Should The Government Control The Content That Can Be Displayed On Television?

2 Pages 479 Words

The television was once a device whole families could gather around to share a fun evening together with, but television is starting to depart from “family friendly” shows in favor of adult programming. The question then arises, what can be done to protect children from seeing inappropriate subject matter on TV. Recently, a call for government interference has come about and seems to gaining support, but should the government intervene? Who is accountable for letting children see this material anyway?
The American people put pressure on the big television companies to begin a ratings system on TV shows several years ago. The result was every large station suggesting their own system, with the exclusion of NBC. The government then opted for a system similar to the one used to rate movies. Generic letters suggesting a certain group of people’s opinions as to how offensive a show may be. Also brought to aid the fight against dirty TV was the v-chip, which allowed programs with only certain ratings to be shown on a TV that has it. But still people say this is not enough.
Why people support government interference so vehemently is beyond me. If people don’t like what is on TV they shouldn’t watch it. Supporting government involvement on any greater plain is unwise. Firstly, it is a violation of first Amendment rights. Like it or not, freedom of speech is crucial in our society. Another reason against it is the probability the government will go too far. The government could easily switch from removing adult content to direct censorship of what can be said.
Another reason why government is not good is because it is unnecessary. Children will see explicit material in their own lives, even if it comes from something that is less of a socializing force than TV. However, if parents object to their kids seeing such material, they must do their job. Firstly, they should know what their kids are watching. Ratings make this even ea...