Television as a Medium - Essay Example

Television as a Medium In the world today it is common for a household in industrialized countries at least to own a television. This is in fact so common that it is impossible to imagine one without a television (Bryant & Oliver, 2008). This in its context shows how essential television is. To understand its importance this paper will look at context in which television serves in our daily lives. Television is a medium amongst the mass media that attracts the largest number of viewers. It has a greater size of audience compared to other media audiences. The reason is because a wide audience regardless of the society status, class, literacy or age group is attracted to television (Bryant & Oliver, 2008). For over the past decades television has been used for the purpose of information and education as well as for entertainment. There is a consideration of television being the most effective medium of communication in today’s world. An individual spends an average of around two hours in from of TV. There is a lot of difference made by commercial ads in televisions in our society today. Each day billions of dollars are used by companies for advertising services and products (Kapoor, 2003). Though it is expensive to advertise on TV its effectiveness in reaching a large number of people cannot be ignored. Television is important in people’s lives in that after a hard day of pressure of work and with a stress clogged mind television plays an important role to release stress and pressure. Movies are shown any time of the day and it is never too let to watch one on TV. People get an opportunity to watch shows and comedy which enables them to laugh and be able to afford smiles in their faces. The most important TV function is entertainment. The accompaniment of images and sound in music videos is very important to both viewers and artists. It is one thing for music artists to sing and let people listen to their music, but it is very intriguing when people watch their music videos (Usaini, 2011. It is more entertaining that way and acts as a medium for development and marketing of their music. A television proves that a picture paints a thousand words. While there is increase in technology with endless and up-to-date information, for decades TV has been the source of information for people. People still rely on TV for world and local news on business, finance, politics, sporting events, and weather forecasts, among others. Countries like India have unique television programs that are used to persuade and pass on Indian culture from one generation to another. These programs present a national picture and a perception of diverse thinking and rich cultural heritage of India. Various peoples’ activities, cultural expressions and religions from various parts of India reflected in the Indian society are presented. The reach and technology growth of television has been phenomenal in the last three decades. It was considered as a mass educator and medium for the large population scattered in culturally diverse and remote areas. Many people living in remote areas of their countries are influenced by television because it reaches even the remotest villages to usher information explosion. Television helps in disseminating modernization and development message in creation of awareness for the generating participation of the public. It also support programs and plans for governments to advance the cause of national integration, protect national security and stir economic and social change (Bates, 1998). Television is an audio-visual medium which connects viewers to events in a more clarifying and exciting way. For example during celebration a national event like Independence Day a live telecast provides a great meaning to the event that no films, still pictures or amount of reading can match. Television also opens up an opportunity for those in the remote areas to be educated on the affairs of the nation election matters and involve them in development tasks. Television can also be seen as a mirror reflecting the personality of a nation. What happened in the past can be recalled, what is in the present can be shown and can peep in to what is in the future. This television role is important to countries that have innumerable diversities. In countries where there is a burning problem of illiteracy among their population television can be used to disseminate audio-visual information in a more tremendous reach like remote areas. Countries in the world today have diverse traditions, religions, and cultures, believe and values. In order to establish a common understanding among people around the world and bring them together television plays a greater role. A common experience can be provided to masses at the same time. This can be done through a combination of various methods and audio-visual materials by telecast like chalkboard, demonstrations, exhibits, models discussion, objects and play. This helps to provide message clarification to viewers in their level of understanding. This makes television a more effective and appealing medium to various groups. Television also plays an important role in serving as a persuasive function. It reinforces and stimulates tendencies, beliefs and ideas the viewer already possesses. This happens when for example when a message is repeated and reinforced on television like environment protection, family planning, energy conservation, marriage age and girl’s education. Television as a medium educates, motivates, inspires and informs. It shows what exactly took place and how it took place. In educating about the function of the heart it can show the heart and cell division through animation. It can show the landing of a person on mars and how he landed. Television is the most powerful medium of education in providing educational messages because of the ability to combine showing, writing and specking. The speaker can talk to its audience and demonstrate what he means by showing. Viewers from all over can be shown a demonstration at the same time (Saglik & Ozturk, 2000). Television plays a very important role in promoting business to boost the nation’s economy through advertisements. Business owners promote sales on TV and the audiences are allowed to choose from the shown services and goods. Since television has a wide reach businesses are able to advertise to many people to create awareness, introduce their products or services and even remind them (Kapoor, 2003). This increases sales, revenue and profits of companies. Television has properties of motion, sound and sight and with its ability to connect to the senses of viewers it is able to create effective broad product awareness. Television has created and built brands like Coca Cola through advertising. By use of sound and moving images marketers can be able to tell the story of the brand. A television spot can incorporate popular songs, identifiable spokespeople, brand and popular songs. Television enables advertisements targeting customers to be created and the customers are more like to recall those advertisements. Another important role played by TV is connecting people a role it has played for many years. People get an opportunity to discuss a show or news with their coworkers, a family watches a program together during family time, and people on social media share their thoughts with other people across the world. In many countries television has been given greater importance as a source and a teaching tool. The medium is used for informal, non-formal and formal education. Television acts as a reinforcement and supportive tool in formal education. It can be attached to time tables and curriculum of school and it takes the form of school broadcast when organized systematically. Researchers have affirmed television importance in communicating attitudes, skills, ideas and information (Bates, 1998). Television continues to benefit people by highlighting them on their rights, privileges, duties and the environment. It is also a source of teaching religious beliefs, social relations, language skills, etiquettes and hobbies. Generally, in education television provide opportunities for mass education, provides times and space flexibility in learning, enhance quality in education, stimulates learning, reduce verbal teachers and teaching dependency and provides social quality in education. It is more effective to teach social, science and mathematics studies on TV (Saglik, M & Ozturk, 2000). With good parental supervision television can build healthy viewing habits and healthy experience in children. There are TV programs that are beneficial to children. Children can learn about various subjects they enjoy; ‘Primetime show’ for example features in the kitchen. Children shows spark learning opportunities whether they are educational or not. Nature shows and documentary are educational and entertaining to kids. They are able to learn about what their environment is comprised of and how they are related to it (Evra, 2004). Television also allows children to explore things, animals and places. For example they may not be able to visit the wild to see wild animals or visit the rain forest but they can explore by watching them on TV. Educational producers have produced movies and shows with amazing footage of people, society, animals and nature. Learning through this media enables children to appreciate other people, the animals and the world at large. Television through its shows inspires children to try new activities and involve in learning. When children watch their favorite characters involved in fun games that inspire learning they want to do it too. The most effective learning shows are preschoolers shows which use characters to motivate children. When children watch a show or a movie they may be motivated to read a book on the same subjects. Parents can help their children to develop thinking skills by discussing the difference between the movie and the book. TV can also build the analytical skills of children. This can be effective when parents watch alongside their children (Fisch, SM 2004). After the show or the movie parents can ask their children questions like ‘What do you think will take place next time? Who do you think did it? What different do you think characters would have done? This will help children learn to predict, solve problem and even think. Developing thinking will be beneficial to children as they grow up. It is agreed that television is an important medium in the world today and its significance cannot be hidden. It’s unimaginable to live without TV in the life today. Television’s moving images influence people’s behaviors and thoughts, demands their attention and fascinates them. TV brings together people of different cultures from other countries, facilitates a nation’s economy through advertising, and provides information like news and unending entertainment to people. Its role in providing education to individuals, relaxing people when stressed and building analytical thinking in children cannot be ignored. Television will continue to have a strong influence in the world in many years to come. Reference List Bates, AW 1998. Television, Learning and Distance Education. Journal of Educational Television. Vol. 14, No. 3 , pp 213-225 Bryant, J & Oliver, MB 2008. Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research. Taylor & Francis Evra, JP 2004. Television and Child Dev, 3rd edition. Routledge. Fisch, SM 2004. Children's Learning From Educational Television: Sesame Street and Beyond. Taylor & Francis Kapoor, N 2003. Television Advertising And Consumer Response: Children Buying Behaviour. Mittal Publications Saglik, M & Ozturk, S 2000. Television as an Educational Technology. Its Usage at the Open Education Faculty. Anadolu Univeristy Usaini, S 2011. Entertainment Television: Its Perceived Role in Shaping Teenagers Social Behaviour. VDM Publishing. Read More

A television proves that a picture paints a thousand words. While there is increase in technology with endless and up-to-date information, for decades TV has been the source of information for people. People still rely on TV for world and local news on business, finance, politics, sporting events, and weather forecasts, among others. Countries like India have unique television programs that are used to persuade and pass on Indian culture from one generation to another. These programs present a national picture and a perception of diverse thinking and rich cultural heritage of India.

Various peoples’ activities, cultural expressions and religions from various parts of India reflected in the Indian society are presented. The reach and technology growth of television has been phenomenal in the last three decades. It was considered as a mass educator and medium for the large population scattered in culturally diverse and remote areas. Many people living in remote areas of their countries are influenced by television because it reaches even the remotest villages to usher information explosion.

Television helps in disseminating modernization and development message in creation of awareness for the generating participation of the public. It also support programs and plans for governments to advance the cause of national integration, protect national security and stir economic and social change (Bates, 1998). Television is an audio-visual medium which connects viewers to events in a more clarifying and exciting way. For example during celebration a national event like Independence Day a live telecast provides a great meaning to the event that no films, still pictures or amount of reading can match.

Television also opens up an opportunity for those in the remote areas to be educated on the affairs of the nation election matters and involve them in development tasks. Television can also be seen as a mirror reflecting the personality of a nation. What happened in the past can be recalled, what is in the present can be shown and can peep in to what is in the future. This television role is important to countries that have innumerable diversities. In countries where there is a burning problem of illiteracy among their population television can be used to disseminate audio-visual information in a more tremendous reach like remote areas.

Countries in the world today have diverse traditions, religions, and cultures, believe and values. In order to establish a common understanding among people around the world and bring them together television plays a greater role. A common experience can be provided to masses at the same time. This can be done through a combination of various methods and audio-visual materials by telecast like chalkboard, demonstrations, exhibits, models discussion, objects and play. This helps to provide message clarification to viewers in their level of understanding.

This makes television a more effective and appealing medium to various groups. Television also plays an important role in serving as a persuasive function. It reinforces and stimulates tendencies, beliefs and ideas the viewer already possesses. This happens when for example when a message is repeated and reinforced on television like environment protection, family planning, energy conservation, marriage age and girl’s education. Television as a medium educates, motivates, inspires and informs.

It shows what exactly took place and how it took place. In educating about the function of the heart it can show the heart and cell division through animation. It can show the landing of a person on mars and how he landed. Television is the most powerful medium of education in providing educational messages because of the ability to combine showing, writing and specking. The speaker can talk to its audience and demonstrate what he means by showing. Viewers from all over can be shown a demonstration at the same time (Saglik & Ozturk, 2000).

Television plays a very important role in promoting business to boost the nation’s economy through advertisements.

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