By Sara Payne
The moment we''ve all been waiting for has finally come upon us. This wonderful TV variety fest offers us a wide range of topics that will infiltrate our homes and help mold our attitudes on life. No, I''m not talking about General Conference; I''m referring to the lineup for primetime entertainment brought to you by our friends at ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, TBS, WB, UPN and many more high-powered networks.
According to an ESPN study on television viewing among college students, the average college student spends 14.5 hours a week watching television. For every credit hour taken at school then, there is an equal hour spent watching television. My question is: where did all this free time come from and where can I get my hands on it -- although, once I do get my hands on it, I''m pretty sure I wouldn''t waste it in front of a television.
I''ll admit there are many shows out there that are worthy of my attention.
Television, just like any other information medium, is an advertising tool for networks to get ratings. They figure the more they stretch the limit on what is appropriate, the more audiences will tune in.
BYU professor of communications Allen Palmer discussed the theory of technological determinism that states it doesn''t matter what message a medium (like television) brings, the characteristics of that medium will dictate the audience. He said television dictates this passive state- that this flickering tube hypnotizes viewers into being members of a passive audience. Just the nature of television creates an atmosphere of apathy and passive acceptance. Knowing this can help viewers to be better equipped to take an active role in our entertainment and make moral and ethical judgments about how to use our time.
'If you really believed in the LDS teaching of stewardship, time is one of our stewardships,' Palmer said about television viewing. 'We will be held accountable for how we use our time. Passively watching television is probably not a good use of our stewardship.'
Obviously, everyone else has is affected by television, but not you. The Third Person Effect states that people feel they are immune to the effects of the media, but don''t doubt that others are affected. Studies show college students who watch television are more likely to mirror the attitudes and behaviors they observe. Studies have proven that students are more likely to use alcohol when they have watched a significant amount of certain types of programming. Furthermore, college students exposed to large amounts of sexual behavior on television (more than two-thirds of the content is sexual- good luck trying to find something else) are more likely to believe that their peers participated in those same activities.
We wouldn''t go to a party full of drugs, alcohol and sex simply because it''s 'fun' or 'entertaining,' so why would we watch the same content on television and think it has no effect? Don''t foolishly think that you will be the one person who is immune to sin.
This doesn''t mean we need to shun television. Researchers performed these studies to educate an increasingly media illiterate audience. We need to be mindful that the content we watch is in line with our beliefs and values so that we don''t slowly adapt and conform to the ideas that are so casually laid out for us to take.
The season premieres in store this fall involve topics that aren''t exactly in line with Latter-day Saint doctrine. ABC''s 'Desperate Housewives' highlights suicide and adultery; NBC''s 'Las Vegas' glorifies sex and stripping and CBS''s lineup of detective shows like 'CSI,' 'Cold Case' and 'Without a Trace' focus in on murder and drugs.
Television is such a powerful tool. It can strengthen our beliefs and values. It can inspire us and we can learn something from it. I used to watch shows like 'Full House' that depicted hypothetical family situations and worked through the 30-minute segment to resolve problems. 'The Brady Bunch,' 'The Cosby Show' and 'Family Matters' all sent positive messages about family life and the consequences of one''s actions.
But television can also be the quickest way to assimilate sinful behavior and attitudes. Be mindful and aware. Do not blindly accept entertainment that a third party spoons for you to digest. Use caution and make sure the ingredients you take in are healthy.