Television Violence

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Recommended: Television and violence in youth

Along the coast of Maryland, just inside the state lines of Virginia lies the Quantico Naval Base, home to a fictional investigative team lead by the unpredictable Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The ever popular television show, NCIS, focuses on solving crimes with naval victims. These crimes have one thing in common: violence. In 2005, some workers at Quantico find a “meat puzzle” (C. Schulenburg 9) hidden within barrels of toxic material. During this episode the viewer is able to see a massacred body, sliced into many pieces, displayed on multiple tables in the NCIS morgue (C. Schulenburg 9). A year later, an episode of NCIS aired showing an explosion of characters while golfing (Update: T.V. Violencce). Violence did not originally appear on television sets at this highly escalated degree. Violence made its’ first appearance in the ten years following the birth of television on 1928 (J. Torr 62). It presented itself in the programming of western themed shows, which were popular at that time. Guns and fighting would be common in the 1950’s shows such as Gunsmoke and Have Gun Will Travel (Television). It was nearing the end of that decade when outraged television fans started to critique the entire television industry, including the ever present violence (Television). The decade following westerns introduced dramas with the theme of crime. A reoccurring show on the CBS network by the name of Man Against Crime was made with the intention of murder being a signature (J. Torr 62). “The writers on the series were instructed that ‘somebody must be murdered, preferably early, with the threat of more violence to come’” (J. Torr 63). This theme of criminal drama gave birth to a multitude of shows that all revolved around the same subject. Within a q...

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"TV Violence." Media & Health (2003): 1-4. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Spring 2003. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. .

“Update: Television Violence.” Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 5 Oc. 2007. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. .

Zuckerman, Mortimer B. “Television Violence Contributes to Juvenile Crime.” Opposing Viewpoints: Juvenile Crime. Ed. A.E. Sadler. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1997. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Ironwood High School. 26 Oct. 2011

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