The TVs have nowadays become something close to a basic need because they are so cheap for everyone to buy. In fact when you get used to it you become addicted such that when it becomes faulty you feel like something is missing in your life. In early days they were a symbol of wealth because those who owned one were envied by their neighbors.
Today that is history because they are so many in the market and they come with different features and models such as flat screens and LCDs. This paper focuses on how TVs have changed people’s lifestyles.
It did not occur in the minds of TV inventors that what they invented would influence people’s lives. In fact TV was meant to be used for entertainment purposes such as watching movies and etcetera. But today it has been transformed into a multipurpose tool because other than the initial use, it has become an educational material through the programs that are broadcasted.
Additionally, it is also appropriate for marketing goods and services. This has led to the emergence of lucrative businesses in advertising. This kind of marketing is compatible with TV because the media is a tool of communication that reaches millions of people world wide.
In the recent past, communication based on TV platform was one way traffic because the viewers could not express themselves but today most TV channels have established feedback channels that are used to extract opinions from the viewers with the aim of using the complains and compliments to improve their services. This is because there are so many TV channels and thus they are competing for the same customers hence they are opting to outsmart each other in order to win the confidence of their viewers.
A keen analysis on people indicates that TV has gotten into people’s nerves because they do whatever they see being done on TV. This means that the TV has become a tool of verifying our lifestyles even if they are not acceptable by the society. For instance, people dress according to how they see TV models dressed but what they don’t know is that what the actors and musicians put on is appropriate for TV purposes only.
Some of the things that are displayed by the media personalities are not real, such as the tattoos that are temporary meaning that they eradicate them as soon as the show or video is over.
It’s not only our dressing that is influenced by the TV but also our eating habits because most people feel that what they see others eating on TV is healthy compared to what has not been aired on TV. The ladies are the most affected by these influences because when it comes to relationships they expect their men to be romantic like the stars they see in soap operas. This is wrong and offensive because the behaviors that are portrayed in the soaps are acted and does not reflect the lifestyle of the characters who imitate such personality traits.
Men on the other hand have not been left behind because they have been carried away by the events of football matches such that they are neglecting other important duties in their families in the name of love for the game.
What makes it offending to the ladies in their lives is that they never watch the matches in their houses because they like watching the games in the company of their fellow men and they hardly accommodate their women. Indeed women argue that it’s not advisable to talk something sensible to a man while he is watching a game on TV because you will mince your words in the end since his mind is fully carried away by the game.
The children have also been influenced by TV because majority of them don’t finish their homework. The TV has proved to be a dangerous tool when it is exposed to kids without a limit. Children imitate what they see adults doing on TV hence parents should be careful when they are exposing their children to TV.
This is because some of the channels air programs that have vulgar languages besides having exotic scenes that are almost pornographic material. That’s why children of these days are having sexual intercourse very early in their lives because they are influenced by what they watch. For parents who care about their children there is wide variety of channels that have programs that are suitable for children such as cartoon network which is a dedicated channel for children.
Furthermore, advertising has become a determining factor among consumers when they are choosing the product they want to purchase. Companies are spending millions of money in advertising their products and services such that those who feature in the commercials have transformed it into a lucrative business. Commercials can be very misleading because most of the times what people see on TV is not the truth about the commodity or the service in question. This is because they don’t tell the negative side of the product or service.
Some of the latest trends in various fields have been influenced by TV because people believe in TV so much that they don’t believe whatever they wear or eat is appropriate unless it has been seen on TV. In fact, in textile industry a fabric is not recognized unless it has been put on by a celebrity in a famous TV show. When it comes to fashion I think newer designs will always emerge from nowhere but what will never grow old is being smart.
In someway the TV has been very effective tool in sensitizing people about important issues. This is why journalists have been pushing for the freedom of press because there are some things that the general public would not know if they were not aired on TV. I think politicians too have embraced TVs because of late they have been using them to sensitize people about their political ambitions.
Religion too has been integrated into TV because some of the most renowned preachers spread the gospel through TV. They are known as televangelists and some include T.D Jakes and Joel Osteen among many others. In ancient days missionaries had to travel beyond borders to spread the word of God but today they have their sermons aired to millions of people in all parts of the world courtesy of Pay TV. This kind of TV uses satellite technology to broadcast programs to many countries all over the world.
Some countries have come up with measures to make sure that the owners of TV channels are responsible for the consequences of the programs they air. For instance, in some countries it is against the law to air uncensored programs. In fact they have time specifications that dictate the time frames for such programs. The TV has been very efficient in terms of being informative because the news we watch update us about the happenings in other parts of the world.
This is one of the rules because there are some countries that were ruined by TV such as Rwanda where the national TV was used to spread ethnic hatred that led to the genocide in 1994 in which thousands of people were killed. Most countries have regulatory bodies that supervise the programs aired on TV.
In fact investors who are interested in establishing TV channels have to obtain licenses from the authorities. Therefore, it is important for people to make their own decisions as long as they are comfortable with those decisions without seeking the understandings that are induced by TV.