CHENNAI: Television serials have been scripting success stories, with viewers glued to their sets during prime time.

Often parents put their children in front of the TV to keep them occupied. The children end up watching programmes that adults enjoy — and sometimes even try imitating the characters and lifestyles. The line between reality and fantasy becomes blurred.

"Sibling rivalry is normal, but not when it reaches the level of the children plotting against each other — in the manner of the characters in soaps," says higher secondary teacher Padmini, who has noticed instances of children writing poison-pen letters like actors in serials.

Some parents are concerned over the fact that children pick up unsavoury language, and enact lewd dance movements or `adult scenes' that they see on TV.

Parents sometimes show misplaced pride when their school-going children are conversant with the plots of soaps or can belt out the title songs of every serial.

But trouble starts when children ask embarrassing questions or when the family encounters `adult' scenes in family dramas.

Usha Subramaniyam, a media professional, says television has eroded value systems among children. She recalls reading about three girls who ran away from home to participate in a TV programme. "Parents should make a choice. We must remember that we are encouraging wrong emotions." Programmes on general knowledge are good but those awakening negative emotions are not welcome, she notes.

Meaningless entertainment

T.G. Nallamuthu, retired director of Press Information Bureau, says, "There is too much meaningless entertainment on TV. The conditional access system has done more harm than good for Chennai. The free-to-air channels only show films and serials. Even Doordarshan has fallen into that trap."

A possible solution to this problem is to allot specific TV time, says homemaker Jayshree Narayanaswamy. "My younger daughter is at school and she watches Friends. But my older daughter is in college and does not have time for TV."

Rama Subramaniam, principal of DAV Matriculation Higher Secondary School, agrees with this view, saying, "If children have higher goals and are focussed the problem of being distracted by TV does not arise."

But for most parents, the reality is that their children are growing up faster, and when the charming hero gets too close to the maiden or when the songs get too lewd, parents rush to switch channels.

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