Eng 101 Cause and Effect Essay

Bethany Martinez

ENG l01

M. Brown

19 April 2013

The Impact of Television on American Society

Out of all the modern amenities afforded to most Americans today, few have had as much influential effect on American society as the television. According to the History Chanel, in 1942, there were only about 5,000 television sets in operation in the U.S. when production was suspended due to war rationing. After production was reinstated in 1945, the first television network, Dumont, was aired. Networking giants NBC, CBS, and ABC were in full operation by 1948. It was at this point in history that the popularity of television began to grow exponentially and by 1953 the number of televisions in operation grew to 20 million. Today, 97 percent of all U.S. households have at least one television allowing billions of people around the county to tune in daily for news and entertainment to fit every taste (Douglas). The sheer power of mass communication on a global level has made television a powerful tool of manipulation in social behavior; the effects of which are apparent in nearly every aspect of everyday American life from fashion to politics. It is ironic that a society so enthralled with the idea of individuality will look to television to tell them how to think, act, dress, and even vote. The effects of television on American society have been both positive and negative and have for certain had a unanimous impact on every man, woman, and child in the nation in one form or another.

One of the biggest and most beneficial impacts television has had on American society is in the economy. Television advertising is a multibillion dollar per year industry and has a huge effect on consumerism. Out of all forms of advertisement, none have as much mass exposure as that of television commercials. Television commercials affect everyone including children, teens, and adults alike by capturing their interests and provoking emotions. Repetitive exposure of commercials...