What are the advantages and disadvantages of TV?

The television dominated the latter half of the 20^th Century as the main source of household entertainment and information for the public throughout most of the world. From its humble beginnings, when widespread public broadcasting began in the 1930s in the USA and some European countries, TV spread around the world. Only in the 21^st Century has TV’s popularity been dented somewhat, as computers and other internet-enabled entertainment devices have really begun to eat into TV’s traditional territory. In this article, I look at what are the advantages and disadvantages of TV as a medium.

1. As a general source of information. You can watch the news on TV and see what is happening currently. You can watch history, travel, nature, biography documentaries. Essentially, TVs can supply an almost endless flow of factual information.

2. As a source of entertainment. TV can deliver comedies, drama, movies, sports, and children’s programs. Over the years, TV makers have near-perfected the art of making programs and a whole industry has built up around TV. Viewers now have more choice than at any time before.

3. It helps us with our everyday lives. TV gives us practical information such as weather forecasts. It gives us information on how to do all sorts of things, such as buy and decorate a house, cook meals, and where to travel to.

4. As well as a source of general information, TV can also give students more in-depth educational information, which they can use to complete their school and college courses effectively.

5. The video and audio format of TV can sometimes be the best way of conveying certain information. Watching the news, or see a movie on TV, for instance, can sometimes be a more powerful experience than reading about it online, or in a newspaper, or book.

6. TVs generally have bigger screens than any other device. This usually makes them the best way to play games, or watch movies and videos.

1. The commercials can be very disruptive and irritating and can undermine the enjoyment of TV programs.

2. Traditional TV lacks a certain amount of flexibility in the internet age, where a viewer can often watch programs online of their choosing at the times that suit them. You can’t pause traditional TV programming either, if you need to take a break.

3. TV can sap your time and end up being a passive excuse for being lazy, if you’re not careful. While it is relaxing, it is not necessarily a very productive use of time, especially if overindulged in.

4. TV can influence society negatively as well as positively. Violence, sex, and crime shows can all attract viewers, but they don’t necessarily make for a healthy and positive society.

5. TV is relatively easy for oppressive governments to control. They can dictate what news and information their citizens have access to. TV can therefore be used as a means of social and political control (although this has been undermined to some degree in the modern age, with the introduction of the internet, which is less easy to control).