Viewfinder: Get in the Game

About 98% of homes in the United States have a TV, it is on for nearly eight hours a day, and the average American watches it for over 4 hours, according to Nielsen Media Research. Many of us share the sentiments of the people at www.tvturnoff.org who feel that people are watching far too much TV. According to author Valery Fahey, 49% of Americans agree that they watch too much TV. I would also agree, but have devoted my life's work towards an alternative solution. It's not that we watch too much TV, it's that we watch too much TV produced by the "television industrial complex."

We all recognize how powerful TV is, but we can gain a greater understanding of its power if we consider its meaning. Television has four definitions: (1) It is a system of transmitting audio/video content. (2) It is the name of the appliance that we watch from our couches. (3) It is the name of the broadcasting industry. (4) It is a medium of communication. Television, however it is defined, is pervasive in our society and that is why it is so powerful.

What's exciting to me is the fact that you, or just about anyone else, can participate in TV. Just a few years ago, your participation was so dramatically limited, that you were more of a victim than a participant. While you thought you were being entertained, you were really being persuaded to purchase certain products and embrace certain beliefs. Today, with a small investment in a camcorder and a computer, you or just about anyone else, can participate in the creation of TV today. By doing so, you use the medium of communication, called TV, by transmitting video content to the appliance, called TV, that people watch from their couch. You can even become a member of the broadcasting industry, called TV, most easily by using the Internet to deliver your video to…