Television in the family home has changed dramatically since my parents were growing up, for instance having one television was a luxury, whereas now to have one in almost every room of a house seems to be. Television has changed drastically, the way we view, watch and enjoy it. With innovations like streaming services Stan and Netflix, recording systems, internet connectivity, and even 3D features only one could ever think of as impossible.
As I joined in conversation with my mum about her experience growing up with television it always seemed like there was a television show her other three siblings and parents all watched of a night time. Shows like Hey Hey its Saturday, Skippy, Sale of the Century, Gilligan’s island, Countdown, I dream of Genie, and how could she forget The Brady Bunch. The list goes on, it was something they were all apart of after a long day at school or work for parents, dinner was done, and it was tv time, following by “toilet teeth and bed” which still stays with my mum.
It was an instant click with my own experience and something my mum has carried across from having television growing up in her family home. With my brother and I now at either school or University, and my parents who run a small business, we spend our weeknights around the dinner table and then watching a current tv show (currently Australian Survivor is the family favourite).
It was her teenage years that this instantly reminds her of, the television shows and what entertainment they brought to the weeknights. There weren’t any mobile phones and therefore social media streams that interrupted or a family member disconnected to, they were all apart of the experience. My mum believes this is something that now happens, during add breaks or the not so entertaining moments our family disconnects from the television to be on technology, we loose interest and lose the experience together.
A BBC 2018 article brought attention to this stating the rapid end of watching television as a family is among us. Highlighting that with the streaming services now available and the accessibility from all devices families now split up to watch preferred shows, leading a different shape in family life in contrast to tradition. A 2018 child wise report brought findings that for the first time, children aged five to 16 are more likely to watch programmes and videos on devices such as laptops and mobile phones, rather than on television screens. Researchers found that families are rapidly decreasing time spent in the living room together and it’s mainly because of half of children and teenagers preferred watching back-to-back episodes and can on streaming services.
In conclusion, the variety and accessibility to television/movies were unheard of as my mum was growing up. There were a small selection of televisions shows that people learned or fell in love with as it was what was available. This has since changed how families and the television is a feature in the family home, and what I gained from the experience in having this conversation with my mum.
References :
Coughlan, SC, 2018, ‘The end of watching TV as a family’ BBC News Article. Published 31st of January 2018,. Viewed 29th of August 2019.
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