Comparing television today to television ten years ago, the changes become very clear when we start evaluating the evolution of programming shown on television. Looking at specific examples such as Married with Children or Simpsons, it is clear that no such television programming was available ten years ago. Ten years ago, we were more formal as people, we were less accepting and comfortable on certain issues, hence our television reflected our formality. However, times have changed, and so have people.
This change is very evident when you watch television shows such as Will and Grace. Comparing the leading characters of Will and Grace to I Love Lucy, you can see how tremendous of a change television programming and filtering has taken place. We can compare Will to Ethel and Grace to Lucy. Here are two sets of best friends who have become great television personalities, and whose shows were and are embraced by millions of people. However, their relationship and the content of their relationship is so remendously different.
The audience would not have accepted a Lesbian Ethel. We can also see a tremendous change in how news is presented to us. Before, news programming was very serious. But now, with morning news, we get to see how the correspondents spent their weekends, what their favorite jokes are, and so on. We also get to see their clothes and some skin, which ten years ago, was a very rare sight. In addition, ten years ago, there were no television reality hows, except for the Real World on MTV.
But today, we get to see Real World and countless other realities shows. The audience today is interested in the lives of others, whereas in the past, they might not have been so accepting of how others lived their lives. Lucy’s pregnancy made headlines, but today, we see live deliveries on television and we think nothing of it. Television personalities have a great impact on us and sometimes, we watch television because of the personalities in it.
