College-Going Youth and Values: A Study from the TV Impact Perspective

Youth learned their values at home through chores, play, observation and correction of parents and others. It provided them a foundation for socialization. As they grow up, TV replaces parents, teachers, relatives, plays and chores in their lives. College-going youth learn their values, beliefs, and behaviors exhibited by TV characters. TV viewing has become a social habit among college-going youth in Tamilnadu, India. This study finds out impacts of TV on college-going youth and it is important as there is a general concern in the society about TV and its impact on college-going youth particularly if they are heavy viewers. Little attention has been paid in the past in India on the actual consumption of TV and its impact on audience, particularly on college-going youth and their values. Thus this study explores the major hypothesis: "greater the exposure to TV, greater the impact on the lives of college-going youth". In fact, the TV is blamed for its at times unwholesome influence on young people.Instead of blaming the TV for its negative effects, it would be wiser to enable the college-going youth to understand the TV realities more critically through media literacy.