Now that we have so many different ways of watching television, the old debate whether television is any good for us is back on the agenda. Not too long ago, we only had one way to watch television and a few channels to watch, television played a small part in our daily lives. But today it is estimated that the average Australian watches around a month of television per year, let’s look at some of the good and bad things about television in the modern age.

The Good

One of the great things about television in the modern age is that we have so much of it to entertain us. Regular cable and satellite television viewers have access to hundreds of channels from main entertainment channels, dedicated music channels and even equestrianism and farming channels that cater to each and every specific audience possible.

The cost of creating and running a television channels has come down thanks to digital television, with broadcasters able to fill their electronic programming guide to offer a huge range of programming. Digital terrestrial television has given the old antenna a new boost with access to many diverse stations for a one-off payment for digital antenna installation.

The many ways of watching television

The different ways we now have access to television has not only increased, but has fundamentally changed the way we watch television too. Now television channels can be broadcast from satellite, cable, digital antennas, on the internet and even over 4G mobile signals. With easier access to television, more people are watching their favourite programmes on the go, on trains, busses and outdoors.

The way we watch television has also increased the features offered by broadcasters. We now have access to television on-demand, so we can choose the episodes we want to watch whenever we want to watch it. With online services such as Netflix, we can now have access to an entire series to watch in a single go and has become so popular; the term “binge television” has entered the national lexicon.

The Bad

Too much of a good thing can have bad effects on just about anything in life, and television is no different. Many people have argued that watching too much television is bad for you, and in some sense this is true. For the average viewer, a few hours of television per day will not change their lives, but some people are so devoted to their television that it has taken over their free time.

Whilst television can inspire, entertain and inform, too much television can sometimes be a bad influence on habits, as well as giving a false perspective of the world based on how real lives are presented to the viewer.

Use television as an educational tool for children

There have been many studies on whether television can have a negative effect on children in particular, as many of us worry about how much television our children watch. There is some great educational programming for children, but unsupervised viewing could expose children to negative lifestyles, swearing, aggression and other content not suitable for children.

Television also curbs physical activity in children, as an individual activity sitting in front of the television takes away from important outside activities such as playing, interacting with other children and engaging in sports and other physical activities.

Television can be a great source of information, entertainment and enjoyment for the whole family, but like many things in life, moderation is the key to success. There is no harm in enjoying your favourite programme, or sitting with the kids in front of the television for an hour or two a day - so long as it is followed by other activities and that television does not replace or take over your free time.