Television is an inevitable part of contemporary culture. We depend on TV for entertainment, news, education, culture, weather, sports and even music.
Today, it is very common in industrialized countries for a household to have at least one television. People spend a lot of time watching TV programs. It is difficult to say whether television is a curse or a boon because there are both advantages and disadvantages of it.
The most important advantage of television is that it provides every kind of information and entertainment. It is a way to keep in touch with issues in the wider world. It provides us entertainment; learning and a good time pass when there is nothing to do. It connects us with the world. Hundreds of TV channels provide recreation in different aspects such as movies, songs, Drama serials, Live shows of songs and dance etc.
Channels of sports provide us with our favorite sports, live matches, Olympics and many more. Documentary films have shown on TV guides us about real happenings in the world. And develops critical thinking about society and the world. Discovery channel gives us latest information about animals and recent researches. News channels give us the latest information of happenings all over the world. News, current events and historical programming can help make young people more aware of other cultures and people.
There are varieties of channels that offer educational programming where we learn new skills ranging from cooking to crafts. Educational programming can develop socialization and learning skills in young children. It is a way to stay informed about what is happening in the world. Television teaches kids important values and life lessons.
However, as every thing has two aspects, negative and positive TV has its disadvantages too. If students remain engrossed in TV, they are sure to neglect their studies, physical exercise and health. We can see that due to uncontrolled and excessive watching of TV, reading habits are lost sharply.
Social life also comes to standstill, for people do not welcome visitors when they are interested in watching their favorite programs. A new study shows that children who spend more time watching television spend less time interacting with their family and playing creatively. Watching television is a boon or a curse is a difficult matter. It is a boon if carefully selected programs are viewed and we learn something from it but it is a curse if we keep watching it forgetting everything else.