Some people believe that television has destroyed communication among friends and family. I believe this is not always true. In my opinion, whether or not television is disconnecting people’s communication depends on what type of program is being watched by people, more importantly, who is watching what kind of program.
There is an silly program, such as programs for entertainment;, foolish programs don’t challenge people. They have just enough storyline to keep them from switching channels. On the other hand, there are educational programs that help to learn about something new, such as documentaries or news programs. Mostly, people who are watching empty programs are passive and active viewers. A passive viewer will just watch television without thinking about what they are watching. The combination of an silly program and a passive viewer makes communication unlikely. Passive viewers just continue to watch, without thinking. Actually, they enjoy watching the television, because they don’t have to think at all. They won’t break away to talk about program with friends or family. Even with better programs, passive viewers still won’t think or communicate that much.
On the other hand, active viewers watching educational programming always want to share what they see with friends and family. “Educational” doesn’t necessarily mean documentaries or news itself. It could be drama with realistic relationships that portray moral relationships and actions. When active viewers watch programs, they talk about what they’ve watched. Good program inspires viewers to exchange their thoughts, and also give time to recall their lives.
Television can destroy communication amongst passive viewers. The passive viewers probably don’t want to communicate with each other, such as their family or friends. For active viewers who are already enjoying communicating, television is helpful somehow.
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