TV Over The Years by Josh MIller

It seems like the standards for what we see on television are lowered every time we see a new show on the tube. Infidelity and homosexuality are easy to find when flipping through the channels. This is in stark contrast to a couple of decades ago when spouses could not even be seen in the same bed together. The change has been gradual and ever so slightly noticeable. Even in a few years you can tell the difference, as said by a missionary coming home and watching television for the first time. Acceptance has broadened to the idea of immorality overtime. Especially with things we have now like HBO and on-demand TV where you can order unrated programs. As it says in the book, when ratings were first given out it really opened the flood gates for networks to go beyond the limits. Indecent programming can be found on television in the late hours when children are normally asleep. There is some effort towards reversing these trends, but they do not have enough support. The changes however are not all evil. Just this past week we had to the opportunity to hear our Prophet and general authorities speak in conference. The sessions were broadcasted in many different languages all over the world. Also, the talks can be heard or watched on the internet. This is true for many television shows alike. Hulu and You Tube are bringing the small screen to the computer screen, and you no longer need a TV to watch TV. I think that if we use television media wisely, and avoid the material not in accordance with church standards we can get the most out of what's available to us while being uplifted and edified.

Weird Al song about TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dKePq2XxWs

Another Picture

Watching a show on Hulu.

Picture taken by Josh Miller

Hole in the Big Screen TV

article and pictures by Angela Mortensen

"I wonder what is on TV tonight?" is a thought that runs through millions of peoples minds each day. Unfortunately I am usually one of those minds. Television has such an impact on our lives, and half the time we don't even realize it.

One semester I had a roommate who planned everything she did around her television schedule. Yes, that sounds crazy, but it is true. She had about four different shows that she refused to miss. She had to be home and in front of the TV set without any distractions so she could watch her shows. It was pretty sad because she would have friends, or even us roommate want to do things with her, but she was not willing to miss her shows. I understand wanting to see a show, but in this technology era, it would have been so easy for her to watch them on the internet the next day.

It blows my mind at how many fun activities she misses because she was addicted to the television. I have heard a few stories from people who have the same problem, and i personally think it is a little ridiculous. I mean, putting your life on hold so you can watch the popular flick that is on Thursday nights? Sense when did we let television run our lives and plan our lives around them? It is a stationary object, yet we let it run so much.

This semester I have been working on not watching TV as much, (I may or may not be televisiphonernetting as I type) but I have felt a difference in my school work because I have been focusing better on my school work and less on other distractions in the room. My goal is to never have my life revolve around the TV and what the hottest show is.

Brooke's Article

Television Consumption
By: Brooke Luker

I have seen television take over people’s lives as well as television just being something fun that you watch every once in a while. I myself watch television when my favorite shows are on, but it doesn’t consume my life. This semester has been a very different situation for me. My roommates watch television day and night and it really takes over their lives. They have the television on when they are doing homework and I can’t understand how they can really concentrate.

The television can really draw you in but you really have to keep it to a minimum amount. The media has grown in all of our lives. Our blog is called televisiphonernetting, meaning someone who is watching television while on the phone and the internet. The fact that this word even exists explains a lot. Television is such a distraction. Sometimes when my roommates are watching the television I want to watch with them and it can really distract me from my homework.

If our homework is becoming a second priority to television then it’s really just sad. There are so many distractions in the media world today from television to internet to ipods, etc. “Television (TV) has its good side. It can be entertaining and educational, and can open up new worlds for kids, giving them a chance to travel the globe, learn about different cultures, and gain exposure to ideas they may never encounter in their own community. Shows with a prosocial message can have a positive effect on kids' behavior; programs with positive role models can influence viewers to make positive lifestyle changes. However, the reverse can also be true: Kids are likely to learn things from TV that parents don't want them to learn. TV can affect kids' health, behavior and family life in negative ways.”

Television can really affect you and how your day-to-day activities go. It can really distract you from things that you need to accomplish. You can watch television, but keep it to a minimum so that it doesn’t control your life.

TV Consumption Original Video

Web Video

This is a commercial given by Comcast called Televisiphonernetting, done in 2007.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K153W4cvYPA

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Definition of Televisiphonernetting

A verb used to describe what a person is doing when he/she is watching television, using the phone, and surfing the internet all at the same time.