Impact of Television on American Society

This has had an effect on the family in America in that at one time watching television was a social occasion for all the family to share whereas nowadays the family is split into their own various places inside the home watching their own choice of programmes. George Comstock argues that, "the medium (TV), then, in various ways has decreased intergenerational association and reinforced the tendency of age cohorts to spend much of their time while growing up among themselves." It could be argued that because children are spending less time with parents and grandparents in the home socially, then their understanding of the older generation may not be nurtured and there may be a lack of respect towards older people. At the same time the older generation may not be able to understand the social problems that face the younger generation and this could lead to a lack of understanding on their part towards younger people. The amount of violence on television and the reduction in families watching programmes together is having an impact on American society.
             It could be argued that America television controls what people talk about socially. For those who do not own a television it must be a nightmare to attempt to engage in a conversation with the viewing masses. Social conversation on the whole can tend to evolve around the latest soap opera crisis, sporting event or world disaster. An example of this was in the 1980's when America almost came to a stop in some circles as everyone waited to find out who shot J.R. Ewing in the soap opera Dallas. Streets can be left deserted when the Superbowl or World Series is being televised and the following day office, mall and street conversation is concerned with the teams performance. News bulletins can inform the nation about current events but the problem with the news networks is that "the media themselves decide what are newsworthy issues." It could be suggested that the American news media might be in a form of isolationism when it comes to world events, unless of course it is a "ro!.