In South Africa, where television was banned, the incidence of homicide deaths decreased by 7 percent, from 2.7 homicides per 100,00 population in 1943 to 2.5 homicides per 100,00 population in 1974. Well, they're absolutely right. As a simple matter of uncontrovertible statistical fact, the incidence of all forms of violence have doubled here since the 1950s. So our intuitive sense that something has radically changed is correct. He says TV has also doubled rates of rape, assault, child abuse and other forms of violence.
TV is just another factor among many, including poverty, drugs and mental disturbance.
But if TV had never existed, the U.S. would have 10,000 fewer murders each year. The same conclusion apply to rape and assault. My role is just to lay out the facts. The public is intelligent and resourceful, and I leave it to them to ponder this information and decide what they want to do about it individually or as groups. But I do believe that parents must set limits on how much TV their children watch, in the same way they set boundaries for other behavior.