Paraphrasing McLuhan, arousal helps move merchandise. Violence, talk of violence and threat of violence are the most effective tools for manipulating people, propagandists from Machiavelli to Mao have known this. Like an addictive drug, we have been subjected to ever increasing doses of more and more graphic violence over the last few decades. One, lower the dose of news violence and, as Max Frankel suggest, explain the cruelty, don t just film it. In real life, violence has consequences.
Balanced news includes a balance of topics.
Two, educate broadcasters about their power for harm and have the industry develop ethical standards for dealing with potentially hazardous material. Three, require warning labels directly on television broadcasts in the form of prime-time public service announcements that explain and alert viewers to harmful television effects. There is only one solution to the problems that effect our society today, communication. The parents of our children in this great country need to start acting like parents instead of children. The only reason that children are committing these acts of violence is because they do not have any type of guidance in their lives.