Young people tune into TV for over four and a half hours every single day. That's an increase in TV viewing of 40 minutes a day compared to a few years ago. But it's not surprising that we're watching more TV. With all the latest technology, TV is now viewed online, on mobile devices such as phones and tablets, or on digital viedo recorders (DVRs). What is clear is that TV is central to our lives. But what kind of impact does it have on us?
- LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
There is a lot on research on TV and it effects on children. What is most disturbing is tha TV may have a negative effect on children's language development. While the results of studies vary, the opinion of most experts is that children under two shuld not watch TV. - OBESITY
An average teenager sees 6,000 food commercials a year, and most are advertisements for fast foods, candy and sugary cereals. It is also likely that increased TV-viewing time cotributes to inactivity. Exeperts claim that these are two of the main reasons for the rise in obesity among young people. - LITERACY
One problem with the TV is that it reduces the time that students spend reading. Research shows that there is a direct link between reading and good test scores, and it's possible that TV viewing is one cause of poor test results - SOCIAL SKILLS
There is also some concern about TV and its influence on behavior. In one survey, teachers complained that some shows encourage students to behave badly. Other reports suggest that there is a relationship between watching too much TV and bullying