Dear Editor,

It is not a problem spending hours in front of the television. However, the problem arises when this habit brings about social passivity - that is, not spending one's leisure time doing more activities.

This tells us that something is wrong. It seems as if reading, discussions, family time, friends and studies are things of another world. This issue becomes somewhat critical when the ones to be affected are children who spend too much time in front of the television. It is a serious issue for children to be spending one-third of their waking hours outside of their respective TV child hours. The Auto-regulation Code of Content during child hours (5 pm - 8 pm) programmed by television networks and the government has been infringed by all television networks.

According to an investigation conducted by the University of Columbia and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, adolescents who watch television three hours a day have a higher risk of turning the practice into a habit as an adult.

The Spanish Confederation of Organisations of Housewives, Consumers and Users alerts that child TV programmes provided by different television networks are full of violence and sexist attitudes.

Advertising, which is directed at children, is a means of communication that must be avoided. Young viewers are a substantial segment of the population, and their vulnerability to all types of messages makes it necessary to cure child advertising to its maximum detail. Child advertising must not deceive or manipulate; its message should instead be clear, since young viewers can confuse reality with imaginary messages they perceive.

Dust brings mud. There is no space for inhibitions so long as the problematic source of the media's hypnotic effect is not counteracted; so long as the TV screen substitutes parents.

According to Professor Gianfranco Bettetini, violence begets violence, thus violent behaviour can be stimulated within a young TV audience.

Clemente Ferrer

Madrid, Spain

clementeferrer3@gmail.com