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What is it about television that makes us so addicted to watching it? Some scientists claim that our biological "orienting response," plays a key role in our attraction. The orienting response is, "our instinctive visual or auditory reaction to any sudden or novel stimulus" (Kubey 166). Several physiological activities simultaneously occur in our body, but ultimately, "the brain focuses its attention on gathering information while the rest of the body quiets" (Kubey 166). This may partly explain why people feel like they can't keep their eyes off the TV. Even though they don't want to watch as much TV as they do, they keep watching it because they feel hypnotized (Kubey 166). .
Television is unlike any other form of entertainment media. When it comes to magazines, movies, or music, consumers carefully choose what they want to read, watch, or listen. But with television, people hardly ever watch for a specific show, "It is the only medium that can bring people things they otherwise would not select" (Waters 177). With so many channels to choose from, and because of our instinctual orienting response, people tend to become mesmerized with all the information.
What would happen if people had interactive functions that would help assist them in finding a specific program; cutting out channel surfing? John Kelly, the current principal investigator at Columbia University's Interactive Laboratory, mentions that TV has the potential of acquiring these interactive features. One form of interactive TV is represented by tools that help people guide what they want to watch. These include Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) like Tivo, and Electronic Program Guides (EPGs). .
PVRs can cause notable changes in peoples" habit of watching TV. PVRs allow people to record and view scheduled programs at any instance. This technology gives viewers the potential to watch what they want during their own schedule.