Media Invasion on the tender minds

Seram Neken *

"Although the new media have greatly helped our children to acquire early readiness for learning, educational enrichment, opportunities to view or participate in discussions of social issues, exposure to the arts through music and entertainment, there are still more harmful effects of these technologies on the children which we need to counter in time.

If children remain in front of television or computer for hours, their health deteriorates steadily. Besides eye trouble; fatigue, depression, loss of appetite, decreasing reading habits, inattention to school text books and home tasks, disobedience to elders' advice are consequences of teenagers' long-time exposure to new media. Computer and television have become an unavoidable friend and guardian of our children. It has become their faith to imitate and follow whatever is seen in the computer and television screens." – Writes Seram Neken

Popular Television Show "Shaktimaan" launched in September 1997 influenced the children of the country so much so that Doordarshan took the serial off the air in February 1999. Controversies cropped up as the serial was allegedly responsible for the death and injury of several children who tried either to imitate the superhero or endangered themselves in order to be rescued by him.

At the end of each episode, producer and actor of the famous serial Mukesh Khanna addressed the audience (children) with a number of 'do's and don'ts'. Still, children did not only what he said but also what he did, as they were copycats. They are unable to differentiate between 'fact and fiction'. Hence, the impact of media on tender minds is very quick and powerful.

Today, children are increasingly influenced by the new media and its contents. Cartoon network, Disney Channel, POGO, Disney XD, Ten sports, AXN and Star sports are popular television channels among the children of today.

Jungle Fury, Operation Overdrive, Dino Thunder, Khashe, Theo, Jack and Lily and hundreds of other TV characters are not new to the present generation. Animated Cartoon films like Tom and Jerry, Ben 10, Dragon Ballz, Mr Bean, Vickey and Betal, and Power Ranger serials make children addicted to the entertainment box.

Of course, Music-Art-Dance (MAD), FAQ special and Art Attack which are telecast through various networks improve children's intellect and creativity by way of educating drawing techniques and concept building. Animated films like Chhota Bhim, Krishna and Balram, Chhota Bhim and Krishna etc instill the values of life and justice, besides familiarizing English language among children.

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) featuring John Cena, Randy Orton, HHH, Undertaker, Kain and so many others in the Ten Sports channel entertains the children quite un-paralleled to the tastes of other programmes, although these programmes apparently increase violent and criminal mindedness by imbibing fighting spirit in them.

Sports channels are affirmatively useful in instilling the children with sportsmanship and sporting spirit. Video and computer games such as NBA2K10, Pro-evolution Soccer, IGI, Counter-strike, Taken, Mario, Contra, Call of Duty and Grand Thief Auto are increasingly invading the tender minds thereby diverting them from studies and physical activities.

If children remain in front of television or computers for hours, their health deteriorates steadily. Eye trouble arises frequently. Fatigue, depression, loss of appetite, decreasing reading habits, inattention to school home tasks and text books, disobedience to elders' advice are consequences of teenagers' long-time TV viewing. Television has become an unavoidable friend and guardian to the children. It has become their faith to follow whatever is shown in the television.

In olden days, elders in the family used to tell folk tales to the children of the family. One beautiful aspect of the so called 'Funga Waree' is the intellect and knowledge imbibed in the children of each family. This useful folk-tale medium served as a means to transfer the thoughts and perceptions of the elder people to the younger generation directly on a daily and regular basis. It maintained the due love and respect of elders by the younger generation.

Now, this convention is no more in the society. The words of today's elders are given less attention. The children of modern society have less time to devote to such things, as they have to do a list of home tasks, a series of private tuitions, television programmes and video games. Thus generation gap becomes wider day-by-day in modern society.

As Plato in ancient times opined in his The Republic that 'music and drama as art forms that can be either used or misused', construction of children as copycats and passive victims of media violence is rampantly damaging the social fabric of the society.

The impact of new media like Satellite Channels, Internet, Hollywood and Bollywood films on children's tender minds by way of imaging obscenity, vulgarity and violence has become a big issue today. Globalization has also helped the smooth inflow of alien cultures into many un-developed and developing societies, thereby troubling identity of small groups.

Media influence on children has steadily increased as new and more sophisticated types of media have been developed. Easy availability as well as greater affordability has enabled our children with easier access to media.

Beneficial effects, of course, include early readiness for learning, educational enrichment, opportunities to view or participate in discussions of social issues, exposure to the arts through music and performance, and entertainment.

But, harmful effects such as sensationalization of violent behavior, exposure to subtle or explicit sexual content, promotion of unrealistic body images, presentation of poor health habits as desirable practices, and exposure to persuasive advertising targeting children have also endangered the future of our children.

In order to counter the onslaught of new technologies and also to save our children from its harmful effects, we need to monitor and limit the duration of exposure as per necessity. Physical exercise and sports should be made an unavoidable daily schedule of our children.

Reading and writing habits should be inculcated, besides developing creativity by way of drawing and painting activities. Story-telling by elders is a very good habit which brings forth increased contact between children and elders. It is high time for the parents and guardians to understand the new media and its use so that they control their children's excessive exposure to it.