Kristy Lee

Mrs. Thomas
UWRT 1101-103
22 October 2014
The Positive and Negative Effects on Heavy Television Viewing Identified in Four Genres
Do you believe watching too much television can make kids fatter, stupider, and more violent?
As you ponder on this thought, let me give you some statistics to help you decide. According to
A.C. Nielson Co., a company that provides data for consumers, the average American watches
more than four hours of TV each day. This includes watching 200,000 violent acts (murder,
abuse, aggression, stealing, etc.) by the age of eighteen. At sixty-five years old, the amount of
time spent watching TV totals up to nine years not including the 2 million thirty second
commercials. TV has always played a huge role in our lives by influencing the social norms of
our society and affecting our opinions of others and ourselves. Many people have different views
on watching television so I decided to portray my topic in these four different genres: a Facebook
page, YouTube video, medical-related article from Wedmd.com, and an article from UNCCs
database.
Facebook page
On this Facebook page called Exposing the Effects of Television on the Mind, the current
cover photo shows an image with the TV in the center. A family of four surrounds the TV and it
looks like the family is being sucked in by the TV as if its pulling them in towards the screen.
The profile picture quotes the words, KILL YOUR TELEVISION with a man who has a TV
for a head and a gun pointed to the TV head. Another picture posted on the Facebook timeline
shows a TV in the center with an actress. Words covering her face say, your life is boring,

watch mine. These images are very provocative and each send a strong message to its audience.
Under the Facebook pages About, several links are posted with reference to scriptures in the
Bible. This leads me to believe the admin of this page is coming from a religious standpoint.
This means the message he is sending out has to do with ethos and logos. He is trying to
convince the reader to do right by God yet also tries to persuade the reader to believe watching
TV is harmful to the brain.
YouTube video
This YouTube video posted by Trinity Mother Frances Hospital and Clinics titled their video,
Too Much TV Bad For Your Health? Instead of approaching the topic with an argument, the
video is used to question the topic and allow the audience to decide based on the feedback given.
Dr. Bryan M. Lowry, a member of the Trinity Mother Frances Hospital and Clinics, says its
not watching TV that is harmful but the sedentary lifestyle that can promote eating or trigger bad
habits that can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. In the video, KETK News reports experts say
theres nothing wrong with enjoying television as long as its watched in moderation. As long as
there is balance and time invested in an active lifestyle as well, watching TV is harmless.
Medical-related article
In this article entitled Is TV Really So Bad For Kids?, Micheal W. Smith explains that
adolescents who watch more than an hour a day of TV are more prone to aggression and
violence once they reach their late teens and early 20s. Dr. Cantor tries to convey her point by
stating, By watching television, children often learn that sex is very casual, that it has no
negative consequences, and that its cool to have sex. Her method of getting the point across
to her audience has a pathos appeal to it because children are often associated with the symbol of
innocence. This article continues to depict watching TV as a harmful factor to children and their

growth. By targeting parents as their audience, the end of the article also lists TV viewing
guidelines for parents, some of which are: set limits to no more than one to two hours a day,
watch TV with them and discuss what is being watched afterwards, and limit the public
commercials and explain their purpose.