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Dish Network: Helping Parents Manage What Young Children Watch
Dish Network: Playing Games with Satellite TV
Expanding Diversity in American Television
Satellite TV and VOD: Putting Viewers in Control

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Sex, drugs, violence, nudity, and "coarse" language; it's all over television. It pulls in viewers, it's exciting, and sometimes realistic.  However, these behaviors often are not what parents want their children to see or emulate.  The question of the effect on children appears to have been answered by a multitude of studies over the past 30 years or more. 

A quick search online will reveal items such as a 15 year longitudinal study reported by the American Psychological Association that indicates children's viewing of violent TV shows is linked to aggression in young adulthood for both sexes irregardless of intellectual abilities, social status, or parenting style.*    An online search might also find the report on the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry site which indicates that "TV can be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior".**  Media violence is said to effect children of various ages differently, but reportedly has the greatest effect on children who view violence which is not seen as evil or does not result in punishment, disapproval, or human suffering as explained in a report available on the Media Awareness Network site***.

Parents have a number of options in trying to eliminate or reduce their children's exposure to programming that they feel is inappropriate.  Obviously, most services offer programming that is appropriate for young children with shows such as Discovery Kids, the various Disney Channels, Nickelodeon, Nick Toons, BabyFirst TV, and so forth.  However, as most adults will want programming beyond the child focused offerings, satellite television and cable providers have offered parental controls for a number of years. 

Dish Network satellite receivers as one example offer parental controls/system locks that allow users to restrict what programs can be viewed based on password protected locks.  Viewing can be restricted by channel or by ratings.  Like most parental control systems, Dish Network's software operates in conjunction with V-Chip technology.  Users simply program the system to restrict access to certain programming or, through their "Adult Guard" software, to completely remove Adult Channels from the Electronic Program Guide so that children can neither view the restricted programming nor access programming information through the guide.  Once Dish Network's no-cost "Adult Guard" is programmed the locks will remain even when there is a power outage.

Although Dish Network and other providers offer parental controls parents should be aware that other steps may be necessary to reduce exposure to media that may have negative effects on young children.  Experts caution that parents might need to be alert to the violence that is present in everything from cartoons, to music videos, and even many of the video games that are on the market.  Monitoring the media that children view is an important step in controlling their exposure. 

Professionals also seem to agree that watching with very young children and being able to discuss what they see can also help them to better understand when violence or other behavior is not acceptable and what the consequences might really be.  Although it is very clear that parents should take an active role in managing the media available to their young children and in helping them to interpret what they see, satellite and cable television providers will need to continue to offer state-of-the-art controls to assist parents when they simply cannot monitor every moment of their child's day.

*www.apa.org/releases/media_violence.html
**www.aacap.org/page.ww?section=Facts+for+Families&name=Children+And+TV+Violence
***http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/research_documents/reports/violence/tv_violence_child.cfm

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The world of home entertainment has a decidedly different landscape than that of 20 years ago. From the ability to take control of programming through digital video recorders and pay-per-view options to the ever expanding list of programming choices available in any niche, consumers have an increasing ability to individualize the entertainment they enjoy in their homes. Interactive television is another option that is now offered which allows viewers to obtain even more for their entertainment dollar.

Echostar's Dish Network satellite TV service provides DishHome Interactive Channel 100 which gives subscribers access to a wide variety of interactive programming, but for many families the various game packages provide the greatest attraction. In keeping with the theory that the family which plays together stays together, these Dish Network packages could certainly play a role in family harmony.

One of the more popular packages, DishGAMES, offers 16 games from Pixel Play including ASTEROID MEGA, CENTIPEDE MEGA, CHAINZ, JUMBLE, TextTwist, and other titles from Atari, Hasbro, MumboJumbo, and Real Arcade. This package offers interactive features such as score submission, leader boards, tournament capabilities, prizing, and polling creating a greater sense of individual, community, or family challenge and competition. The KidsWise feature even offers "edutainment" games to build reading, problem solving and thinking skills. The affordable $4.99/mo or $49.99/year pricing is attractive but current non-subscribers can easily experience these games via a demonstration on the Dish Network site for free before making any purchase.

For those seeking something even less expensive or wanting a bit more of a brain buzz, Dish Network also offers Buzztime Trivia. For $3.99/month or $43.89/year, a wide variety of Trivia games are available for individuals or the whole family.

From action, adventure, and sports to casino-style, puzzle, board, and strategy games Playin'-TV is a package that offers a huge variety which can assure that every member of the family will be seeking out some stay-at-home time. With a monthly rate of $4.99 or annual $54.89, it is still a viable option for most families.

The final offering is a great option for those on a stricter entertainment budget. The Dish Network PlayJam option provides an ever changing lineup of some of the more hip and currently popular games. With 13 to 15 games offered at any time, most families will discover numerous choices to feed their entertainment cravings. One of the most attractive features of this package however is that there are free levels to all of the games making it affordable for any Dish Network subscriber.

Interactive programming is bringing control of home entertainment into the hands of viewers; and in the case of interactive game packages from Dish Network, it is also bringing families together.

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In the US, the average American bought their first TV set and began to experience television entertainment via antennae in the 1950's. Cable followed soon thereafter for those in rural areas who had no reception and gradually expanded over the next 40 years. 

Comedies, westerns, and later variety and spy shows filled the airwaves.  Shows in the 1950's were mostly conservative, representing an ideal average American family which was "nuclear", complete with mom, dad, and the kids.  An occasional minority had a supporting role and the lifestyles were generally middle class with a stay-at-home mom. This ideal-based programming is part of the charm of 1950's television for many people.

In the 1960's, this began to change as representation of African Americans began to increase and roles became more substantive; Bill Cosby's starring role in I Spy being one example.  Women's presence in TV also increased and started to stray away from the typical housewife.  By the 60's and 70's, women had far more leading roles such as in Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie.  The Mary Tyler Moore show was an example of the emergence of the single, capable, working woman as an acceptable figure on television. 

In the 70's and 80's, social issues and different lifestyles began to penetrate television programming.  Divorce and single motherhood was presented in shows such as One Day at a Time.  Women and occasionally minorities began to be shown in positions of power.  Issues such as homosexuality and abortion began to be discussed.  From Cagney and Lacey to Murphy Brown some women began to have a purpose beyond their beauty. Even age barriers began to fall as shows such as The Golden Girls became popular.  Inter-racial issues were more evident in shows such as All in the Family. 

By the 90's, shows with African Americans in lead roles and in positions of authority were becoming established.  Bill Cosby as the successful obstetrician and ideal father was married to a successful lawyer, Felicia Rashad while Oprah Winfrey acted, directed, and began to take over the world of talk shows.  The types of programming had changed over the years as well.  Dramas, investigative news programs, sports, and reality based shows were gaining popularity.

A major step in diversification was the emergence of niche programming.  From MTV directed toward the younger, male audience, to ESPN, Fox Sports for men, and Lifetime cable network for women (just to name a few) the trend to recognize a wider audience was marching forward.  Today, the representation of many minority groups on American television remains small for the population and representation of all groups remains somewhat inaccurate or restricted but strides continue.  Channels specific to the gay/lesbian population and to Asian Americans are examples that demonstrate recognition of our diverse population. 

With satellite, television has been able to branch out and become even more global however.  Dish Network, as an example, now offers 110 International Channels in over 25 languages.  African, Arabic, South Asian, and Russian programming are just a few examples.  They also offer Latino packages and a Great Wall package directed toward the Chinese market.  Increasingly, satellites allow us to listen in to radio and television programming from around the world allowing television to continue it's evolution as a diversified and global media.

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