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Television is the most accessible key to world experiences and lifeskills. Parents should NOT deny children access to television. Monitored viewing for younger children and guidelines for teenagers encourage vital "world awareness" for the new generation.

Many children are visual learners. Deny children television, and you deny them the right to learn from a visual resource.

Younger children may be presented with learning programmes such as "Sesame Street" and "Playschool". These programmes reinforce learning at school in an entertaining, fun way. Specials done by the musical phenomenon "The Wiggles" must be a positive viewing experience. Lyrics, music and body rhythms encourage a sociable way of responding to music.

Teenagers may gravitate to wildlife, travel, sports or survival programmes. These may be the only opportunity some teenagers have of appreciating such experiences. Why should such programmes be denied if they help the teenager understand why it is wrong to kill wildlife! Such programmes may widen a teenager's opportunity for work! Perhaps the teenager had never thought of traveling afar to develop humanitarian skills!

And the ultimate! THE NEWS! All children should be given the opportunity to see world news.

Yes! This should be monitored carefully for younger children. They should not see the horrors of 9/11 at a tender age. It is up to the parents to offer this news carefully. But, for the younger children of primary age, there are programs that filter "the horrors". In Australia, there is one such programme called "Behind the News". Primary aged children are the target audience. This tender age group is given an "entre" taste of news, issues and views. A very healthy introduction to the world out there!

For teenagers, the news and current affairs, such as "Today Tonight", are essential viewing. Global news awareness is essential for maximizing teenage study skills. Study of contemporary history is bolstered by awareness of current news! In English, discussion of issues is best evidenced from current news and views on news! News is a means of constantly updating information on the world, its history, archaeology, natural and man-made disasters, political trends and other contemporary events. The news is a priceless resource for the serious teenage student! And the TV news format is far more attractive than reading pages upon pages of a newspaper. TV viewing ensures that visual and aural learning skills are effectively tapped, maximising the retention of detail.

Television, in the 21st century, has become a basic, household commodity. It is a valuable, electronic, convenient link between local worlds and international worlds. Parents must NOT deny children the right to connect their world with global worlds. Children must NOT live in a world without television.

Learn more about this author, Gemma Wiseman.
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