Reality shows are using violence to increase their audience despite the risk of having an effect on children.
child watching TV
American Academy of Pediatrics (APP) revealed that between the age of 2 and 18, they are spending around three hours watching TV, and are surrounded by different forms of violence including cartoons or Children’s programmes.
AAP conducted a survey on babies using mobile media and 52 percents of children under one year old had already watched TV shows.
Violence is frequently reproduced on TV throughout different types of programmes such as reality shows. Youngest people are progressively more exposed to those kinds of entertainments.
Geordie Shore, a British reality show, which is currently played every Tuesday at 10 pm is depicting sexual content and violence. For this reason, the watershed time is applying from 9 pm in the UK to prevent children from watching unsuitable programmes.
These types of programme are being criticized on social media for showing human’s humiliation and entertain people through these kinds of acts.
According to Dr Gail Gross “Children, especially young children, see the violence on television, they have a difficult time differentiating between what is real or what is make-believe”
Kelvin Savourw, 53, Rhoose, porter security and father of two.
My 14 years old son is playing video games which are more violent than TV programmes. Violence is everywhere including Horror films. TV reality show is not the main problem as you can find violence on the internet.
Rachel Madge, 40, Cardiff, Events Manager and mother of one.
I’m not keen on watching it. People got interested in the character, to see what happen, based on part reality. Less violence should be allowed on TV. Nowadays, more programmes are recorded and it is easier for people to watch them but that’s also a problem as you can watch them any time of the day. It’s up to parents to be responsible.
Paul Ferguson, 61, Cardiff, Homeless and father of ten
Children are much more exposed to violence than they were used to be. People should have more control over what they are allowed to watch because it is getting a lot more violent and it is increasing violence in our society today. It is educating children how to act wrong.
Jessica Dunrod, 28, Cardiff, Student and mother of one
I think children shouldn’t be allowed to watch TV at all. About violence, it depends on the purpose. The only way to depict some stories like sexual violence is through the art of production but kids shouldn’t be looking at that anyway. These kinds of programmes are representing British Youth very well but it’s not truthful enough. They are only showing the worst thing they are doing in reality shows.
Steven Ryan, 48, Cardiff, banker and father of two
My children don’t tend to watch reality shows. My 12 years boy is watching progressively more adult programmes but we need to be careful on what they watch as it will have an effect on them. I think you can watch violence on TV but you need to know that it is only on TV.
Matt Nottingham, 40, Cardiff, Civil servant and father of one
I don’t think they are really useful for brain development. After 9 o’clock it’s okay, it’s kind of the watershed time and it becomes parent’s responsibility. If my child really wants to watch them, I’m not going to stop her, but hopefully, she would have better taste. By watching them, we are perpetuating this kind of behaviour.
Samantha Clarks, 25, Sally, British call centre and mother of one
They shouldn’t watch them and would not allow my child to do so. However, it’s not emphasizing violence as it’s for show only. In my opinion, it represents British youth, they do like to drink, fight and go out. Violence should be shown only in movies when it is not real.
Jason Brookes, 47, Cardiff, working in an air condition company and father of two
They shouldn’t watch them at all. But I think TV can’t change people, it’s not having a real effect on our society. I watched violence programmes and I’m not a violent person to the best of my knowledge. I think after 9 pm it’s fine showing violence.