Get the Feed
I (Heart) Television
Glenn Sparks, a professor of communication and mass media effects expert at Purdue University, suggests the best thing we can do for our relationships this Valentine’s Day is to turn off the TV.
“There may be programs we like to watch together, and this is good,” Sparks says. “But there is a concern that a television that is always on interferes with how we communicate.” His research indicates that television watching reduces the amount of time spent talking, listening and making eye contact when friends are in the same room.
Too much of anything can be damaging, of course, but I’m not sure a reduction in talking, listening or eye contact is necessarily bad for relationships. I bet television watching also results in an increase in cuddling, hand-holding, mutual laughter and a bunch of other fun stuff.
What is happening here is yet another overdetermined attempt to demonize TV. We would never be having this conversation about reading books, going to a museum or even seeing a double-feature — even though they probably produce the same effect.
As a culture we can’t see to get over the idea that TV has invaded our sacred domestic sphere, which we have supposedly reserved for some idyllic nuclear-family activities, whatever those are.
As one of my favorite websites put its, it’s time for “Television Without Pity.”
Posted at 5:01 PM | Permalink | | 
Email
| 
Print
January 30, 2007 at 7:16 am
The intent of my comments in the press release was not to demonize TV. Let’s get some balance here. I specifically pointed out that TV could often be a good thing. The point was to simply remind us that TV is a very unique medium in its capacity to take our attention away from others in our immediate presence. When people read books and want to converse with each other in the same room, they are not competing with the sounds from TV which often discourage us from interacting. And a museum trip offers the opportunity to talk at the same time one is appreciating the exhibits—something that is difficult to do while paying attention to TV. Just try talking during the favorite program and see how quickly others in the room act to silence you. It isn’t that TV is all bad–but if we aren’t cognizant of what happens when we watch it, we can very easily find that interaction with others is severely reduced because of it.
January 30, 2007 at 10:05 am
Sorry that you ended up being a bit of a straw man, Glenn. I imagine your research is much more nuanced than what was represented in the press release.
Having said that, I still think I have a very different view of TV-watching than you present. It’s much closer to the museum experience you describe. In fact, most of the shows I watch (I only need to think back to “24″ last night) I only watch because it enables my partner and I to banter back and forth about the characters and events.
And I don’t think we’re unique in having a very interactive approach to TV. I’m thinking of all the work of Henry Jenkins — which we frequently discuss on PP.
Thanks for your work and your comment, regardless … I look forward to continuing the discussion.