14. Feb. 2010. – 17:11:25
Since its availability to the whole
population there has been a continuing discussion whether watching violence on
TV has any effect on children. Most caring parents of under eights would
certainly take note of the 9.00pm "watershed" even just to ensure
their little darling gets enough sleep. Advertisers who pay millions to advertise
products that appeal to children insist that there is no danger to children in
some of the programmes paid for by that advertising insofar as children are
able to discriminate real life from fantasy. Many who are "expert"
and many who are not so "expert" disagree.
What is not in dispute is that many young
children watch Eastenders. I have to admit that I have never seen the programme
but have been aware of its transmission from the shouting and screaming from
the room where others in my house have been watching it. So it was no surprise
to read that in it’s 25 year history, which will be marked with a special live
episode on February 19, there have been 70 deaths – 16 of which were violent.
That represents a 22.8 per cent murder rate, way over the national average of
0.032 per cent.
If children in families where incoherent argument and violence are perhaps just below the surface are exposed to this "in your face, like it is" material three or four times a week is it not likely that their bases for normal behaviour will be altered? It`s possible to argue that violent video games are seen to be fantasy and have limited effects on juvenile behaviour but "family" programmes with content as described above are not the same thing. I say bring back "Wagon Train" and "Gunsmoke".
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