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There is an addiction in the world that is so strong that no amount of rehabilitation or treatment centers could ever cure it. People would rather die than be without it and if they kick the habit then are likely to go back the very next day. It’s the most powerful drug in the world and it’s in every home you know: it’s your television set.
There was once a time when the TV was a lot like the fine china: put out on special occasions; but now the television has grown into something more than that. Something much more than just what you watch. It becomes what you are.
Children today are being raised by the television sets and the information that is vital and necessary is getting through to them that way. But they aren’t the only ones hooked, nursing homes are littered with televisions as a way to entertain its patients. Senior citizens spend hours, maybe not watching mindless cartoons, but watching the stock market roll across the screen or watching Dr. Phil solve yet another domestic issue. Newspapers are no longer the medium for news. The newspaper is a niche market for those who remember the good ole days.
In fact now the market is through the television. Breaking news and the endless cycle of televised news magazines are how information is communicated and there is no greater indication of this trend than the amount of money spent on advertising. Advertisers themselves will pay to the highest possible point of visibility and they pay the most money to advertise on tv. Certainly online advertising is growing more and more everyday but right now the best place to hock your wears is right on the television. The advent of the DVR and the possibility of fast forwarding right through the commercials has presented some problems but not enough problems to be considered a less effective form of advertising.
It’s true that while the Internet continues to grow and grow that the world is still dominated by what sits in the living room. The television is still king and is still the most addictive drug there is.