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There was a time when families shared ideas and resolved even work matters through the family unit. However, the days of family love, respect and trust are gone with the introduction of television in our country.
As one father recalls, once the TV was brought into the house, communication among family members deteriorated. The few words exchanged are at the supper table, but then too, the idea is to finish eating quickly and get glued onto the TV until the eyes close. These days even children have become difficult to discipline, let alone the teenagers who have become influential 'decision-makers' at home.
"I can't get my family at least once a week to talk peacefully and share a smile with my children; these days, suddenly everyone has become too busy. If friends are not keeping them busy then the TV is definitely the worst distraction to family life."
With the introduction of overseas channels and satellite TV, the situation is expected to worsen in South Africa. These satellite TV networks will only increase the violent and immoral scenes already viewed on our local channels. The most disastrous effect TV poses is to the children -- a new study shows that children watching TV 12 hours a day can't read or write properly. Some countries fearing an upsurge of a violent generation of children constantly issue warnings about the harmful effects of viewing. Remember, once a viewer, always a viewer! So why become a viewer in the first instance.
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