but can't television be educational? doesn't tv news tell us more about what is happening in the world than any other type of media? anti-tv groups don't agree.'television is hopeless at explaining the reasons behind the news,'they argue.'we often watch shocking tv pictures of wars, social problems or famine but we often don't understand why these problems started; campaigners also say that watching tv is a passive activity. the average person spends two months of the year in front of the television. this means that many people don't get enough exercise- or use their brains. there are other negative effects too- families spend less time talking to each other and tvs are often used as babysitters.campaigners are also worried about the influence that tv has on childdren and young adults- for example, the average 19-year-old american has watched 350,000 commercials and 18,000 murders on television.