In most homes today, we can expect to find at least..........Used carelessly, it can be a curse instead.

Can We Do Without Television?

In most homes today, we can expect to find at least one television set. Some of the more affluent homes have more than one. A television set is no longer considered a luxury, as it has become a part of modern living.

The benefits of television are manifold. As a means of communication, there is virtually nothing to match it. We can watch a football match thousands of miles away with a mere flick of a switch, in full colour and with high fidelity sound. News that would have taken months to travel from one place to another now takes just a fraction of a second to reach in its original state, minus the factor of distorting human messengers. The impact of this improved communication on our lives is indeed great. We are not only better informed of current events all over the world but we are also exposed to a multitude of different cultures and ways of life. Never before did we have to face such a huge onslaught of information. In this context, when used with discretion, television can provide us with much knowledge, but when used carelessly, it can reduce us to non-thinking entities.

Television is the cheapest form of leisure and it provides a great variety of entertainment. It brings hours of suspense, laughter and thrills into our living rooms. With the development of video equipment, the range of programs available is indeed wide. It is able to provide fun and entertainment to the young and old alike. On the whole, the usefulness of television as a source of entertainment and recreation is undoubted. The danger lies only in the possibility of addiction to watching too much television. We do have television addicts who do virtually nothing but watch television all day long. The prolonged watching does not do any good to the couch potatoes, as these addicts are called. Their vision can deteriorate and furthermore, it is a sheer waste of time.

Via television, manufacturers are able to reach out to consumers more effectively. The advertisements on television serve to inform consumers about new products. However, nowadays we are literally overwhelmed by scores of advertisements all pushing to sell their products. A couple of adverts in between programs are welcome breaks, but to watch clip after clip for more than five minutes at a stretch is just too much. Likewise, an advertisement clip coming right in the middle of a program can be very irritating as it interrupts the continuity of the program.

Television is also an invaluable educational tool. It enables education planners to co-ordinate and inform students about the requirements of various subjects.

From a security point of view, the television set can be used as a surveillance tool and an `eye' in inaccessible places. Banks and other large commercial centers use close circuit television to maintain security. In deep- sea explorations, television is used to reach places no man can reach.

The television is part and parcel of our lives and it is here to stay, whether we like it or not. How we make use of this wonderful invention is entirely up to us. Used with care, it is a boon to humankind. Used carelessly, it can be a curse instead.

Summary: Television provides knowledge and information. It is the cheapest source of entertainment and recreation, and is able to provide a great variety of programs which can entertain both the old and the young. Advertisements on television inform us about new products. Television is also an educational tool. Television has also been used as a surveillance tool and to reach inaccessible places. However, watching too much television can be addictive, a waste of time and can deteriorate vision. It can also reduce people to non-thinking individuals. Furthermore, advertisements in between television programs can be irritating.