FIRST DRAFT ---Sophie

Title: Does the mass media have good or bad effects on the growth of kids ?

As things stand, it is scientific growth that can benefits human beings; meanwhile, it may as well pose a potential threat to mankind, esp, concerning the youngsters' behaviours. Seemingly, there exits a contingent trend that an epidemic of "Television Children"(Maccoby,1951,P422) is under way within teenage population. According to the recent survey in UK, it is detrimental for toddles to sit tight before TV for more than three hours per day. Such babies are more likely to suffer vertigo, dim sight or backache, compared with those who are seldom exposed to TV bombards.(BBC News, May 2010) Notwithstanding, this issue presumably deserves thorough meditation in light of the physical, psycho biological development of young adults. Hence, the key purposes in this essay will unveil into three stages: Initially, equally important is multitudinous merits can be obviously found, mainly shown on diversion, knowledge and family-reunion; while some shortcomings should not yet be ignored, particularly with regards to the crisis of mete rial, mental and social communication. Thirdly, despite all of above, therefore, It is conceivable that the new mass media does have negative influence upon juvenile outweighing the benefits.



Admittedly, the TV box holds abundant benefits from some extend to the growing children as far as the positive functions of diversion, knowledge and family union. It may be, first of all, considered as the most economic "civilian pleasure"(G. T. Gentry, p57,2007), which means the young adults do not need to afford the high expenditures to tickets of the cinema and playhouse, only to find out, in all likelihood, that the programme is disappointing. Surely, with such small screen of moving pictures, these kids can be free to enjoy their amusement or even more. It is the best relief way that all they can do is just press the buttons as well as sitting in the sofa comfortably. Secondly, Television's various programmes are constantly playing the essential role to broaden the horizons and expand the outlooks of adolescence. On the average, the majority of young people regarded the television images as the most useful and interesting tools to gain the universal information or current events rather than the continuous indoctrination with these principles and precepts by teachers' direction. As for the family union, last but not least, some sociologists treasure it very significantly in terms of holding family together. A case in point goes to the American families especially the working-class families are often sit around the tables and enjoyed the funny TV shows since 1990s till now, which can fully manifest the merits of this new emerged technology in the United States. (Williams.M, 2009)



In spite of the above TV benefits of amusement, information and family user-friendly for teenagers, nevertheless, we should attach a lot more importance to profuse drawbacks of health, spirit and social relationship insofar as the physical and psychological aspects of juvenile. As anyone will attest, television goes with the sort of lifestyle which leaves the viewers nothing to spare just killing their precious time, to begin with, long term exposing in front of the twinkling screen, more often than not, do harm to kids' eye sights. Moreover, these "couch potatoes"(The Online Slang Dictionary ) may become TV addicts eventually. According to the recent national health survey in the United States: "The proportion of youth meeting the U.S. objective for TV viewing is less than the target of 75%. Time spent in sedentary behaviors such as viewing TV may contribute to overweight and obesity among U.S. Youth."(Fulton JE and Wang X ET AL, p2, 2009) Additionally, take the peer pressure as well as social communication into account, more centrally, one who keeps him fixed on the moving images all day long is likely to be less sociable between family members and friends. For instance, it seems that some television shows may give rise to false values because these immature kids usually do not acknowledge much about the real world. Finally, by virtue of the spiritual factor, if the younger generations are not so indulge in violent and pornographic pictures that they will rarely acquire the disorders of mentality or even will imitate the actions, more worryingly, embarking on the road of crime downright.



To crown it all, the drawbacks and advantages of the mass media for the juveniles' development, as mentioned above, which can be apparent with a prismatic comparison and contrast of the two opposite effects. By and large, we can not emphasize the importance of parenting and supervising too much via the great efforts of families, schools and authorities. "Yet a growing body of evidence is now causing governments and health authorities elsewhere to do just that, and we need to as well. "(Sigman.A, p1, 2010) Thus, for the sake of the physical and psychological wholesome of adolescence, the top priority is the encouragement of enlightening and high-quality programmes and inspiring kids' creation in a forthcoming era.



References:
1. ELEANOR E. MACCOBY, Television: Its Impact on School Children, 1951, P4222. Dr Aric Sigman, BBC NEWS, 'Long-term harm' of too much TV for toddlers,MondayMay2010,http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8654963.stm, Page last updated at23:03 GMT, Monday, 3 May 2010 00:03 UK
3. G. T. Gentry,2007,A Bulletproof Life,p57,Xulon press
4. Melissa Drue Williams, February 2009,“Excuse the Mess, But We Live Here”:Class, Gender, and Identity in the Post-Cold War,Working-Class Family Sitcom
5. Fulton JE, Wang X, Yore MM, Carlson SA, Galuska DA, Caspersen CJ.2009;6 Suppl 1:S28-35.Television viewing, computer use, and BMI among U.S. children and adolescents.J Phys Act Health.Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.PMID: 9998847 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
6. The Online Slang Dictionary(American, English and Urban slang)1996-2010 by Walter Rader, http://onlineslangdictionary.com/definition+of/couch+potato