Television is a source of entertainment for both young and old. It is a means of communication which reaches out to people living in towns and cities and also remote villages. A person can watch movies, NEWS, serials, medical programmes, tour various places in the world and learn different cuisines from T.V. Dance, music and quiz programmes are very popular with the audience.

Television has given platform to talented children learning various vocations to show case their talents and even win prizes. It has given them an opportunity to taste instant stardom as they become known faces. Some have cashed on this fact and given stage programmes worldwide at the same time collecting hefty payments.

Because of television, we don't have to wait for the next day newspaper to get a detailed account of NEWS. Different channels give us breaking news with live images and account of the incident. This medium has given employment to so many artists and professionals from Mass Media.

Advertisements keep everyone well informed - from commodities to latest gadgets, we know it all, thanks to television. Not to mention the TRP ratings when cricket matches are going on. The entire nation remains glued to T.V. enjoying firsthand account of players playing in the field.

But for many, T.V. is nothing more than an idiot box. They find watching it a total waste of time and energy and taxing for the eyes too. Students waste hours of their precious study time by remaining glued to cartoon network or serials. Some people are of the opinion that the serials aired on T.V. are negative as far as the behavior of the characters and the story line are concerned.

Most people know T.V. as an ''idiot box'' too. Once in front of T.V., a person forgets the time wasted sitting and watching various programmes because of the number of channels available. Just surfing from one channel to another takes a couple of hours. Also, one feels a sort of tiredness sitting and watching the screen for so long. Experts are of the opinion that when you watch T.V., your own creativity comes to a standstill and you take only what is offered, without giving any thought to the quality of input. Violence, fights, negative news or even adult programmes may jeopardize the way young minds should actually behave. No one can counter the impact this medium has on young minds.

Wielding such power and virtually intruding inside our drawing rooms, T.V. has an impact which none of us can ignore. Hundreds of channels to pass time and create havoc with quality time given to families. Many even experience insomnia after watching T.V. and some can't sleep because one of the family members is watching a program.

Mr. Kumar has a solution. He puts all the programmes which are aired after 10 o'clock at night to automatic recording mode and then watches them during the day. Another parent has specified time of 1 hour in the afternoon when the children can watch T.V. Movies can be enjoyed only on Saturdays so that the kids finish with their home work the next day --- on Sunday. One should watch T.V. from a distance to avoid strain to the eyes.

But one thing is certain : When we set out to blame technology for less marks, waste of time, lack of communication between family members just because of television, we ought to stop and analyses who is actually to blame after all - We or technology? Technology in itself is neither good nor bad. We make it so by how we utilize or misuse it!

Do you Agree? If we are disciplined, we will choose proper serials and educational programmes, watch out for informative programmes and be disciplined enough to switch off after an hour of watching selective programmes. What is required is ''awareness'' about our own behavior and will power. Next time when you sit in front of the television, you now know when to start and stop watching!