"Television - The Unbeatable King of Entertainment.
"
Television, a household staple for decades, has captured our imaginations, sparked discussions,
and brought families together in living rooms across the globe. In a world swamp with digital
gadgets and streaming platforms, television stands tall as the reigning champion of
entertainment. But is its dominance truly unassailable? - esha
The history of television traces back to the early 20th century, marked by a series of pioneering
innovations and technological breakthroughs. In the 1920s, inventors like John Logie Baird and
Philo Farnsworth laid the groundwork for what would become the modern television. The
medium rapidly gained popularity, becoming a fixture in households worldwide by the mid-20th
century. The post-World War II era also saw the rise of commercial television networks, such as
NBC, CBS, and ABC in the United States, which shaped the landscape of broadcasting and
programming._radhika
The introduction of color television in the 1950s further revolutionized the viewing experience,
while subsequent decades brought advancements in technology, cable and satellite
broadcasting, and the digital revolution.1950s proved to be the golden age of television. By
1950, around 6 million and in 1960 more than 60 million television sets were sold. Whereby as of
2016, 96% of countries such as the US, Philippines, France, South Korea and Nevertheland
households owned at least one television set and according to STATISTA report conducted in
2023, Mauritius is experiencing a surge in demand for smart television which is predicted that by
2028 the market for television is expected to reach 13.2k pieces. Mathoor
Television is popular and useful for reasons such:
• The convenience factor: unlike going outside for the theatres, watching television can be
done at the comfort of one’s own home and pace without the stress of being disturbed
or disturbing others. Parvati
• Wide range of broadcasting channels ranging from news such as the MBC in Mauritius;
providing accurate and urgent news from professional journalists to the whole
population hence has a greater reach to both elders and youngsters to entertainments
such as sports channels providing live experiences like World cup, premier league and
Formula One without the unnecessary advertisements and bugs free. Malika
• Familiarity and nostalgia: Many people grew up with the television as a central source of
entertainment whereby it was the main bonding time period with family members
especially during festivals such as New year hence it holds a nostalgic value to them. The
comfort of the traditional television viewing habits contributes to its continued
popularity. Selvani
• With the advancements in technology and the innovation to Smart TVs, people have
greater facilities to enhance their viewing experience by connecting additional digital
gadgets such as high volume speakers, VR headsets, gaming Pcs catering to their various
interests and preferences on a larger screen. Matai
• It is a marketing tool for businesses; for example in Mauritius, ‘Courts Mammouth’ uses
the traditional television advertising to reach to the mass market as it is the mostly used
appliance in Mauritian households. Chotoo
• Furthermore television played an important role in our life during the battles of the
Covid-19 which resulted in closure of schools worldwide, disrupting the learning process.
In May 2021, UNICEF(The United Nations Children's Fund) estimated that 1.3 billion
students were out of school, out of which millions of students lacked internet access or
lived in areas not covered by mobile networks. While innovative online learning solution
deployed widely, many counties including Mauritius turned to television to broadcast
educational materials. For example, in Peru, after 12 days of planning and development,
they launched the ‘Aprendo en casa’ ( I learn at home) which uses television to instruct
students in maths and other subjects at pre-primary, primary and secondary levels. Lall
• Additionally parents have better control over what their kids are watching as television
usually provide content that are kids friendly and has PG control whereby lower chances
of exposing their kids to unregulated content that contains violence. Toshita
Counter- arguments against television not being popular
Mobile phones – television tends to provide a limited broadcasting time period whereby people
can still be productive after compare to mobile phones it has constant distractions such as
messages and notification and also the algorithm of social media makes it difficult for people to
lose interest. Kiara
Streaming services – televisions tends to be cheaper and also provide both local and
international content compare to streaming services whereby it is based on monthly payments
and also streaming services used through websites or laptops are advised to use VPN in order to
protect the user privacy and browser IP address which adds to the cost. Moreover with the
development of Smart TVs, nowadays these streaming services such as Disney+ can be installed
directly in the television reducing the storage taken by these applications on one’s phone. Esha
Mobility of mobile phones and laptops- with the advancement of technology, there introduced a
portable TV which are pretty much resemble a tablet but offer the additional functions like
televisions at different screen sizes with built in batteries. Ramdonee
Changing viewing habits such as youngster prefer short videos- television allows for deeper
exploration of themes, characters, and storylines compared to short-form content on TikTok.
Television shows have more time to develop plot arcs, character relationships, and narrative
complexities, providing viewers with a more immersive and satisfying storytelling experience.
Rheva
Diverse content – Television offers a wide variety of content, from news and documentaries to
scripted shows, reality programs and sports. This diversity caters to different tastes and interests,
ensuring there’s something for everyone. Malloo
