TV as Mediator of Community

I have relatives who have not watched television in over thirty-five years. At times, I envy them. They spend their evenings reading books that nourish their souls, while I am engrossed in the latest episode of Fringe, Mad Men, Rubicon, or one of the many Seinfeld reruns of which I never tire. At other times, especially in conversation or family games, I am aware that their avoidance of TV actually disconnects them from the rest of us. There is rarely a family gathering when we do not play charades. I got an easy card a number of years ago–Michael Jackson. I moon-walked across the room and looked eagerly at my TV-avoiding relatives only to see blank stares looking back at me. At family meals, when we are shooting the breeze and comparing this year’s contestants on American Idol or when someone refers to a Seinfeld episode in our story telling, these relatives are left out. They wouldn’t know Kramer if he barged through their front door and raided their refrigerator.

These experiences highlight the degree to which television shapes our relationships today. We gather around the TV for nightly family time; we talk about the latest developments on our favorite shows with friends at work; and, our discourse is laced with TV references. In these and many other ways, television mediates community. It provides a point of connection among those alike and those different, those near and far from each other.

Leave a Comment