Three of four have at least two, and half have three or more. Fifty percent of all children have a television set in their bedrooms. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the average child in the United States views three and four hours of television per day. Upon entrance into high school, the average child will have spent more time in front of the television than in the classroom. This is not good news, for several reasons.
Daytime television is even worse.
And don't get me started on shows such as Jerry Springer. Unfortunately, things are getting worse, not better. Moreover, although the quantity of violence decreased slightly between 1989 and 1999, the quality of the violence during this time period grew more graphic and bloody. Overall, the combined incidence of sexual content, coarse language and violent material almost tripled between 1989 and 1999. Second, television viewing contributes to youth violence.