I'm not one for letting young kids watch tv. Especially since much of what it consists of is crap. But I have this other theory.
Back in media classes in college, we were taught about how to keep the audiences' attention. One way: quick cuts from shot to shot by making edits every 2 to 3 seconds. Another way: create some movement within the shot if it's going to be longer than 2 to 3 seconds (i.e. by zooming in or out, panning left or right, tilting up or down, or having graphics come flying in). We are so used to it these days that we don't notice it. But count the number of times the shot changes, the camera moves or graphic appears in your average tv show.
Why is this significant?
Well... the whole point for cuts and movement is to keep your audiences' eye by creating these rapid movements to keep them watching. There exists this attention void that needs to be constantly filled. Wouldn't you think this is dangerous for little kids? The way the cuts and movement affect a child's attention has to be detrimental to them and transfer over into life as well. It's no surprise the amount of kids these days that have ADD and ADHD -- attention deficit disorders. I have no proof to back this but certainly there must be a correlation between kids with attention problems who also watch a medium that takes drastic measures to ensure a viewer's attention.
Now, look at the Baby Einstein videos. I like them because they don't "cut" between shots at all. You wouldn't notice this unless you were looking for it. The videos change shots either by wiping (with sound affects) or by dissolving. These transitions are must less jarring to the eye and foster a better type of attention in a child. It's smoother; softer than the drastic "cutting" that's on television.
The thing of it is: I'm also convinced that this is why people don't like baseball on television. Because the shot rarely changes as drastically as viewers are used to. It's also for this reason that I love baseball. "You can fall asleep and wake up 20 minutes later and realize you've not missed a thing."
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24 comments:
You have made a valid observation. Just a thought, ADD and ADHD in many cases is pure crap.
Childhood ADD/ADHD is one of the greatest medical frauds in the history of our country.
Anon - Mark Lowry said,"Back in my day we had ADD, only we spelled it B-r-a-t!" How true...
But this whole tv editing thing makes a valid point. It's not only WHAT's on tv that we need to be aware of that our children are watching but just simply how it's done that affects them.
Thanks for the observation!
There have been studies linking ADD to too much exposure (however that's defined) to TV. It's actually recommended that children don't watch any TV until the age of two. There was an uproar last year when PBS released (or was going to release?) Baby Sesame videos geared toward infants.
I do think that ADD/ADHD is likely overdiagnosed. But that diagnosis is fading... autism/Asperger's is now the diagnosis du jour.
On that note, I'm off to stare my television screen.
You can listen to an NPR report from April 2006 here:
Starting Kids Early on TV Watching
For personally having ADHD i think that you all are F.O.S. who are you to say that it is crap or that it is not really a condition. I've been medicated since I was five and didn't watch tv until I was 6. Explain that one too me. I am 16 and I take almost 100 mg. of it a day. You guys are just like the guy who said that Parkinsons disease isn't real and that Michael J. Fox is just faking. Is that what you think? I think all of you are crap not ADHD.
Is that what you think Aaron? Do you think that I am just faking?
To springboard a bit on Sara's comment, expectant fathers may be interested in recent research linking TV watching of children under two and autism. There's nothing definitive of yet, but the rise in autism rates corresponds with the proliferation of VCRs and homes with cable. The theory basically being too much two dimensional visual stimuli on a too underdeveloped brain. I'm sure your Mrs is far more up on this than I, but I thought I'd pass it on.
Aarong,
I tend to agree, notwithstanding the judgment of the above commentator that I am "F.O.S." Have you ever seen the film Russian Ark which is filmed in one shot? It's not actually a very interesting movie unless you're up on your Russian History, but it is quite an experience to watch. Here's the link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Ark)
At any rate, I'm always impressed with the subtleties required for films which incorporate this kind of camera work.
I never said that I do not think ADD/ADHD is a very real disorder. I did say that I think it is overdiagnosed. And I think parents are as much to blame as the medical community. Many parents will "doctor shop" until they find the one that tells them what they want to hear - either that there child does or does not have a disorder. Shame shame.
In an attempt to bring a more reasoned, logical leading to critical thinking in this area, here is an interesting quote:
"Articles, essays, and other information pertaining to the fraud of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)--Compiled by Dr. Fred Baughman
Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD has been an adult & child neurologist, in private practice, for 35 years. Making "disease" (real diseases--epilepsy, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis, etc.) or "no disease" (emotional, psychological, psychiatric) diagnoses daily, he has discovered and described real, bona fide diseases.
It is this particular medical and scientific background that has led him to view the "epidemic" of one particular "disease"--Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)--with increasing alarm. Dr. Baughman describes this himself. Referring to psychiatry, he says:
"They made a list of the most common symptoms of emotional discomfiture of children; those which bother teachers and parents most, and in a stroke that could not be more devoid of science or Hippocratic motive--termed them a 'disease.' Twenty five years of research, not deserving of the term 'research.,' has failed to validate ADD/ADHD as a disease. Tragically--the "epidemic" having grown from 500 thousand in 1985 to between 5 and 7 million today--this remains the state of the 'science' of ADHD."
In addition to scientific articles that have appeared in leading national and international medical journals, Dr. Baughman has testified for victimized parents and children in ADHD/Ritalin legal cases, writes for the print media and appears on talk radio shows, always making the point that ADHD is fraudulent--a creation of the psychiatric-pharmaceutical cartel, without which they would have nothing to prescribe their dangerous, addictive, Schedule II, stimulants for--namely, Ritalin (methylphenindate), Dexedrine (dextro-amphetamine), Adderall (mixed dextro- and levo-amphetamine) and, Gradumet, and Desoxyn (both of which are methamphetamine, 'speed,' 'ice').
The entire country, including all 5-7 million with the ADHD diagnosis today, have been deceived and victimized; deprived of their informed consent rights and drugged--for profit! It must be stopped. Now!"
Quite an interesting cross-section of views on this one. Back in the good old days (70's), the main diagnosis of the day was hyperactivity, which had several research reviews, one of which was a specific food group causing it. The main drug d'jour was Ritalin - ask many camp counselors who had to march the kids to the nurses office for the daily dose.
I cannot speak for sam..., but I do want to hear what is saying. We who are not affected cannot just casually dismiss those who are affected and the family issues raised.
I do think, however, as a pastor who has worked with parents and children, my observations are that the media images exposed to young children, both content and delivery, do have an effect on young minds. The natural world does not function as such unless one wishes to be exposed to constant flashes of lightning.
It's been an interesting post. Not at all where I intended it to go, honestly. But still, a good cross-section.
To clarify my position a little: I was simply pointing out, that as someone who works in the broadcasting field, it is my job to keep people's attention. And my observation is that perhaps that need to keep people's attention maybe be contributing to attention problems in people.
Now, as Sara also clarified, I too believe that ADD/ADHD is over diagnosed -- and the Mrs. confers too. Yet, I also believe that there are cases, much like Sam's, who's case I am familiar with, where the diagnosis of ADD/ADHD is not a "falsehood".
I am not familiar with this Dr. Baughman character. Nor am I familiar with the context in which the anonymous poster posts. Is this person, who posts, a doctor? Or a watcher of, oh, I don't know, fox news? Certainly, as I have said, there are cases where ADD/ADHD is over-diagnosed and contributes to the "pharmaceutical cartel". Where people welcome the diagnosis of the disorder so they don't have to be held responsible. But there are legitimate cases of the disorder. And one would be wise to remember that.
So again, my point, that television and the simple nature of it contributes, I think, without any proof other than 10 years in television, to attention problems. And also, that's probably why people don't like baseball.
Yes indeed an interesting cross section of views on a subject.
Odd that the main writer of this blog would ridicule people that watch fox news.
Seems to me that he/she started this off by stating that they deceive the viewer on a regular basis.
Equally as wierd is that the main networks are not mentioned. They alongwith the public broadcasting stations(yeah, right) are the masters of deception.
As far as, "I am not familiar with this Dr. Baughman character" a simple google search would have worked.
Good attempt to deflect away from the subject matter by tugging on our hearts about individual cases.
Throwing out a "FOS" statement because you may disagree with someone is indeed silly, childesh and vulgar. I do thank you though for being interested in my bowel movements and to let you know that they are regular.
Look into your public school systems nationwide and you will find that thousands of young children and their parents are being deceived about ADD/ADHD. Look into the subject even further and you will find that the vast majority are boys.
"Good attempt to deflect away from the subject matter by tugging on our hearts about individual cases."
Why thank you.
As I offer sarcastic comments, I too must welcome them. So as for the whole "fox news" thing, I was not ridiculing those who watch fox news. I was only suggesting that your post sounded like the ravings of some of the broadcasters on that station (and others for that matter) who think everything is a conspiracy....not the viewers who endeavor to watch it. It was meant as humorous, not insulting -- perhaps it was misplaced.
Sorry. I don't like fox news. I also have equal distate for CNN, MSNBC and every other news outlet. Enjoy the irony as I am a news producer. But those are the rantings for another time and post.
As for how I sleep at night knowing I "deceive" americans... that's a little harsh. Though I do recognize the further irony of my original post: that I may be contributing to the problem I brought to light.
Wow! I leave the blog for a couple days and look at what I miss. I've got one point and it has nothing to do with ADD/ADHD. It has to do with blog etiquette. If someone is going to post in such a combative and hostile way as "anonymous" has, one should not do it anonymously. Leave a name. Leave something. Fighting a battle without showing your face is cowardly. I'm ok with argumentation, just leave some identificaiton (as Sam rightly did).
"If someone is going to post in such a combative and hostile way as "anonymous" has, one should not do it anonymously"
Glad to see that you have been educated well in this politically correct era. Words such as combative and hostile is the language of moonbats.
The choice to lurk about and strike at selective times is the mark of a good sniper. Oh by the way, you have not addressed the issue of ADD/ADHD being grossly inflamed by the medical community. What did Lenin say, hook them while they are young and I will have them for a lifetime?
Thank you for continuing to make my point.
is it just me or does anonymous sound a lot like Dwight Schrute?
Good Grief. No one with ADD/ADHD could actually make through a thorough reading of this particular post.
Good Job Aaron?
Anyway, as I was saying...oh, wait! Look at that dog! ha ha ha! He thinks his tail is a hotdog, ha ha ha, stupid dog!
Uh, what were we talking about?
"The choice to lurk about and strike at selective times is the mark of a good sniper."
So by sniper, you're going to have to clarify. Because posting anon like you have done seems to be more similar to the Columbus sniper than anything I am familiar with. Lurking in the shadows in such a case is mere cowardliness and weakness.
At the same time, even posting a name on blogs does not prove you are not such. Such is the nature of blogging that a poster can post with a name and yet still remain very ambiguous -- that one's identity cannot be confirmed by such a sobriquet as "theoldman" (Dad -- I'm giving you a penny for mentioning you, I've decided). But also, anon, good lenin quote.
Also, as to the oldman, nice thoughts on constant flashes of lightning, missed that the first time around.
JDjones...I coudn't agree more with your observation -- sometimes the stimulation is too much for me...
And dcz...you're also right.
I would like to apologize for my earlier posted tyraid. I was not attacking the author of this blog, but I think that it might of just been that the circumstances of the day just left me frustrated and beat down and the I lashed at the first person who ticked me off, this happened to be mr. "anonymous"
Also, my usage of F.O.S was a little childish of that I somewhat apologize, considering the irony that I am still a child. : ) haha! I will try to control my temper more and post comments with a more mature manner.
I would also like to say that my parents are also not buying the drugs just to waste money. We pay whatever we need to for a drug that will work. We are actually using a drug now that is cheaper than previous drugs that I have taken.
You know what I think a fascinating thing is? The many amounts of different drugs. It is amazing, no phenominal, how all different people react to different drugs. I went to a survey thing with a couple other people who had A.D.H.D. and one I think was one of those people who had a misdiagnosis or she was on an extreme amount of it. There were five us in the room and 3 of them took Concerta, one took Aderal, and I took Strattera. Now, the people who took Concerta it made them concentrate and there grades improved, but when I took Conerta I was only on it for about 2 mo., because one, it made me sick and two, my grades dropped so drastically that we new it was the medicine. We changed to Strattera, and until I went to a harder school in Cincinnati and I was in highschool, I was a starihgt A student. Apperently I have dyslexia too. I was a straight (not starihgt) A student. haha!
wELL i HAVE TO GO!
Anonymous? Who said that I was interested in your bowel movements? When I said that you were FOS it was not a personal interest it was because I was angry. It is just the same as saying you are FOB (full of bologna.) Also I could care less if you are regular, because I get enough of that from my grandma and making sure that everyone has their prune juice everyday. I would have to agree with Eric though, You are Dwight Shcrute.
Whoever dcz is, you are AWESOME! Thank you for relieving the tensions of all the commenting. That was pretty funny!
dear anonymous,
p.s. just thought that you should know that I go to a private school, not public and I am in 2 A.P. classes. I'm not just another average teenager. I am special! Somewhat... I think... Well my mom always tells me that I'm special.
Sam,
You are a very special in God's eyes as well...but I think you already know that.
Thanks anonymous,
Alot of people tell me that He put whole bunch of work into me and im trying to live up to that!
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