1.

Introduction

1.1 Children and media today Nowadays, childrens daily life is more indulge on technology. They spend most of their time on the product of technology such as television. Besides studying in school, media has become the second highest time consume in children daily life. (The New Straits Time 2009)

1.2 Types of media There are many types of media around us today. Every one of them has an influence on our children's daily life. It depends on bigger influences or lesser influences. Mass media can be divided into four categories such as informative media, educational media, persuasive media and entertainment media that can be receive through television, radio, film and video, print, photography and electronic sources. Television programme are transmitted by cable television, network television and satellite television. (Types of media n.d.)

1.3 Effect of television programme on children Television programmes have positive and negative effect on children. The main positive effect such as educational programme can teach children to behave in a good manner and build up their interest. On the other hand, the main negative influence is children that watch a lot of violence programmes will become more aggressive.

In the survey conducted on 31 students (17-22 years old) had shown 58% of students agree that television programme have more positive impact on children and 42% of students disagree that television have more negative impact on children. the impact of television on children
20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 1 Ye s 2 No Types of reaction

1.4 Aim of research The main aim of this investigate study is to determine the effect of television in children daily life and get to know more on the positive and negative effect of television programmes because children are strongly affected by television programme currently. Besides, this study also aims to examine the steps that can be enforced by parents to control the total of time that television programme expose to their children. Furthermore, to examine the common problem that faces by children who watch excessive television programme.

Number of students

Figure 1

2.0 The positive effect of television programme on children

2.1 Enhance the relationship between families Children and parents can spend their time together by viewing television programme together. This can strengthen the relation between children and the parents. Due to good relationship, the child will share their problem and opinion on various matters with their parents. (The good things about television 2009)

2.2 Educational programme Educational programme can improve children socialism and learning ability. There are many types of educational programme such as documentaries, cultural programme and historical programme. Historical programme and cultural programme can make children know more about their origin and culture. Television programme such as documentaries can help children to think more critical about the civilization and the world. (The good things about television 2009)

2.3 News Children that aged between 7-12 years old are encouraged to watch news such as BBC news and Bloomberg television with their parents as guidance. From 13 years old and above, it is recommended children to watch news on their own because their thinking are more mature that can basically distinguish between good and bad. News can help children to become more aware on the current issue so that children will observe the society and the world more. (The good things about television 2009)

3.0 The negative impact of television programmes on children

3.1 Television violence Violence can be defined as actions using physical force intended to hurt damage or kill. Nowadays, most of the television programmes contain lots of violence such as gun shooting, murders, explosions, car smashes, disaster and death. Children are the most unprotectable to the effect of television violence. Little Oxford English Dictionary & Thesaurus (2008, p.739) defined it as actions using physical force intended to hurt, damage or kill; great force or intensity.

3.1.1 The three major negative impact of television violence

Children will be less sensitive on others suffer and pain because they thought that killing a people is as easy as they watched in the television programmes. Children may think people that murdered by other will not suffer too much as they seen on television programmes. By watching a lot of violence on television programme, children cannot feel the pain and suffer. (American Psychological Association 2009)

Furthermore, children become fearful to the world around them. Television programmes are one of the models for children. Besides learning from their parents and friends, the influences of television become an integral part of the children because they gain their knowledge through television programmes. They will become more frightened because

they will think that the world they been is something like the television programmes. (American Psychological Association 2009)

Children may also behave more aggressive and violence towards others. Most of the television programmes shown that the way people solve problems are using violence such as a cartoon named "Popeye the sailor man". Every time the wife for Popeye- Olive bully by others, Popeye will fight against them. Children will learn from the television programme and solve problems by using violence. This makes children become more aggressive and violence towards others. They do not know violence is not the most effective way to solve a problem. (Mohd Idris1983)

4.0 Effect of children that watch too much television programmes.

4.1 Affect health

4.1.1 Obesity Most of the children that watch a lot of television programmes will cause them to be obese because the more time they spend in front of the television will reduce the level of activity such as exercise. The more time they spend the more weight they rend to gain. Children that are obese will have high risk on having hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerosis due to elevated blood cholesterol, blood pressure and increased insulin levels. Obesity affects children health, so parents must control the time children viewing

television and encourage them to become more active on doing exercise to keep healthy body. (How Television Viewing Affect Children n.d.)

4.1.2 Myopia Myopia means short-sightedness. Myopia is cause by children daily lifestyle such as frequently watch television. The rates of short-sightedness will keep on increasing if children view television for a long time without rest. (Paul B. 2008) In the survey that I had conducted, 87% students agree and 13% students disagree that children that too indulged on television will affect their health.

Children that are too indulged in television will affect their health
Number of students 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1 Ye s 2 No Types of reaction

Figure 2

4.2 Poor academic performance Children that too immerse in television programmes will affect their studies because they spend most of their time watching television programmes. They will demonstrate a poor academic performance in their studies and get lower score in their exams. Parents who do

not discipline well will cause their child watch television programmes until they fulfilled their satisfaction. Children spend all their strength on watching television programmes rather than study. In some cases, children watch television programmes until midnight, so they will be too tired for class the next day and they will doze off during class. (Gavin 2008)

In the survey conducted among 31 participants, 80% of students agree and 20% students disagree that children that too indulged in television programme will cause them to become lazier on doing their homework.

Children that too indulged in television will lazy doing their homework
Number of students 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Figure 3

Ye 1 s

No 2
Types of reaction

5.0 Steps that can be enforced by parents

5.1 Set up a timetable. To control children that spend a lot of time on watching television programmes, parents can set up a timetable to control the amount of time their child watching television. With a timetable, children will achieve according what their parents had scheduled. Timetable can help parents to restrict the time of their children viewing television programmes. Parents can turn off the television during meals to make sure their child can concentrate better during having their meal therefore they can eat in a healthier way. Parents also can turn off the television when their child is doing homework thus the children will participate on their homework when there are no attractive such as television programmes. Without a television, children can finish their homework more efficiently therefore they are more interested in their school work than a television programme because they are more confident in their homework. (How Television Viewing Affect Children n.d.)

5.2 Limit the choices of television programmes. Parents must limit the choices of television programmes to ensure the programmes their children watch are more developmentally appropriate according to their age, gender and stage of development. Television programmes that must be abolish from children such as programme with violence, obscene, sexual and programmes that having too much of fantasy. Parents can limit the choices of television programmes by checking the listing of television programmes and program review before the programme show. First for all,

parents are the model for their child, so they need to limit their own television programme viewing. Parents are encouraged to view television programme with their child at least for a while to check throughout the show. (Gavin 2008)

5.3 Share opinion Parents can share their own opinion and belief with their children depends on the show they watched. Parents also can use the television programme to discuss difficult topic such as sex, love, drugs, alcohol, work, behavior and family life. Parents can take opportunity to turn off the television and ask some thought-provoking questions to their child when the screen appears something that are not suitable for them such as violence. Parents can ask question like "Do you think that is fine for people to fight?". Besides, parents can suggest playing a board game, working on hobbies or craft when their child wants to watch television programmes. Parents and child can enjoy their quality times and free time by doing the same interest. (Gavin 2008)

6.0 Conclusion

There is still no a definite answer as is television having more positive influences or negative influences because there will have both positive and negative impact at the same time on children.

The main advantages on television for children are they can listen, look, think and learn from the educational programmes. Thus children will be more interested in learning new issue. On the other hand, television programme will also bring disadvantages for children. For example, children that watch a lot of violence television programme will cause them become more aggressive compare to those who watch a few. They will also try to use violence to settle a problem. So, television programme will bring positive and negative impact on children in the same time.

To overcome the negative impact, government must limit the choices of television programme by classified different types of programme that can be view by different stages. Parents are the most important role to control their children. Parents are encourage to look after what television programme their children watch and try to spent more time to watch television programme with their children together. Parents can set up a timetable to control the total time of viewing television programme. Besides, parents can use the television programme to discuss difficult topic so that the situation would not be embarrassed

. Reference List Gavin M.D 2008, How TV affect your child. Retrieved June1, 2009, from http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/tv_affects_child.html# How Television Viewing Affects Children n.d, The University of Maine Bulletin #4100, pp.1-4 Livingstone,C 2008, Little Oxford English Dictionary & Thesaurus, 2nd edn, New York. Mohd. Idris 1983, What TV does to our children: The effect of TV violence on Malaysian children, Consumers Association of Penang, Penang Parents must show the way 2009, The New Straits Time, 12 April, p.47. Retrieved May 3, 2009, from The News Straits Time online. Paul B. 2008, Nearsightedness. Retrieved June 5, 2009, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/MEDLINEPLUS/ency/article/001023.htm The Good Things About The Television 2009. Retrieved June 9, 2009, from http://www.mediaawareness.ca/english/parents/television/good_things_tv.cfm Types of Media n.d. Retrieved June 8, 2009, from http://oasis.fiu.edu/Ch8/ch8page3.htm Violence on Television 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2009, from http://www.apa.org/pi/vio&tv.html