What's the most violent thing you've ever seen on television?
             A murder? An assassination? A deadly explosion?
             Whatever it was, the chances are, that violent image still remains in your memory.
             Now, we're all balanced young people, right?
             We know those images won't do us any harm...
             A very good day to the teacher and colleagues. Today I wish to share with you the message that, television violence is harming our youth. Television is the modern generation's storyteller. More than any thing else, it helps shape the behaviour of young people.
             Almost 30 years after the start of television broadcasts in South Africa, much has changed. My father told me how they used to wait for the single channel broadcasts to start in the afternoons, and after a few hours, it would end. But you and I have become accustomed to 24 hour, multi-channel TV. But what is it doing to us?
             Violent television programmes are a major cause of criminal violence. Since the early days of TV, there has been a huge increase in the use of vulgar language, which can be equated with verbal violence. In those days, such programmes would not have been shown in the 10 p.m. slot, let alone 8 p.m. or even earlier. I am sure I don't have to tell you why our youngest channel, E-TV, is so popular with many teenagers! In many families, television has replaced teachers and parents as a source of information about the world.
             It has also been found that a large percentage of programmes portrayed interpersonal violence, much of it in an entertaining manner. My 7-year-old brother is hooked on DBZ (For those of you who don't watch – that's DragonballZ!). He watches it daily at 4:30. He also gets up like clockwork at 6am on Saturdays and Sundays. If you have watched this series, have you ever seen the high incidence of violence it contains? Yet, it is a kiddies animated programme!
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