what has t.v. done to society...

[melissa dipasquale]

Just like any other teenager in high school I watch t.v. Although I am guilty of watching t.v. I realize what terrible effects it has on everyone of its viewers. I think that many programs try to create a positive effect and influence their viewers in a good way, but often fail. I personally watch shows like tough love. "Tough love" is a reality show that ultimately is meant to help certain individuals find love. Although the show has taught a select few a thing or to about relationships it has done more harm than good. They set these shows up to create drama and "good television" and ultimately hurt and embarrass themselves while the whole country watches. One show I really cant stand is "16 and pregnant!" This show is just influencing young girls to follow in these foolish girls footsteps. "16 and pregnant" probably was produced to warn teenage girls of the consequences of sex but in the end only encouraged girls to have children that they can't take care of. Many girls look at these sixteen year olds and say if they can be a parent then so can I. They don't have any sense of the struggle these new moms will face for the rest of their lives. I think that the producers of this show really meant well and wanted these teen moms' situations to fore warn teens and keep them from following in their footsteps. This sadly did not happen.

If everyone invested their time in something more productive and educational than lame reality shows i really think that we could all change for the better. When we were little we all used to run and play outside and actually exercise! What happened? Instead of watching harmful television programs just spend one hour of that time outside or doing something productive. I promise you will see a difference!

What do you think?? What effect do you think television has on others and what can we do to fix it? I would love to hear your thoughts.

[Mike Artov]

Personally i think maybe some tv shows are ruining the minds of teens but, what i think is effecting teens and children the most are the ads they show these days.

[Darby Douglas]

I'm not the biggest fan of watching tv. I just do it, if I'm just passing the time. The only thing I'll say I don't like about tv is how it glamorizes bad things. Like Alex said about Jersey Shore. They already know they take steroids, yet they keep them on tv getting wasted at clubs. When my little cousin acted up last week, I asked her where she learned to act like that. She told me she was watching tv and a main character threw a tantrum and got what she wanted. My cousin even knew that's not a good thing to do but she thought it's okay because it's on tv.

[Alex Konrath]

I think television can have negative and positive effects on people our age and younger kid. Jersey shore is a great negative example. All the big guys on that show all test positive for steroids!! The negative or bad TV is the so called 'reality' TV shows of today. Reality Tv portrays fake and staged settings and situations for people's entertainment, as long as your not taking anything you see seriously or as a good idea. Most of the discovery and history channel programs are educational and appropriate for younger kids. The important thing is for us as teenagers not to take TV seriously or not to believe everything we see on TV.

[Jack Finis]

I think modern-day television has more negative effects on kids especially. They always show the perfect sterotype that make some people want to change, when in reality they shouldn't. Yeah, t.v can be funny and entertaining, but I really question some stuff they put out there..

[Jack Andersen]

I think that television has a lot of negative affect on kids our age. All of the people that they show on TV especially the cast of "Jersey Shore." They all have the perfect, tan bodies, and are living the life. And all that makes the teenagers feel that they should be just like that.

[Sarah Obrzut]

My mom always tells me that everything i watch is "junk", but i do no think its a big deal to watch ridiculous shows like that every once in a while. Just don't look up to those kinds of people you see on shows like that.

[Alison Hagan]

No doubt there are some really dumb shows. Many people have put socializing outside of work lower than television because television is much easier. I am talking about older people here, the generation that's been out of college for ten years. Television has been shown to produce the same reactions and feelings in our brains that real socializing does. It's crazy stuff. I don't watch much television so I don't know from first hand experience but I'm sure there is something similar in books and video games.

[Rachel Pierini]

I don't know about most teenagers, but when I am watching a show I don't take anything seriously what is going on. I just watch TV to escape into someone else's life when I am stressed. I understand how it can be harmful, but as long as you watch it in moderation and don't take what is going on to heart, I think you will be fine.

[Allison Dunnington]

My parents told me the TV would suck my brains out when I was a kid and I was scared of it for a long time after that. We still don't have cable at my house, which I don't mind at all. Sure, I like to watch movies and documentaries, but generally I watch less than an hour of TV a week.

[Rachel Baum]

I think reality tv has pretty much taken over our society. I can guarantee you that every second of the day, somewhere in Fremd high school someone is taling about some sort of reality show. I also think they're more than just bad messages, I think they're addictive. They create all these completely unlikely situations and leave you hanging so you have to watch the next show to see what happens and then the producers have you right where they want you: hooked on the show.