barriomulas.com - Why I Dislike the Television

Like many youth, I spent many hours a day of my Childhood glued to a television set. At first it was Nickelodeon and Fox that provided my daily entertainment, and then MTV and prime-time television. For a child living in suburban America, the boob tube is often one's only window into foreign cultures, social issues, and current events. It wasn't until later years that I began to grow disgruntled and distasteful with today's television programming.

I began to resent televisions "accessibility over the entire cultural spectrum", as economist John Kenneth Galbraith calls it.

Television channels are almost entirely owned by private companies. Such businesses are for-profit ventures, and thus are dependent on advertisement and third party sponsors. This is an attack against freedom of speech on the airwaves, as programmers are careful not to air anything that would repel potential advertisers. The result is a bland, generic programming meant to not offend any demographic group.

Television programing is not meant to educate you any level more than that which is beneficial to the economic needs of the channel and their sponsors. One event that opened my eyes was that of the denial by major television networks of Adbuster.org ads opposing unchecked consumerism, waste, and materialism. This demonstrated to me that television programing was not willing to air anything that would make me anything other than a turbo consumer with rampant wants that are easy to manipulate. If they were not willing to air paid advertisement that promoted critical thinking, consumer independence, and responsible citizenship than why would they air any programing that promoted the same?

I turn on the boob tube and see metrosexual men singing bland, generic songs; contestants eating bugs; and loud, obnoxious young adults living together in extravagant houses. Simple lights and sound to grab out attention and keep us dumbed up long enough for the sponsors to do their job. Television's programming is nothing but a continuous advertisement for a way of life that best suites its market interest. Such programing in turn molds a consumer ideal enough to pitch advertisements to.

sarai said:

Bravo!Guess i got lucky growing up my Parents wouldn't let me watch it much..
Although sneaking downstairs at night to watch Aeon Flux on Liquid Television was my dirty secret..
I must day I like The Daily Show, Robot Chicken, and the occasional Oprah hehe..
Otherwise it's just there for movies

June 27, 2008 3:32 PM