Television has been around for over half a century. The first television broadcast in the United States occurred during a World's Fair in 1939, but standard television broadcasting did not begin until the late 1940s. Concern over the influence of television Children's television started from its very beginnings. In the early 1950s, educators and parents began calling on lawmakers to "do something" about the extent of violence on television. This concern still exists today. Parents have reservations about the quality of television programs aimed at children, the amount of advertising aimed at young viewers and the way television portrays men, women and ethnic minorities. There are also apprehensions about the effects of the time children spend watching television in general. The quality of children's programming has changed over the years. Violence on television is increasingly accepted by today's society. Studies show that watching violence on television negatively affects children. The impact of violence can desensitize a child's feelings to the pain of others, create fear of the world around them, and promote aggression toward others. Studies have shown that children's television shows contain around 20 acts of violence every hour and that children who watch a lot of television are more likely to think that the world is a cruel and dangerous place. Children often behave differently after watching violent programs on television. In a study done at Pennsylvania State University, approximately 100 preschool children were observed before and after watching television; some watched cartoons with many aggressive and violent acts; others watched shows that did not feature any form of violence. The research...... middle of paper ......Works CitedNeil Hickey. Violence on television. New York: TV Guide, 1992. Aletha C. Huston, Edward Donnerstein, Halford Fairchild, Norma D. Feshbach, Phyllis A. Katz, John P. Murray, Eli A. Rubinstein, Brian L. Wilcox and Diana Zuckerman. Big world, small screen: the role of television in American society. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1992. Robert M. Liebert and Joyce Sprafkin. The first window: effects of television on children and young people. New York: Pergamon Press, 1988. Edward L. Palmer. Television and America's Children: A Crisis of Neglect. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988. Dorothy G. Singer, Jerome L. Singer, and Diana M. Zuckerman. Teaching Television.- How to use television to benefit your child. New York: Dial Press, 1981.www.cyfc.umn.eduwww.alianceforchildhood.netwww.mcspotlight.orgwww.rebelmothers.org