Television has changed the lifestyle of people in every Industrialized country in the world. In the United States, where sociologists have studied the effects, some interesting observations have been made.
电视改变了世界上每个工业化国家人民的生活方式。在美国，社会学家们研究了这种影响，并进行了一些有趣的观察。
Television, although not essential, has become an important part of most people’s lives. It alters peoples’ ways of seeing the world; in many ways, it supports and sustains modern life. Television has become a baby-sitter, an introducer of conversations, the major transmitter of culture, a keeper of tradition. Yet when what can be seen on TV in one day is critically analyzed, it becomes evident that television is not a teacher but a sustainer; the poor quality of programming does not elevate people into greater understanding, but rather maintains and encourages the life as it exists.
电视虽然不是必不可少的，但已经成为大多数人生活的重要组成部分。它改变了人们看待世界的方式；在许多方面，它支持和维持着现代生活。电视已经成为保姆，对话的介绍人，文化的主要传播者，传统的守护者。然而，当对一天内在电视上看到的内容进行批判性分析时，很明显，电视不是老师，而是维持者；节目质量差并不能让人们更深入地理解，但更倾向于维持和鼓励生活的现状。
The primary reason for the lack of quality in American television is related to both the history of TV programming development and the economics of TV. Television in America began with the radio. Radio companies and their sponsors first experimented with television. Therefore, the close relationship which the advertisers had with radio programs became the system for American TV. Sponsors not only paid money for time within programs, but many actually produced the programs.
美国电视质量低下的主要原因既与电视节目发展史有关，也与电视经济有关。美国的电视始于广播，广播公司及其赞助商首先试验了电视。因此，广告商与广播节目的密切关系成为了美国电视的制度。赞助商不仅在节目中支付时间费用，而且许多人实际上制作了节目。
Thus, in American society, television is primarily concerned with reflecting and attracting society rather than experimenting with new ideas. Advertisers want to attract the largest viewing audience possible, to do so requires that the programs be entertaining rather than educational, attractive rather than challenging.
因此，在美国社会，电视主要关注的是反映和吸引社会，而不是尝试新的想法。广告商想要吸引尽可能多的观众，这就要求节目具有娱乐性而非教育性，具有吸引力而非挑战性。
Television in America today remains, to a large extent, with the same organization and standards as it had thirty years ago. The hope for further development and true achievement toward improving society will require a change in the entire system.
今天的美国电视在很大程度上仍然保持着三十年前的组织和标准。对进一步发展的希望和对改善社会的真正成就将需要整个系统的改变。
网友评论