Much research has gone into showing why our society is so mesmerized by this glowing box and the action that takes place within it. Only a mere sixty years ago the invention of the television was viewed as a technological breakthrough with black and white ghost-like figures on the screen so small, hardly anyone could see them. Today that curiosity has become a constant companion to 90% of the American population (Sherrow 26), mainly, children and teenagers. Unfortunately, it is these violent programs that are endangering our present-day society. Violent images on television, as well as in the movies, have inspired people to set spouses on fire

Most of what is broadcast or transmitted, even in the news, today is with reference to the chaotic condition of our planet. The more atrocious the event, the more publicity it receives. “The average American child will witness…200,000 acts of media violence by the time that child graduates from high school.” (Sherrow 6) “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders,” James Baldwin wrote in Nobody Knows my Name. “But they have never failed to imitate them.” (Sherrow 56) This basic truth has all but disappeared as the public increasingly treats teenagers as a robot-like population under sway of an exploitative media. White House officials lecture film, music, Internet, fashion, and pop-culture tycoons and accuse them of programming kids to smoke, drink shoot up, have sex, and kill.

Despite the negative effects media violence has been known to generate, no drastic changes have been made to deal with this problem that seems to be getting worse. We, as a whole, have glorified this violence so much that movies like “Natural Born Killers” and television shows such as “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” are viewed as normal, everyday entertainment. It is even rare now to find a children’s cartoon that does not depict some type of violence or comedic aggression.

The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) holds fast to its claim that there are no scientific findings that show a link between television violence and unusually violent behavior in children (Rowland 279). The executives at ABC express the ideals that “they are self-confident about the lack of both a serious case against them and of any sincere willingness by Congress to pursue beyond the heat of rhetoric the matters of broadcasting profitability and commercial purpose” (Rowland 280). One can derive from this statement that the networks are clearly not worried about any form of government intervention or even the slightest bit concerned about the barrage of scientific data that correlates violent television and hostility among children.

In general, society finds scenes of violence “simply exciting” (Feshbach 12). Broadcasting companies argue, “based on the high ratings, they are giving the public what it wants, and therefore are serving the public interest” (Feshbach 34). Michael Howe states: “We have to remember that children and adults do enjoy and do choose to watch and listen to those programs and music that contain violence” (48). At the same time, however, we must also remember the undeniable truth that “there is clear evidence between television and later aggressive behavior” (Palmer 120). Because violent media has been proven time and time again to play an active role toward inciting hostile behavior in children, the level of combative programming and movies must be reduced. The media argument that high ratings correspond with the public’s best interest is simply not valid.

One may ask, “Why can’t the government or the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) intervene to control the amoun

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