American Broadcasting

         The world we live in today is powered by the feed of a network running from house to house, giving the life of television. What we watch now is much more violent, sexual, vulgar and stupid then anything we've ever seen before. What TV shows air now compared to what aired back in the nineteen seventies is vastly different.
         Violence has always guaranteed the attention of viewers. It's a hook of intrigue, drawing in people to watch a bit of action on a particular show. The American Psychiatric Association did a study in 2004, and their findings shouldn't be too surprising. "By age 18, a U.S. youth will have seen 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence [on Television]" (American Psychiatric Association). Another article written by Kevin Szaflik on ridgenet.org, reveals that "[e]ven in the recommended time frame [of two hours of television a day], [children] will have witnessed 8,000 murders... and more than 100,000 other acts of violence by the time they finish elementary school" (Szaflik, ridgenet.org). One hundred thousand acts of violence already viewed by an eleven year old, that will double by the time he is eighteen. Why is our society letting the younger generation go through this? A Senior Research Scientist from the University of Michigan, Leonard Eron, states that "Television alone is responsible for 10% of youth violence" (parentstv.org).
         In the 1970s, however, there was a parent-formed group called ACT; Action for Children's Television. Both Wikipedia.org and Hubpages.com note that this housewife and mother formed organization forced officials into reducing violence in kids shows. The most violent thing shown then was a "wham" sign as a villain was punched.
         Another big problem with current TV shows is the sexual content. It seems like we've thrown out our morals like old newspapers with TV shows like "Desperate Housewives," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," and all of those soap opera shows. First of all, the soaps and "Desperate Housewives" are very sleazy and always have someone sleeping with another person in each episode. The plot is all about drama and who's backstabbing whom while swapping kisses with whom else. Parentstv.org claims that "ABC's Desperate Housewives is the most popular broadcast-network television show with kids aged 9-12 according to Nielsen stats" (parentstv.org). Yes, you read correctly; this show is most popular with kids, and it still airs without a flag raised. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit focuses on a team of agents, police, and courtroom executives that track and take down the sick perpetrators of molestation and rape. No one needs to see what happens to their victims in graphic detail. And those shows just earn the credit of being the worst. Sex is almost, if not an equal, guarantee to grab attention as violence does in the visual world. Back in the 2001-2002 TV season, "sexual content appeared in 64% of all TV programs... 1 out of every 7 programs included a portrayal of sexual intercourse" (parentstv.org). Notice it said all TV programs? With over eight hundred channels already running (supplied from Cable, Direct TV, and local channels), that's one hundred and fourteen shows plus every season. Is your brain frying yet?
         To set this current age in contrast, the nineteen seventies had innumerable sexual references but never anything farther than that. Back then, "[t]elevision’s version of the new sexual culture was all about sexual suggestiveness, teasingly offering hints of sex. It did not show explicit sex acts or nudity and did not use graphic language" (nsrc.sfsu.edu). Children were not old enough to catch deeper or double meanings, and therefore not exposed to events until due time. In the years past it was a safe television age to live in, regarding this particular subject.
         On another note, less depressing but still important, the game shows today are much less challenging than they were. In "Deal or No Deal," is a CBS game show that depends entirely on luck, suspense, entertaining contestants, and money involved to keep the viewers watching. There isn't any intellectual power involved, nor is there any strategy; you pick cases of money randomly, and hope you receive a good "deal." On ABC, there's a show called "National Bingo Night," where contestants play Bingo in an over-sized game board. They play against chance for money, doing nothing more than pulling a lever and letting expressions of excitement or disappointment flutter for the audience. On "The Moment of Truth," premiering on NBC, constants sit in the hot seat and are asked personal, career- or marriage-breaking questions for money. They're willing to lay open their lives, past actions and decisions, whether it be innocent or hurtful, to the full scrutiny of the public on national television because they want money the easy way. What has made us so open to crude entertainment? Kenny Mayne, once a contestant on a sports facts game show, was interviewed by Lisa Nicita with the Gannett News Service. In Nicita's column, Mayne states, "Game shows aren't really game shows anymore... They're more about the drama, the zany contestant and the comedian who anchors the show" (the.honoluluadvertiser.com). With a show like "Deal or No Deal," who can dispute him?
         In the nineteen seventies, however, game shows were battles of intellect. What premiered was "The $200,000 Pyramid," "Family Feud," "Hollywood Squares," and "Jeopardy," intheseventies.com reminisces, All of these shows require the contestants to know about the world and everyday objects. "Wheel of Fortune" challenged knowledge of spelling and phrases, while "The Price is Right" challenged memory of current prices on virtually everything sold in stores. In these games, you had to know about everything going around the nation and state, the grocery store and the new dictionary. More often than not, speed was essential in both memory and hand (so you can ring in your answer first). There was hardly any free chance involved, and the people who knew more won more. People thought out the plot lines, and so the public watched the brain-required shows. Is there anything else to say?
         Past shows, for both game shows and entertainment in general, are better than the present ones. There were far fewer violent scenes (if any), no more skin showing than bare arms, and actual intelligent thought put into games where people win money. Is there any contest in current comparison?