14. Essay Television (10th/12/2nd Year/BA/B. Sc) by AG Ahmad

Essay No. 14     

..  A Television  --

Like telephone and radio, television is a wonderful gift of science after the invention of electricity. It has the advantages of both radio and cinema. We can see pictures and listen to their conversations simultaneously. Today, television is an important means of entertainment and education. As it is wisely said,

“Television is an invention that permits (enables) you to be entertained

in your home by the people you wouldn't have in your home”.

Television was first invented by John Logic Baird, a famous scientist of Scotland. Mr. Baird demonstrated his invention at the Royal Institute of Great Britain in 1926.

Despite the development of the Internet, television is still one of the most important sources of information. It plays such a significant role in people’s everyday lives that it’s almost impossible to imagine how we would live if there were no TV. As it is rightly said,

“Television is an anesthetic for the pain of the modern world”.

Through television, modern man has conquered time and space. Through television we can see events, dramatic performances, musical functions, speeches and exhibitions which are held in distant places. As it is wisely said,

“Television is simply automatic day-dreaming”.

Television is the mirror of life. It represents life as it really is. Through it, people get glimpses of culture, lifestyle, and historical places of interest within the country as well as abroad. It has raised the concept of global village and reduced cultural distance. As it is rightly said,

“Thanks to television, for the first time,

the young people are seeing history, before it is censored by their elders”.

Various programmes are telecasted in order to create awareness among the people relating to health and hygiene, nutrition, family planning and spread of harmful diseases. Through these programmes, common people come to know about spread and prevention of diseases like AIDS, cancer, dengue and about the facts and myths about them. As it is wisely said,

“Television has done much for analysis by spread information about it,

as well as contributing to the need for it”.

Television is a medium of entertainment. We do not take trouble, of going outdoors to see a drama or a musical functions or a foot, ball or cricket match. We can see these things at our home on television screens. As it is wisely said,

“Television is a new medium.

It is called a medium because nothing is well-done”.

Again, television acts as a medium of expressing public opinion. After a hard day's work, the movies or daily soaps can be refreshing. As it is rightly said,

“Television is a chewing gum for the eyes”.

The educative role of television cannot be denied. Discovery and National Geographic channels educate people about a lot of things. Television programmes are made to fight many social evils such as illiteracy, dowry problem, and superstition, ill-health, ignorance and political corruption etc. As it is wisely said,

“All television is educational television.

The question is:  what is it teaching?”

Nowadays, many people spend a lot of time on watching TV. That is why it indisputably has had many negative effects on the human being's mind. As it is rightly said,

“Life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television”.

One of the most serious negative effects is that television interferes with the relationships between people in their real life. It has bad influence upon the youngsters who adopt murder and violence just because of the adverse impact of television. As it is wisely said,

“When television is good, nothing is better.

When it is bad, nothing is worse”.

But excessive watching of television can tell upon the eye sight as well as health in general. Long hours of watching television affect the eyesight to a large extent. It provides attractive programmes and films, which badly overwhelms the viewers and wastes their time. As it is wisely said,

“Television has proved that

people will look at anything rather than each other”.

In conclusion, the problem does not lie with television itself, but in how we use it in our daily life. We can avoid the bad effects of it and enjoy its merits if we use it wisely. As it is rightly said,

“I find television very educating.

Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room”.