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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-05-17, Page 22 -THE HURON IXPOS$TOR, May 17, 11196 Feature Huron debates effects of TV BY TIM CUMMING Expositor Editor TV or not TV...is that the question? The effects of television on the lives and developing minds of young people has been criticized in a provocative series of articles by a retired Huron County elementary school teacher. At the beginning of February Joan Brodie began a series in the Focus newsmagazine which is circulated to most Huron County homes. Some of her readers, who already had a suspicion of television, became increasingly concerned when the writer recounted research critical of television. "They've been uncomfortable hole TV scenario but :n't really had the Jack up their atscom- totl, said Brodie, a former teacher at Huron Centennial School. "Parents need some help to say 'Turn it off' or come up with some alterna- tives." The retired elementary school teacher calls television an 'electronic pacifier.' Brodie began teaching in 1952. She said she noticed a change in the children as tele- vision became prominent. "The biggest change in the beginning was the homework wouldn't be done and the child would be tired." Parents can change the shows on television by writing to television stations and adver- tisers and even threatening to boycott their product, according to Brodie. "The business dollar has so much clout, there's big, big bucks involved." One of the television shows most disturbing to many par- ents in recent years is The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Just like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies before it, children tried to emulate the karate kicks and hits of the show. Brodie points out that the show was -pulled off the air at one station because of the actions of concerned parents. "I think the fact the Power Rangers was pulled so quickly shows there's sensitivity to the fact it's destructive program- ming," she said. "When there's responsibility on the part of the media they'd be in a better position to (complain) about censorship." Aware that her position may seem extreme, Brodie says that the media wouldn't receive a radical reaction if it didn't the push the limits so far. "That's what the media has done," she said. "I don't see anything radical, if a dump truck dumps on our lawn, going out and saying, go dump someplace else." The retired school teacher doesn't like to see television used as a babysitter. "There are Orwellian aspeets to that," she said. "Instead of thinking we sit and have our brains massaged by a machine." . ABOLISH TV? ...OR MANAGE IT? A different perspective comes from a child of television, Randall Lobb. The 30 -year-old high school teacher has written extensively on youth and media issues. A former production assistant on TV commercials, he had to perform such tasks as painting shellac on food and blow-dry- ing a pad of butter on pancakes (to make them look tastier). "That makes you cynical," he said. Lobb, however, doesn't want to see television thrown on the scrap heap. He says parents need to practise complete man- agement of television viewing habits. "I think that from the very earliest age you should not make TV the centre of their life," he said. "It should be seen as one choice among many." Parents and children must begin to view television criti- cally, he said. Viewers must be aware they are being manipu- lated, that networks produce sales messages first, and find something to put between the advertisements second. "I think the people should be exposed to everything, all kinds of information, even bad stuff...as long as they have a way to see it that is at least semi -analytical," he said. "You want to have critical -thinking viewers." TIM CUMMING ILLUSTRATIVE PHOTO COULD YOU PUT YOUR T.V. IN THE TRASH BIN? - Could you do without television? Should you do without television? Is it innocent fun? Is it educational? Or is it an unhealthy presence in our living rooms and bedrooms? Television can convey some dangerous images, said Lobb. For instance a child viewing movies, which often portray minorities in a negative light, might get an unhealthy image of black people. Television, says Lobb, is skewered towards white, middle class, conservative, American values. "Where's the buying power in America?" he says rhetori- cally. "That's where the shows go...sponsors pay for the shows, the shows have to reflect the buyer for the prod- ucts." Television can also create a climate of fear of the outside world where families simply 'cocoon' and watch video rentals. The danger, says Lobb, is that Canadians are becoming a people who watch things rather than go out and do things. "We just rent videos," he said. "It's a nice way of saying we don't do anything." He says that television is primarily a medium for adults but is being shown, unregu- lated, to children who don't always know the difference between right and wrong. The medium is also affecting the attention span of children. Lobb, however, doesn't advo- cate turning off television for good. He says there needs to be a climate where children are encouraged to do other things. Children are being taught that reading is boring, for instance. "I can't imagine people would hate reading, somehow that has been taught to them somewhere." IS TELEVISION USED AS A SCAPEGOAT? • Can we turn our backs on television? Should we tum our backs on television? Is the question as simple as television or no television? A former editor of TV Guide, who lives at RR 4 Seaforth, suggests it's simplistic to blame television for our social ills. The argument that television hurts young people has been around since the birth of the medium, said Ken Larone. Parents set the tone of what the family will watch on televi- sion. "In fact there have been many studies that show kids watch what parents tend to watch." The former editor says a lot of parents don't know what their children are watching. They must be involved in their children's viewing habits, according to Laronc, who was a director sof the Children's Broadcast Institute for five years in the late 1980's. "If they don't like what's on TV they shouldn't allow their "I'd hate to think an eight-year-old's favourite program is Married... with Children." children to watch," he said. "You can't always blame the other guy, sometimes people have to take responsibility for themselves." Those who want to blame television for society's ailments may be neglecting some other social changes. Families are changing and parents are per- haps stretchedtoo thinly and are exhausted. "There's a transition taking place in the family unit," said Larone. "At one time it took one parent, one income to raise a family...it now takes two, the parents are very busy. "No one parent is left to carry the family values as they did 20 or 30 years ago," he said. There is less time left for the children. "It's almost an unregulated environment for children." Larone notes that some schools now have breakfast / ,r programs to feed the children at school because not all children have been given breakfast at home. "I can't imagine, going back 30 years ago, sending kids to school without giving them breakfast." LITERACY IN DECLINE? Television has been blamed for, among other things, a generation with less interest in books. Not all educators, however, are ready to hop aboard the anti -TV bandwagon. Many schools have programs which encourage children to read books. "Every school has a program of some kind that encourages reading," said Helen Crocker, Principal of Walton Public School. At the Walton school the children improved their reading skills through a fundraising event called Snuggle Up and Read. The children, along with the contribution of World Book Encyclopedias, raised about $1,400 by reading books for about one month. Crocker said the children began to read more because of the Irealldid see an improve- ment," she said. "The amount of usage of library books went up enormously. Crocker, stressing that she was speaking as an individual and not an educator, said there are many positive things on television. "There are some very good videos," she said. "Television isn't all bad, we just have to be selective about what our kids are watching." The school Principal said she has a grandson whose favourite programs are documentaries. The movie The Pagemaster, starring Macaulay Culkin, promotes reading, she said. Many parents are very selec- tive about what their children watch, according to the school Principal. Some shows don't help children develop imagination and Crocker said she per- sonally dislikes the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Some of those children who are allowed to watch the show try to duplicate the fighting in the schoolyard. "I don't like it in the schoolyard," she said. "It really passes on to the other kids like an infection." TV LETS IN THE WORLD Dick Burgess teaches a film arts course as well as French and English at Seaforth District High School (SDHS). Although he emphasizes he is speaking as an individual he has many years experience in the educa- tion field. He has taught at SDHS for more than 30 years, and even teaches children of some of his former students. He can't see a dramatic change in those stu- dents. see Television, page 16 ICTORIA DA MONDAY MAY 22 FIREWORK Displays from '12.99 to '99.95 Sparklers • Fountains • Roman Candles • Black Snakes Fantastic Selection DISPLAYS SINGLES 4 4. 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Richardson Greenshields is one of Canada's largest and oldest Independent, full service Investment dealers with 68 offices located throughout Canada and the world serving Individual, corporate and institutional Investors. 148 Fullerton Street Suite 2006 London, Ontario N6A 5P3 (519) 679-0260 .1I Toll Free 1.800-265.4119 Member of CIPF It is said, that you should go "foot loose and fancy free" for once in your life....so the Staff of the Huron Expositor are taking a VAdalut on ay 22nd ALL DEADLINES ADVANCE TO FRIDAY, MAY 19th 4:30 p.m. Thank you for your co-operation and have a safe and happy holiday Notice is hereby given that the Public is invited to the ANNUAL MEETING of Seaforth Community Hospital to be held Tuesday, June 27, 1995 at 8:00 p.m. in Conference Room 2 of Seaforth Community Hospital. for the purpose of receiving the Annual Reports of the Board of Directors and of the officials of the Hospital, for the election of Directors, for the appointment of Auditors, and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting. The By-laws of Seaforth Community .Hospital provide that the Board of Directors shall include trustees to be elected by members of the Hospital Corporation. Membership granting voting privileges may he purchased for two dollar's before 4:30 p.m., May 26, 1995. Membership sold after that time will not entitle the purchaser to vote at this Annual Meeting. By resolution of the Board of Directors! William R. 'I'hibcrt, Secretary 9.