Revolutionizing Television

Growing up in the 1990’s, the television played just as big of a role in childhood as playgrounds or recess did. The television shows that were shown on the various youth channels, such as Disney Channel or Nickelodeon, are still prominent in my perception of child hood. Who does not remember liking the Rug-rats or Hey! Arnold? The shows were persistently on at a certain time, during a particular day of the week. But now that we have grown apart from our childhood fantasies of revolving our days, or even weeks around a show, we have come to drastically change the way in which television is watched as a generation.

The same kids that were obsessing over the comical cartoons are now obsessing over the finals that are approaching or the project due at work. The childhood method of watching television has even changed from 90’s. The television is no longer the only way, or even the most common way of watching shows by those in their late teens or early twenties. A laptop has replaced most stationary televisions. And the shows now are no longer on at a certain time or day. Online websites such as Hulu.com and Megavideo allow for the viewing of most shows through the web at anytime of the day, putting aside the legality of the act. We no longer have time to sit in front of a television in a specific location to watch what we want when we want. Most are on-the-go and do not have this kind of time, regardless of how badly it may be wanted. The days of “Doug” are no longer met in home living room, but maybe in the library in-between study sessions or in the dorm room at 3 in the morning.

In many ways our generation, along with the help of current technology and television transformation, has revolutionized they way in which we watch television. It should be interesting to watch what the next step for watching television for this generation. Will it relapse and once again become a daily routine as age creeps upon us, or will it transform into something completely new once again?

- Larry Reinhard