Violent Television Promotes the Culture of Violence in America The United States is the most violent industrial country in the world. More Americans die from violence per capita in the United States than in any country in Western Europe, Japan, or Australia . Most of this violence is committed by males, particularly young males. These young men have been raised viewing violent content on broadcast television. This content reinforces the violent behavior that these young men have observed among their peers and older males in their communities. Violence on television cultivates the culture of violence in American society, and the Federal Communications Commission should reduce the amount of violence on television to counter this culture. The FCC should reduce the amount of violence on television because the current amount of violence on television is excessive. Studies of violence on American television found that American children are exposed to hundreds of violent scenes on television during prime-time hours, which is the most common period when parents watch television with their children. Children become socialized through their television habits. They learn what is normal and what is abnormal based on what they see on television. When their parents let them watch certain television shows, children believe their parents condone the behaviors on television. The constant viewing of violent scenes on television sends children the message that this amount of violence is normal behavior in American society. The FCC should reduce the amount of violence on television because studies have found a link between viewing violent content on television and aggression. A study reported by the American Psychological Association measured higher rates of aggression in children after they watched violent scenes on television. The researchers theorized that these children might become more violent as adults because of these increases in their aggression levels. The FCC should reduce the amount of violence on television because studies of adults who viewed violent television as children found that these adults were more likely to commit violent acts as adults. In a study published by the American Psychological Association, the individuals who were studied in the original study on childhood aggression and exposure to television violence were subjected to a follow-up study as adults. The study found that individuals exposed to violent television during early childhood were more likely to have been convicted of violent criminal acts as adults. The study accounted for the possibility that other variables might have caused these violent acts, such as socioeconomic status and parental upbringing. The FCC should reduce the amount of violence on television because there are enormous social and financial costs of violence in American society. Violence in American society is responsible for deaths that ravage families, leaving children without parents and parents w ...

1. Violent Television Promotes the Culture of Violence in America
The United States is the most violent industrial country in
the world. More Americans die from violence per capita in the
United States than in any country in Western Europe, Japan, or
Australia . Most of this violence is committed by males,
particularly young males. These young men have been raised
viewing violent content on broadcast television. This content
reinforces the violent behavior that these young men have
observed among their peers and older males in their
communities. Violence on television cultivates the culture of
violence in American society, and the Federal Communications
Commission should reduce the amount of violence on television
to counter this culture.
The FCC should reduce the amount of violence on
television because the current amount of violence on television
is excessive. Studies of violence on American television found
that American children are exposed to hundreds of violent
scenes on television during prime-time hours, which is the most
common period when parents watch television with their
children. Children become socialized through their television
habits. They learn what is normal and what is abnormal based
on what they see on television. When their parents let them
watch certain television shows, children believe their parents
condone the behaviors on television. The constant viewing of
violent scenes on television sends children the message that this
amount of violence is normal behavior in American society.
The FCC should reduce the amount of violence on
television because studies have found a link between viewing
violent content on television and aggression. A study reported
by the American Psychological Association measured higher
rates of aggression in children after they watched violent scenes
on television. The researchers theorized that these children
might become more violent as adults because of these increases

2. in their aggression levels.
The FCC should reduce the amount of violence on
television because studies of adults who viewed violent
television as children found that these adults were more likely
to commit violent acts as adults. In a study published by the
American Psychological Association, the individuals who were
studied in the original study on childhood aggression and
exposure to television violence were subjected to a follow-up
study as adults. The study found that individuals exposed to
violent television during early childhood were more likely to
have been convicted of violent criminal acts as adults. The
study accounted for the possibility that other variables might
have caused these violent acts, such as socioeconomic status
and parental upbringing.
The FCC should reduce the amount of violence on television
because there are enormous social and financial costs of
violence in American society. Violence in American society is
responsible for deaths that ravage families, leaving children
without parents and parents without children. Violence in
American society increases the costs of law enforcement, the
criminal justice system, and the penal system. Police must
spend more time trying to prevent violent crime by increasing
their staff levels. Detectives must spend countless hours
investigating homicides. The courts spend exorbitantly on
murder prosecutions. The penal system spends even more
keeping convicted murders behind bars for years, decades, and
even for life.
The FCC should reduce the amount of violence on
television because regulating content on television is intended
to serve the public interest. The Federal Communications
Commission is responsible for regulating the airwaves which
have been determined to be the property of the public.
Broadcast television and radio are subject to the regulation of
the Commission, and stations must receive licenses to
broadcast. These licenses require the stations to serve a public
interest in the content of their broadcasts. Unfortunately,

3. broadcast television stations have violated this public interest
by providing too much violent content. The Commission should
use its authority to force television stations to reduce the
amount of violent content.
In conclusion, the FCC must reduce the amount of violence
on television to counter the culture of violence in American
society. The United States is the most violent country in the
industrial world, which is evidence of the culture of violence.
This culture is promoted through violence on television. Studies
have shown that violence on television causes aggression among
children and leads to criminal violence when these children
become adults. Violence has enormous social and financial
costs. Families suffer the loss of loved ones, and the legal and
penal systems become burdened with the costs of criminal
violence. Regulating the content of television falls under the
authority of the FCC, and it is now time for the FCC to finally
take this responsibility seriously and reduce the amount of
violence on television.