We can see more disasters and violence shown on TV. What are its causes and what effects will they exert on the individual and the society?
It is irrefutable that television news is filled with violence and suffering. Crime and violent world events are among the most frequently covered topics on TV. In the following paragraphs, I shall discuss the reasons for this phenomenon and suggest some ways forward.
The most important reason for this is obviously that television channels want to increase their TRP (television rating point). Any channel with a high TRP gets more adverts and, hence, more revenue. Therefore, the channels have to show such sensational news. Secondly, the news channels have to show what is happening and disasters and violence have become very common in our surroundings. Finally, people demand that they be well-informed about all things prevalent in society. So, the media has to show all that to its viewers.
There are many harmful effects on individuals and society. The most disturbing effect is on the children and youth. Media violence can stimulate fear in some children as it frightens them, making the effects long-lasting. This can become traumatic for our children as they see it more and more. Children are starting to grow and are shaping their personality, values and beliefs. They can become aggressive or lose a sense of reality and fiction of what they see.
Young people imitate what they see and, logically, they see glamour in what they do when they commit violence. Consequently, society suffers as the streets are full of violence. Too much portrayal of these also leads to immunity among the people and they are no longer affected by the disasters. Disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes don’t make people shed tears any more.
How can we lessen violence? Reducing the amount of violence on TV and in the cinema would certainly be a good start. It is a well-known fact that the media possesses a lot of power to influence people. So, those in the media must be judicious about delivering news in a balanced manner that brings the story to the consumer without showing too much violence. Journalism is a profession like any other; certain standards of quality and professionalism must be maintained. Moreover, parents should be more vigilant about what children see on TV.
To put it in a nutshell, I pen down saying that there are many reasons why media shows too much violence on TV and some steps should be taken to reduce this as it has a lot of detrimental effects on individuals and society.
