How to protect children from TV's bad influence

How to protect children from TV's bad influence

Anak-anak dan Televisi
By Milton Chen, Ph.D.
Published by Gramedia Pustaka Utama, Jakarta, 1996
219 pages, Rp 15,000

JAKARTA (JP): However busy you are in your daily work, I trust
that as a responsible parent you exercise control over your
children and know who their friends are to avoid their
undesirable social interchange. But, have you ever thought that
TV programs, when not controlled or supervised, can be bad
friends of your children?

What is the difference between bad friends who teach your
children sex and violence, and TV programs which do the same?

Dr. George Gerbner, emeritus dean of Annenberg School of
Communications, University of Pennsylvania, and Nancy Signorielli
of the University of Delaware, speaking of violence on TV,
explained that regular and long-term exposure to TV had a bad
influence on children's susceptibility, dependence and
sensitivity to violence. Scenes of violence and sex on TV are
said to accelerate the maturing process of children.

A survey conducted by the Indonesian Children Welfare
Foundation on TV programs in March 1996, involving 269
respondents aged between 7 and 15 years, showed that the number
of TV programs directed at children only is relatively small,
from 2.7 percent to 4.5 percent of total air time. The study also
shows that films telecast by private TV stations for children
show more anti-social behavior (52 percent).

The "dark" side of TV was revealed in a finding of a Newsweek
poll in 1992. The poll showed that 49 percent of people surveyed
thought that TV had the greatest influence on children. Only 26
percent of the respondents thought that the greatest influence
was exercised by parents. Forty-nine percent said that TV
entertainment was a negative influence on children.

Assessing the "dark" side of TV, the book's author Chen, who
has been involved with children's TV for 20 years, has tried to
see the positive side of television as a neutral medium. He said
that television still had constructive programs for the education
and development of children. Chen believes that only the parents
as the central figures and main decision makers can help make
television a positive element in the life of their children.
Parents should be able to prevent their children from watching
scenes of violence and sex.

Chen says television -- the most important part of the book --
should be restricted. Drawing an analogy, he says that not all
food served must be eaten, so not all TV programs must be
watched.

The initial step in monitoring television's effect is to note
the number of hours spent watching TV and the programs viewed.
Then evaluate the data and limit the total time your children
spend in front of the tube and select which programs are
suitable.

Milton Chen's experience as a director at the Center for
Education and Lifelong Learning (CELL) in San Francisco shows
that clear limitation of the viewing hours and the programs
children watched was important. Children will not normally
violate their set boundaries.

Despite an agreed restriction, parents should remember that
they are the main models for their children in TV viewing.
Setting an example is the key. If you have fixed your TV viewing
to two hours a day, but spend eight hours watching it, you cannot
demand that your children limit themselves to two hours. It would
be hypocrisy.

The book, written for parents to guide their children on TV
viewing, finally suggests that parents can become the catalyst
for their children to enjoy intelligent TV: from casual TV
viewing to conscious viewing of selected programs. As a smart TV
viewer you are capable of protecting your children from the
aggression of the tube.

It should be stressed that your time is your children's time.
The hours you reserve for them constitute real prime time for you
to act as their educator. And these will be the most memorable
moments for them in future.

-- Mubarok Agung Prasojo