Have you ever been watching TV and found that there’s nothing good on? I can tell you this: In my channel surfing days, it was really hard something besides Wonder Pets that isn’t full of sex, swearing, and/or violence. In fact, because of these things, we don’t even have TV anymore! This is why we should take inappropriate content off the Air.



First of all, the temptation is far too great for young people. “44% of kids say they watch something different when they're alone than with their parents.” says Parent Television Council (PTC). Kids are sometimes just getting all this junk by complete accident. According to PTC, on December 10th, 2003, Fox failed to bleep the f-word and the s-word during the Billboard Music Awards. The numbers of 2-17 year-olds watching were well over 2,000,000. This group comprised more than 20% of the total viewing audience.


Also, this type of programming has negative impacts on students. Teen life is hard enough with all our schoolwork and drama anyway. Add to that all this unnecessary junk TV directors are feeding us, and some of us start to believe it is normal. “The cumulative impact of violence-laden imagery can lead to a ‘mean-world’ perspective, in which viewers have an unrealistically dark view of life.” - The Christian Science Monitor, November 18, 1996 (Found on PTC’s website). Also, he television’s useless stuff is getting in the way of kid’s behavioral health. That’s crossing the line. There’s an epidemic of “possible negative health effects of television viewing on children and adolescents, such as violent or aggressive behavior, substance use, sexual activity, obesity, poor body image, and decreased school performance.” according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). This false “norm” is misleading kids to believing, and even acting like it is normal.


I understand that in the modern world, “sex sells”. I may not like it, but it’s true. But these shows were meant for adults. According to Nielsen the top TV shows for 12-17 year old girls are: American Idol, The O.C., Will & Grace, and One Tree Hill. The top TV shows for 12-17 year old boys are: The Simpsons, Malcolm, and The O.C. (from PTC). But, think of the kids. We could save all the unnecessary violence and sexual content for MOVIES. Movies are sold. Parents can lock a movie up much easier than TV programs, especially when you’re watching a harmless show and some commercial comes on with a half-dressed woman. You can never really get away from it with current TV programs.


So let’s stop the madness. Protect the young minds that will dictate our future! Save the inappropriate content for controllable environments. This situation is causing violent and inappropriate behavior, and is destroying our young lives. The world is causing us to grow up too fast. We all need to do our part to keep the mean off the screen.