Television – moving pictures, shaping minds
Television has come a long way since John Logie Baird invented a
crude method of transmitting pictures from a distance – which is
essentially what the word ‘television’ means.
 Today, we cannot imagine a world without television. It has virtually
taken over our lives. We have access to hundreds of channels,
terrestrial and satellite, 24/7. We do not think twice about watching
‘live’ an event happening half a world away. It brings wars, sports
events, international summits and natural calamities to our living
rooms. Television has indeed made our world a smaller place. Here in Sri
Lanka, television is only around 30 years old, but we have nearly 20
terrestrial channels and several cable and satellite platforms.
With the so-called ‘idiot box’ playing such a pivotal role in our
lives, it was inevitable that television got its own ‘day’ in the
calendar. The UN has declared November 21 as World Television Day. In
the words of the UN “Television has become one of the most influential
forms of media in our present time. It is the arena where images, forms,
styles and ideas surrounding the human existence are mobilized.
Television makes its mark as the most popular medium for communication
and information because of the considerable convenience it offers to its
audience worldwide, of all ages, nationalities and social status.
Television does not require literacy and presents information in
audiovisual form requiring no extra skills for comprehension.”
This indeed encapsulates the significance of television in the modern
world. Quality programming on television does educate and entertain
people. But not everything on the ‘telly’ is good for you. The level of
violence – shootings, murders, stabbings, explosions etc - seen on the
small screen is simply incredible. Some so-called ‘reality’ shows are in
really bad taste and most local language teledramas leave a lot to be
desired. Worse, advertising has increased to the point that many
programs are interrupted every 10 minutes.
 The social impact of television is another aspect. It keeps children
off their studies, families gather round the telly without talking with
each other, some children and adults get violent tendencies after
watching certain programs, advertising lures many people to buy
unnecessary and unhealthy products and it can also lead to loss of
productivity.
Television technology is moving ahead at a rapid pace. Most countries
have already switched to digital transmission, which can provide clearer
pictures. Sri Lanka will follow suit soon. The traditional Cathode Ray
Tube (CRT) sets are giving way to LCD, Plasma and OLED screens which can
reproduce High Definition (HD) signals. HD broadcasts, with double the
resolution of PAL 625 B (the standard used here) are common in many
countries. The next big thing is Three Dimensional TV (3D TV), with or
without 3D glasses. We are just a few years away from 3D TV. Television
and the Internet are merging too.
One thing is certain, though. Television will be an even more
powerful medium in the years to come. More people will gain access to
television as the hardware gets cheaper and the stations extend their
reach. Despite the emergence of the Net, the humble TV will remain king. |
