We may call it an idiot box or a major source of entertainment but we can’t deny its undeniable presence in our life. We grew up watching our favorite cartoon characters and our favorite actors doing the impossible.
You may think you know everything about television. Think again! Because here are some interesting facts, you probably didn’t know about television.
* Do you dream in black and white or color? Interestingly, your television might have a significant part to play in this. Those who grew up watching black and white tv often dream in black and white compared to those who grew up watching color TV.
* Ever wonder which is the most widely watched television programme? ‘Top Gear’ with estimated 350 million views per week is the most widely watched factual television programme.
* The year was 1997, a monkey got as curious as ‘George’ and stole a television aerial in the African state of Benin. It was arrested for this. The street juggler who trained the monkey was arrested and jailed.
The monkey received similar fate. It was sent to Zoo.
* By the time an American child reaches 14, he/she will have watched 11,000 murders on television. By the time they reach 18, that number soars to 200,000!
* A study done in the University of Rochester showed that those who watched nature scenes on tv felt more energetic and charitable. Previous studies have shown that watching images of nature can lower blood pressure and muscle tension. One of the many benefits of watching television.
* In 2004, the number of television sets overtook the number of people in UK.
*In 1987, a man hijacked a television station when an episode of Dr. Who was being aired. He wore a Max Headroom mask and uttered non-sense things. The man has still not been caught.
* An American television news reporter Christine Chubbuck, committed suicide by shooting herself during a live television broadcast in 1974 saying, “ In keeping with Channel 40’s policy of bringing you the latest in blood and guts, and in living color, you are going to see another first – attempted suicide”.
* One of the pioneer of television inventions, Philo Taylor Farnsworth, once said to his son Kent that there is nothing worthwhile on tv and they are not going to watch TV in their household.
* You may have watched ‘CSI’ but you probably didn’t know something called ‘CSI effect’. The television crime dramas have so much of an impact that the jurors have unrealistic expectations of investigation techniques.
