Television is a vehicle for our fantasy and imagination. It is not a way of life. Many children sit for hours at a time, mindlessly channel surfing their way through life, as opposed to living it. Children need to be taught that the television, just like every other appliance in the home, has a specific function. For example, we do not leave the hair dryer on once our hair is dry, or the toaster on once the toast has popped up. We recognize the specific uses of these appliances and know when to turn them off. I think children need to be educated about television in order for them to determine what is of real interest to them, and what is not.

Television is pervasive and powerful. It is hard to mentally shield ourselves from their numerous and persuasive ways when advertisers know too much about us for our own good. Commercials has accumulated statistics about our daily life. One toothpaste

These constant bombardments of half factual information surrounds us no matter where we turn, intruding into our communication , our streets, and our very home. It is designed to attract attention, give advice, to change attitudes, an to command our behavior. The people and scenes of TV commercials resemble actors and actresses of TV drama; they are better looking, better dressed, and have an income better than the average person. The message behind most commercials is to persuade viewers to buy a particular brand of merchandise and preach the value of physical beauty, health, high status and well-being, if they use their product. Advertising teaches us to take pride in our outer appearances and in the way we present ourselves to others. Television constantly bombards us with commercial of ways to enhance our appearance. Maybeline, L'oreal, Pond, Clinque, Cover Girl, and Noxema are major corporations of cosmetic products, and their main target is teenage girls. The majority of girls during their maturing stage are vulnerable because they are embarrassed, and self-conscience of the development their bodies are going through. I was a victim once of the Noxema commercial. The set up was a beautiful girl; most of you know her as the Noxema girl getting ready for a date. She squeezed a dot-size amount onto her palms, and worked into lather. Then she massaged it onto her face, and splashes it away with water. Later it shows her with a handsome guy as he was gently caressing her face, commenting on how soft it is. I did not believe the part about the guy, but I wanted to have her skin. Her skin was soft, radiant, and it has this warm romantic glow to it. I save up my measly two weeks allowance and went to Payless to buy myself a this amazing product advertised on TV. Each morning, I washed my face like the Noxema girl did on the commercial. The first time I used it, my cheek turned really red as if I had a rash. Even with the side effect, I continue to use it for the next couple of days, making myself believe that my skin has improved. Like most teenage girls and guys, I had an acne problem. I was desperate, and I would try anything to relieve myself of the embarrassment, and the humiliation of my imperfect complexion.

Television, newspaper, radio broadcasts, magazine, movies, are the few existing medium people turns to for information and entertainment. Despite the numerous hours people spend with it, there are no classes or programs that educate us on how to utilize the informatio

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Approximate Word count = 1683
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)