA

Michael S. Barrett
ENGL101- B18
May 29, 2012

Television is a powerful tool that can be used for good or for evil, and in and of itself cannot be good or bad any more than a hammer can be good or bad. In the early sixties, during television’s infancy, there only a handful of televisions manufacturers and the sets were costly to own. Most families had only set if they had any. Ever improving technology and access to programming has created a tremendous market for producers of televisions. Technological advances in electronic circuitry have allowed televisions to be manufactured less expensively opening a flood gate of companies that sell sets. Owners of “smartphones” can even view the same programming on their telephone that they see at home. This provides yet another avenue of influence for television programmers.
Americans have an average of three televisions per household according to surveyor and television ratings company A. C. Nielsen in a study released in 2010. According to Nielsen, 54 percent of American homes have at least three televisions while only 18 percent of homes had one or less sets. This number is up 43 points from a similar survey conducted in 1975. Clearly, television has become one of the dominant forms of media in the United States and probably has some effect on viewers but whether the effect is negative or positive is yet to be determined. Also according to Nielsen more people will be cutting their cables and obtaining their entertainment from the internet thanks to advances in web broadcast technology and the increase in the number of homes with access to high speed internet.
There are so many arguments being offered by both sides of the morality issue that it is nearly impossible to determine which side is right. Proponents of public television cite the good things that television can be used for, such as teaching your children through educational programs like Sesame Street. The program is aimed at preschoolers and teaches basic counting, reading, mathematics, and social behaviors in an entertaining format. Show co-creator Joan Gantz Cooney said this about the medium, “There is a young and impressionable mind out there that is hungry for information. It has latched on to an electronic tube as its main source of nourishment.” Her goal was to influence those young minds positively for as long as possible. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Sesame Street is the longest running children’s educational program in American television history. It began airing in 1969 and is still broadcasting as of June 2012 in over 140 countries.

Figure 1: Sesame Street Characters, Image from Public Domain
Christian broadcasting also offers positive influences on viewers by sharing the message of the Gospel. Some religious programming takes a direct approach, such as In Touch, the television ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley; pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. The program is the televised version of his weekly sermon. Dr. Stanley says the mission of his television ministry is “to lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and to strengthen the local church.” He considers the medium a route to completing his mission. Other programs use a more subtle approach to teaching the Good News. The animated series Adventures in Odyssey presents biblically principled story lines that appeal to children without being preachy. Like Sesame Street, some religious children’s programming teaches basic education but wrapped in a biblical theme. One of these shows was Veggie Tales which aired for a short time on NBC. The network chose to edit the mention of God from the shows so as not to “advocate any one religious point of view.”
Over the years television has garnered the reputation that if it is on it must be true. Phrases like “truth in advertising” and “The most trusted name in television news” keep the popularly held belief in tact. Viewers watch “reality programming” and believe they are seeing real conflict and snippets of real life. They don’t realize that most of the situations in these shows are instigated by the producers who encourage the participants to increase the level of conflict in the name of ratings. The whole point of television programming is to make money. To achieve that end programs must be successful. Advertising revenue is based on the Nielsen ratings of a program. The larger the audience the more networks can charge for advertising time.
The overarching theme is that people tend to believe what they see and Hollywood spends millions of dollars to ensure that they see what Hollywood wants them to see. It matters little whether programming is truthful or honest as long as it garners the requisite ratings so advertising revenue can be maximized. Shows like NBC’s miniseries Noah’s Ark, a two part program that supposedly told the story of the flood, was so far from reality that it was not recognizable as being from the Bible. One part of the story depicted Noah’s wife going insane and galloping around on the non-existent deck of the Ark. In yet another plot line, the Ark was beset by pirates who had somehow managed to avoid being destroyed by God during The Flood. Other characters present were Ruth, Esther, Miriam, and Lot and his wife, huge anachronistic misrepresentations by the network. Millions of people saw this and believed that the story, as told by NBC, was true.

Figure 2: Mary Steenburgen and Jon Voigt, Image Capture, Noah’s Ark, NBC 1999

There are many other examples of negative influences of television in America. Current popular shows have the main characters having children out of wedlock, such as FOX Networks, Bones, where not only but two couples have children and are not married. Shows like Glee, another FOX Network offering, portray openly gay characters engaging in homosexual acts on screen. Sitcoms downplay the importance of men in the family by making them appear stupid and weak. Shows like ABC’s Home Improvement portrayed the father figure as a bumbling idiot who couldn’t survive without the assistance of his wife and friends.
In conclusion, television can have either a good or a bad influence on viewers. In order to experience the positive side of television people need to practice discernment. Read the show synopsis, check the ratings guide, and investigate what others are saying about the show. Find a time when the family can share viewing together and use the time afterwards to discuss what was watched so that children will understand the program’s intent. Common sense can go a long way to ensuring a positive and enjoyable television experience.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Dish Network’s TV Everywhere TM Technology, http://www.mydish.com/support/getconnected
NielsenWire, http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/media_entertainment/more-than-half-the- homes-in-us-have-three-or-more-tvs, (accessed 6-11-2012)
Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/536050/Sesame-Street (accessed 6-11-2012)
In Touch Ministries, http://www.intouch.org/about/mission-statement, (accessed 6-11-2012)
Los Angeles Times Online Edition, “NBC Issues New Explanation for `VeggieTales' Cuts”, http://articles.latimes.com/2006/sep/23/business/fi-veggies23 (accessed 6-11-2012)

Noah’s Ark, NBC, May 1999

THESIS STATEMENT
Television is a powerful tool that can be used for good or for evil, and in and of itself cannot be good or bad any more than a hammer can be good or bad.

OUTLINE
I. Introduction A. Television is a powerful tool that can be used for good or for evil, and in and of itself cannot be good or bad any more than a hammer can be good or bad. B. Technological advances in electronic circuitry have allowed televisions to be manufactured less expensively.
II. Americans have an average of three televisions per household according to surveyor and television ratings company A. C. Nielsen in a study released in 2010. A. According to Nielsen, 54 percent of American homes have at least three televisions B. Also according Nielsen more people will be cutting their cables and obtaining their entertainment from the internet
III. There are so many arguments being offered by both sides of the morality issue that it is nearly impossible to determine which side is right. A. Proponents of public television cite the good things that television can be used for B. Sesame Street is the longest running children’s educational program in American television history.
IV. Christian broadcasting also offers positive influences on viewers by sharing the message of the Gospel. A. Some religious programming takes a direct approach, B. Other programs use a more subtle approach to teaching the Good News.
V. Over the years television has garnered the reputation that if it is on it must be true.. A. Viewers watch “reality programming” and believe they are seeing real conflict and snippets of real life. B. The whole point of television programming is to make money.
VI The overarching theme is that people tend to believe what they see and Hollywood spends millions of dollars to ensure that they see what Hollywood wants them to see.. A. It matters little whether programming is truthful or honest B. One part of the story depicted Noah’s wife going insane and galloping around on the non-existent deck of the Ark VII. There are many other examples of negative influences of television in America. A. Current popular shows have the main characters having children out of wedlock B. Shows like ABC’s Home Improvement portrayed the father figure as a bumbling idiot
VIII. Conclusion A. Television can have either a good or a bad influence on viewers. B. Common sense can go a long way to ensuring a positive and enjoyable television experience.

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[ 1 ]. Dish Network’s TV Everywhere TM Technology, http://www.mydish.com/support/getconnected (accessed 6-11-2012)
[ 2 ]. NielsenWire, http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/media_entertainment/more-than-half-the-homes-in-us-have-three-or-more-tvs, (accessed 6-11-2012)
[ 3 ]. Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/536050/Sesame-Street (accessed 6-11-2012)
[ 4 ]. In Touch Ministries, WEB, www.intouch.org, accessed 6-11-2012
[ 5 ]. Los Angeles Times Online Edition, “NBC Issues New Explanation for `VeggieTales' Cuts”, http://articles.latimes.com/2006/sep/23/business/fi-veggies23 (accessed 6-11-2012)
[ 6 ]. Noah’s Ark, NBC, May 1999