ost harmless cartoons that display some violence and I become amazed. The way they imitate characters like Mr. Fudd from Bugs Bunny, and Cow and Chicken make me want to turn the television off, but I also have to remind myself that all I really need to do is get them to realize that it is only make believe.Television can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and behavior in children. K. French wrote in his book, “Screen Violence”, that there is no proof that violence in television promotes or carries over into the future of our children. Many people watch violent TV without becoming ‘criminals’. French compares watching violence in television to fact that not all smokers get lung cancer. He contends that television is based on ratings. The media gives the audience what they want. Violence in television has no direct impact on the how much violence children watch. As a father, I disagree with his assessment that violence in television has not impact on the behavior or value systems of children. Having first hand evidence of trying to raise three children while keeping a well-balanced environment that supports education not only through school but television, I have seen the effects of violence not only on children but also adults.In order to determine the effects of TV violence, one needs to look at the research that has been done. Though it may be difficult to offer definitive answers, in the last three years alone, there have been some widely publicized studies on the effects of violence on television, each looking at a different aspect. One of the studies was conducted by four universities and financed by the cable industry. It found that of nearly 2,700 shows analyzed in a 20-week survey of 23 channels, 57% were said to contain at least some violence (Zoglin, "Chips" 58). However, the names of the channels were not mentioned and it should be pointed out that many cable systems now have over 100 ...
