During this super bowl, a lot of questionable commercials aired on national television. That got me thinking and I started paying more attention to what was being shown. Unfortunately we live in a time where sex sells and business’ notices this. I’m not saying I’m one to complain about skimpy clothing but I think that there is a time and a place for such advertisements. However, it’s not just advertisements that are crossing the line. Television shows are pushing it when it comes to keeping things clean and family friendly. I don’t know, call me old fashion but I just don’t understand why production companies feel the need to force inappropriate and offensive hints towards us. Remember back in the day when Ricky and Lucy Ricardo slept in separate beds on I Love Lucy? Now, I’m not saying that T.V. shows need to be that way again but is it necessary to show a couple having sex? I think we all know it’s going to happen anyway. But I digress. It isn’t all commercials and it doesn’t happen all the time but there are occasions when advertisements go too far.
Television programming has gotten a lot right lately and especially with time slots and scheduling. Shows like Jerry Springer and Judge Judy are aired during school hours so that kids are exposed to explicit language and actions. But in the evening after the kids are home from school there are shows that the parents like to watch such as CSI and Criminal Minds that are just too graphic for kids. Sure the kids don’t have to watch but some kids are privileged/spoiled enough to get a TV in their room so they watch whatever they want. That could bring up a whole different conversation on parental control but let’s not get into that.
Just the other day, I was at my parent’s house watching the Winter Olympics. I wasn’t paying much attention to the television because my 3-year-old nephew was in the room and I was trying to keep him occupied so my mom could finish cooking dinner without any distractions. However, the next story I heard caught my attention and I turned my eyes to the screen to see a video played repeatedly of 21-year-old luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili sail off the track and slam into a steel pole at speeds higher than 85mph. Pictures were also shown of paramedics giving the olympian mouth to mouth as blood dripped down the paramedics hands. NBC showed a young mans death on national television. Over and over again. My 3-year-old nephew saw someone die for the first time. Sure, he’s too young to remember or even know what happened but he still saw it. I guess that’s one of the reasons why I think censorship needs to be taken a little more seriously. According to an article on www.seattlepi.com , 67.5 millions viewers watched the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. So I think its safe to say that at least 1 million people saw Nodar Kumaritashvili death this weekend. They put a delay on other big events and award shows. Can’t they put a delay on the Olympics to censor out things like someones death?
On www.ucla.edu , several studies conducted by UCLA "have found that children may become ‘immune’ to the horror of violence; gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems; imitate the violence they observe on television; and identify with certain characters, victims and/or victimizers". I mean, I watch violent shows and play violent video games but I don’t feel any more violent. But it’s different for kids. According to www.ridgenet.org , “television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and behavior in children. Unfortunately, much of today’s television programming is violent.”
It’s up to the networks and the parents to recognize the dangers these kids face when exposed to this kind of behavior at such an early age. Hopefully censorship on not just television but all media outlets can be used more and what is being aired more closely monitored.
WORK CITED
http://www.ridgenet.org/szaflik/tvrating.htm
http://www.ucla.edu/curree…ne/violence/iiid.htm
www.seattlepi.com
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