Television

[liveonearth]

I don't normally watch TV.  When I stay at my mom's house it is running all the time.  My first impression is that the programming is sensational, and that there is very little depth to any of the reporting or storytelling.  There is a lot of redundancy with so-called news programs repeating clips over and over.  Next impression: pharmaceuticals dominate the advertising.  I saw an ad for the "female viagra", and one for Humira that says "don't take this if you have an infection" and others that speak of liver failure and other dire consequence.  Direct advertising of pharmaceuticals should be BANNED.  As a doctor I would rather that people come to me with concern and complaints from their lives, not requests for drugs.  Television programs Americans to be shallow, ignorant, and demanding.  So unappealing.

I don't remember the stats but I saw in the news that most 4 or 5 year old Americans already have a television and a "mobile device" of their own.  Most babies are exposed to mobile devices before age 1.

Comments

[anais-pf.livejournal.com]

I don't watch a lot of television either -- mostly I watch about half an hour at a time of the local cable news channel, about once every week or two -- but my guess is that your impression is colored by your mother's choice of programming, and that there are some good programs on if you seek them out. I mostly don't seek them out because I can't afford to pay the premium rates for the premium channels, but I know there are a few good ones because my friends talk about them. I also know there are tons of really bad ones.

I have to agree with you about advertising of pharmaceuticals. Since when are we supposed to self-diagnose and go in and demand particular drugs from our doctors? Being informed is one thing, but being convinced of what is wrong with us and what will cure us before we are even evaluated seems foolish.

What do you mean about mobile devices and babies? I am picturing a baby using a smartphone?

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Yep, young parents give their smartphones to babies to play with. They don't have the old child-amusing toys as much anymore.