Violence has been a part of society ever since the days of the caves men, but only recently the television has lifted its ban on the graphic depiction of violence. Children and adolescents are being exposed to the increasing amounts of media violence, especially in television, video games and youth-oriented music. Severe permanent damage could be done to the children’s minds by such pornographic and sadistic material, in which detail is powerfully realistic. When obscene violence is depicted on television it is seen by many, including our children. The effects are vast, numerous, and too much to be ignored.
Many studies have made the claim that the television is responsible for much of the violence seen in the world we live in. Since children are exposed to television, there has been additional concern for how they process and think about the violence they see, read or hear. Excessive exposure to television violence can also affect children in many ways as they can become disturbed and develop serious fears of being victimized in real life. Children become desensitized to violence when they see it everyday on TV. They are not becoming properly aquatinted with what is real, what is not, and the effects of it all. With over 1000 studies supporting the causal connection between television violence and aggressive behaviour in some children, we know the more lifelike the violence depicted the more likely it will be learned.
Television is by far the most influential source of knowledge than any other type of knowledge distributor, such as books and news papers. Television has made a substantial contribution to the creation of an unkind, volatile ethos. Television has enabled violence to reach our living spaces, making horror and brutality a homely affair. Watching scenes of cold-blooded murder and rape since an early age allows children to develop a kind of derangement which lets them cope with the deep anxieties they carry.
Television cartoons often feature dehumanized characters who engage in the destructive acts of violence. WWE’s furious fighting makes children cruel and revengeful. Many television channels and serials show sex scenes and encourage smoking, drinking, foul language and stealing. Today’s most popular video games include many different fighting games. These games such as Mortal Combat and Street Fighter include graphic images of blood and violence. The violence in these video games can desensitize children to violence and alter their perception of reality. It can give them the idea that violence is the way to deal with problems and conflict.
Children represent the most vulnerable TV audience segment, given their youth and inexperience. Television influences every aspect of children’s lives. Their hopes and aspirations for the future, their attitudes to relationships – familial, parental, romantic, sexual, etc, are all inextricably linked with what they see, hear and learn from TV. Virtually since the dawn of television, parents, teachers, and psychologist have been concerned about the content of television programmes and their impact, particularly on children. Of special concern has been the portrayal of violence which leaves a serious impact on the attitudes, values and behaviour of children.