3 Reasons You Should Care About What Media You Watch

Watching media is a typical activity. Some watch shows out of habit, some for enjoyment and others to remain informed. In 2019, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that individuals over the age of 15 spend a portion of their day engaged in leisure activities, where “watching TV was the leisure activity that occupied the most time (2.8 hours per day), accounting for just over half of all leisure time on average.” Working to create balanced lives, and being thoughtful regarding the amount of screen time one has can be helpful to ensure that other activities that are rejuvenating can be performed. However, engaging with media continues to consume most of one’s downtime between daily responsibilities and demands. Whether watching television for pure entertainment, for educational purposes, or both, what we watch is just as important as how much we watch.

1. Media Teaches Lessons

When watching educational media, it is clear that the information presented is provided to enrich our knowledge of a given topic. Talk shows, public service productions, and news outlets are geared to offer information to keep us in the know. Yet, films, dramas, and reality television equally offer us lessons learned. Fictions provide a window into what life can be and what we may not wish life to become. Films depict characters that experience life challenges and discover ways to resolve conflicts in ways that offer a different or new way to navigate the concern. Reality television shows illustrate how interpersonal relationships can experience their highs and lows and how the ability to forgive can go a long way in friendships.

2. Media Influences How You Feel

Media invites the audience to feel; engage and react emotionally. Think of your favorite television show or movie. Do you find that you can resonate with the theme of the storyline? Can you see yourself in the characters that make you feel you can relate to them? Does the show illustrate what you would like your life to be and make you hopeful? Does the series highlight what life could look like and make you feel relief that your life does not mimic what you see? Sometimes the show provides entertainment, comedy, and laughter that may not have been had otherwise for the day. Regardless of the quality of what is viewed, we tend to watch to invite suspense, joy, or escape to provide an intermission to daily obligations.

3. Media Keeps You Informed

News segments share updates regarding what is happening in our surrounding neighborhoods and events in the world. Whether you are watching news outlets to remain abreast of your city, or whether you are binge-watching a hit season of a series, media is one of the main resources that provide intelligence that informs us. These data influence our understanding, decisions, and behaviors. Choosing streams of information that are trustworthy is essential, and performing further follow-up is imperative.

Given that media is a daily activity in most of our leisure time, being thoughtful about what we view is valuable. What you select can provide you with information, and food for thought, allow lessons to be learned, and evoke feelings while you watch. Happy viewing!