Children Exposure to Television (Thesis Proposal)

My thesis Proposal for Students of Journalism and Mass Communication for guidance and pattern...

Children Exposure to Television

(A study of why and how the children –aging 3-12, of Hayatabad Peshawar watches television program.)

INTRODUCTION:

                A number of scientists have searched various impacts television make over children including increase in aggression, violence, obesity, vulgarity etc. but the aspect and magnitude of impact depend upon the type and the amount of use of a certain content of media.

                With the emergence of New Television, a wide range of options are available on television for every audience which has increased the trend of exposure time in front of television as compared to past.

                This study is essential to study how much media is affecting the minds of children in which manner. This study would help understanding children’s psyche and attitude at certain times. This would contribute a lot in observing student’s educational approach and seriousness as well as to the parents in dealing the changing actions and behavior of their children.

OBJECTIVES:

      To search out the contents usually chosen by the children and reason behind liking of that content.

      To get to know that how much net time children spend in front of television and how the time is divided fro different contents children choose to see.

      To get to know the interest of children of 3-12 age in order to understand how they act, when and why after getting exposed to a certain content.

BACKGROUND:

      Children of all ages are continuously learning new things. The first 2 years of life are especially important in the growth of development of a child’s brain. During this time, children need good, positive interaction with other children as well as adults. Too much television can be negatively effect early brain development. This is especially on-key at younger ages, when learning to talk and play with others is very important.

      Social critic Michael Novak, commenting on television called it “a moulder of the soul’s geography”. Novak said: “it builds up incrementally a psychic structure of expectation. It does so in much the same way those schools lessons slowly, over the years, tutor the informed mind and teach it how to think.”

  Mohsin Maqbool (2008) on children’s attitude regarding media says: “I don’t see children playing the games I used to see as a boy in the 60’s or as teenager in the 70’s. Those games seem to have vanished. May be we are becoming culturally and socially deprived as a nation. One of the major reasons is our addiction to the idiot box and weakness of video games.”

      Edward R. Morrow (2008) says that: “this instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is nothing but wires and lights in a box.”

      Research indicates that much of the media directed at children contains violent contents. While media violence exposure may have short-term effects on adults, its negative impact on children is enduring. In the scientific literature on media violence the connection of media violence to real-life aggressive behavior and violence has been sustained. As much as 10% to 20% or real-life violence may be attributable to media violence.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK:

                The percentage of effect of media exposure on children is a dependent variable relying on exposure time, programs liked by children and the characters identified in the certain chosen program. The effective time consumed and focuses on interest agenda play the role of moderating variables.

HYPOTHESIS:

                Children spend 2-4 hours daily in front of television in morning or evening according to the timing of the program they choose to see. Generally, children take keen interest in watching cartoons or fairy tale movies. Boys particularly choose to see Hindi or English fighting movies whereas girls besides movies take interests in drams shown on Star Plus. Children identify certain characters and idealize them.

METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH:

S #	Title	Tool
1	Data Collection	Questionnaire + Interviews
2	Sample	Hayatabad Schools
3	Population	Children + Teachers
4	Time Consumed	March 1st to May 1st

BUDGET:

S #	Material	Expenses
1	Stationary	500
2	Printing	1500
3	Traveling	5000
4	Drafting/Publishing	3000
	Total	10,000

PROGRAMME SCHEDULE:

S #	task	duration
1	Literature Review	Jan-March
2	Proposal Preparation	March
3	Field Work	March-April
4	Data Analysis + Presentation	June-July
5	Final Report	August

REFERENCES:

       American Academy of Pediatrics- Television and the Family. Available at http://www.aap.org/family/tv1.htm

       Vivian, J. (2008) The Media of Mass Communication, p.173. (8^th ed.) Pakistan, Rawalpindi: National book foundation.

       Maqbool, ME. (25^th March, 2008) “Child’s PLAY hula-hoop & pompoms”. THE DAWN News. Blogged at http://www.thedawnnews.com

       Vivian, J. (2008) The Media of Mass Communication p.164, 364. (8^th ed.) Pakistan, Rawalpindi: National book foundation.

       Roger. DW, Joseph RD. (1991). Mass Communication Research, An introduction, p.254, 352 (3^rd ed.). Belmont, California: Wordsworth Publishers.