By Manglish_lysia:
Gone are the days when family members huddled together around an idiot box. It is now the era where people cluster around a portable notebook. A question thus arises; Will our television last through the battle against time and advancement?
Decades ago, it was normal for children to eagerly wait for their favorite cartoons to play on the television. Many a time, one would rush to check the early newspapers for the daily television schedule and certainly, there were moments where people have detested and loathed at the 3-minute commercial.
However, the tide has tuned. Children are no longer sitting in front of the television set waiting for their daily cartoon treats. They are now much more burdened and pressured than their predecessors decades ago. Homework, assignments, extracurricular activities, tuition classes and so on have filled their day to the brink. Sometimes, even having enough sleep for the day would be considered a blessing! One needs not scan the early newspapers for the television schedule anymore. Great shows and good movies can now be watched online for free even if one missed the broadcast. In addition to being costless, the flexibility for one to watch at his or her own pace is certainly a luxury that the television could never provide. People these days no longer scoff at the 3 minutes commercial but at the slow turtle-like internet speed.
A question thus arises: Will our beloved “Baby-Sitter” soon be “retrenched” from our life?
Futurists have predicted that one day, our boob tube might be as good as an artefact; the internet is slowly and gradually assimilating itself into our lives, and will eventually take over the role of the television. This can already be observed today in the form of a joint venture by both NBC and Fox in creating Hulu.com, a site where online users can watch all the movies on NBC and Fox for free. Another bold step, taken by NBC in screening Beijing Olympic through their website, tolled one more warning bell for the traditional television.
Judging by the infinite excitements that the internet could provide to us such as online gaming, online chatting, socializing, and obtaining up-to-date information and news, it is reasonable to believe that our television will be a thing of the past as it succumbs under the mighty internet. Parents in the past silenced their children by feeding them with television. Frustrated and tired parents will certainly be left alone in peace while their children are busy engrossing themselves with their favourite cartoons; hence the term “Baby-Sitter”. However, in recent times, parents have opted for a more efficient method to keep their children busy – meet “Nanny Netz”. The variety of entertainment available online is beyond the capability of television. Children now have social networking sites specially catered for their age and maturity. One such example would be Togetherville.com, a social networking site for children aged 6 to 10. The internet is without a doubt, far more interesting than just sitting on the couch and watching television.
All in all, the age of technology and internet has herald a sea of change no less significant than the Industrial Revolution. The question still remains: Will the television withstand all the coming obstacles or will it face “extinction”? The answer remains a mystery and only will tell.
Image taken from here.