chapter4This Is Entertainment?

Ellen Schwartz

TV as purveyor of a culture of disrespectand promoter of a passive populace

All television is educational.The question is, what does it teach?

—Nicholas Johnson, formerFederal Communications Commissioner

Violence grabs the headlines, but violence itselfis the result of a society that promotesselfishness, greed, and instant gratification.

—David Walsh, Selling Out America’s Children

 

TELEVISION IS THE MOST PERVASIVE ELEMENT IN OUR LIVES as we near the end of the second millenium. Rich or poor, we all love our TVs. Sixty-six percent of homes have three or more televisions. As Americans, we feel it is our birthright to be able to enjoy the “free” entertainment of television. But what is presented as ...

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