We as 21st century human beings have been breed with television. Some of us live and breathe television. Because it is such a big part of our lives, the way we send news, sports, teach our children, entertain, and even spend money, it should not be surprising television plays such a big role in the analytical perspective of sociological theories. I will attempt to explain how each approach, functionalist view, conflict view, and interactionist view, view society, the individual, social order, and social change.
Starting with functionalist view is everyone having their place or purpose in society. Everyone and everything has a function. Functionalists believe that society depends on these certain functions to serve its people: * Television plays a crucial role not only on a local level, but on a national and even international level of news. On an international level we receive news about war, other countries, and international disasters. On a local level we receive local crimes, weather, and political news. * Television programs Teach important learning skills to our children as well as exposes adults to information they would never be able to see otherwise. * Television plays in a big part in bringing together not only people but whole countries by showing important celebrations and events, but by also showing catastrophes such as 9-11. * Television contributes to society economically by promoting and advertising (commercials) but allowing society to be able to order directly through shopping networks to their house.

Conflict view coincides with Marxism. They believe and standby the belief that the social order is based on coercion and exploitation. Conflict theorists argue that television intensifies many of the discrimination or division of race, social class, gender, and even ethnicity: * Television is a form of business in which the monetary value is worth more than the programming quality. * Television has a disturbingly overwhelming number of white, male, and rich CEOs and bosses; because of this observation television leaves out the lives of the working middle class, Hispanics, LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community, African American, and the disabled. * Television dictates most outcomes of political parties by saturating the television with political propaganda. Usually the one with most money wins. * By allowing other countries to watch U.S. broadcasted television shows, we put up a facade to those countries which make them culturally and economically depend on the United States

Finally Interactionist view focuses on the symbols used by a society to indicate its value, morals and development. Interactionist examines television on the micro level by focusing on how day-to-day social behavior is shaped by television: * Television is used incorrectly for our children, instead of people using it to teach or entertain for short periods of time, they become their baby-sitter * Communities come together because of shared interest in television network programs, and viewing habits such as World Series or the Golden Globes. * The non-stop violence and terror being broadcasted on the news and all programming instills fears and helps build aggression and animosity toward others. * Television is used as a political tool of propaganda to manipulate reality to either benefit them or their cause.
Regardless of how different or similar functionalists, conflict, and interactionist theorist are they all must agree that television is not just an object on entertainment, but television is a tool used by society to manipulate human beings to their liking. Television helps show society what’s new in their culture and is still a wonderful base of study for sociologist.