What was once seen as novelty entertainment technology that will entertain the masses has suddenly become one of the most important tools for channelling culture and global discourse. TV has become a long-standing tradition for our society changing from offering mere black and white pictures to streaming. So, let’s look at all the ways this glow has changed America and the rest of the world.

Television has proved to be a most effective communication means of conveying information. Newsreels that began during the silent era of movies, the emergence of 24-hour news channels on TV acquaints us with world events, political happenings, scientific discoveries, and cultural changes. The argument was that live broadcasts of significant events like the lunar landing or the collapse of the Wall knitted audiences in various parts of the world,newspapers, documentaries, talk shows, and documentaries have helped us understand various issues through investigative stories and thus inform the public. But what we are presented with isn’t just raw unfiltered news; there is bias, hype, and editors shaping what we see. That is why, as viewers, we cannot just sit back and watch, but instead we must analyze the material shown before us.

Instead of only being an entertaining media, television holds a mirror to our lives, depicting the good, bad and ugly looked up to by society. These shows are then cemented into the cultural lexicon as references that can be used by the populace. Take, for example, the show “Friends,” which gave the audience the experience of the ‘90s urban lifestyle, or “The Simpsons,” a show that used animated characters to portray real-life experiences of the American society. Most of these programs not only provided entertainment but also dictated fashion trends, ways of speaking, and the conduct expected from people in society. In such detailed and complex worlds, something as simple as the power struggle between Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen in “Game of Thrones” can provoke discussions about the nature of power, good and evil, and personal identity. It is a window through which many learn, getting familiar with the cultural ticks that define them and future generations.

Imagine people in one room, perhaps with the family or friends gathered  to watch one of their preferred programs? TV fosters social bonding. And these connections can be as trivial as people clapping for their favorite sports team during the Super Bowl finals or two friends bursting out laughing at a comedian on ‘Friends’. Sharing summaries, surprises, main characters, and open ends overtly fosters relations among the colleagues. While people are supplementing their TV watching with more tailored and precise forms of online entertainment, watching TV is still a largely shared experience. It is a thread which begins the connection between what has been left behind and what is yet to come and the ones yet to be determined.

Television as an advertising medium that's advertising through TV has great Consumer appeal Advertising through the television can often bring tremendous influence. Peak time TV commercials and even the average soap drama all go a long way in influencing the society consumerism. Do you recall any of the songs that used to concern the children during your childhood? They are burned into our consciousness, consequently, affecting choice of product purchase. Brands fund TV adverts because they agree that if the advert is placed in the correct spot, it can cause deep imprints on the minds of the viewers. From the Coca-Cola advert involving polar bears to Apple’s ‘1984’ advert, basements result in TV adverts becoming cultural signifiers. These have been adopted by streaming platforms also; watching a show puts a slot of advertisements related to what we are watching. The next time you get annoyed by an offbeat ad or feel a warm glow after watching a nostalgic holiday commercial, remember that TV advertising is more than overt commercialization—it’s the everyday culturalization of the American people.

However, like every advantage, there is always disadvantage to every virtue, so is the case with advertising. TV ads are a main source of stereotype and beauty Standards that prevail in society and often trick people’s emotions. It is very evident that many people feel compelled to adhere to certain standards of beauty or living—be it clear skin or living a ‘fat’ life —that negatively affect one’s well-being. This indicates that sometimes, as the audience, we have to effectively evaluate messages that are fed to us and be able to decipher when we are being deceived. In its way, advertising is not just in what is sold but in what is not said as well or, more accurately, what is said but definitely distorted.

Escape as a Function of TV Television aids in escaping life issues. As we lay in our comfort, couches in the evening, we seek refuge in worlds created within books. Whether the show is a familiar wolf-watch like Friends or a grand epic like Game of Thrones, television provides an escape. By it we laugh, cry and become deeply involved in other’s people’s lives. It is then that these shows turn into friends, into consolation, into something that can enshroud us. It’s vital not to despise the impulse that pushes us to escape the troubles of the world and the self flagellation that is daily life. It enables one to rest a little and also move outside the normal platform of the challenges facing one.

A Sanctuary, TV is more than a conduit for viewers to escape from reality; it is an entity that showcases the latent potential in society. Well, dramas do not shy away from addressing the problems of society – racism, addiction, mental healthcare, etc. Programs like “Black Mirror” make people focus on what aspects of life are created due to technology and people’s character. TV hails empathy by demonstrating that character and experience abound in differences. Or it shows the dark side, compelling society to grow and change. 

1. Entertainment and Drama
In realty show there is different drama, there is conflict and there is drama that is built based on highs and lows. People are fascinated by true stories that are depicted in these programs and actual feelings that the participants show when something extraordinary is happening around them. The performance can be in relation to any show, be it the show where contestants are stranded on an island, cooking or even in the show that deals with matchmaking. These shows often present moral dilemmas: Is the focus should be on getting more for oneself, or is it better to work with other people? Atlantis: Continuing the Outlook Debate – Should the Meanness of the World Triumph Over Truthfulness? Thus, through series identification, we are able to live through these predicaments as formative drama, making us reflect. We consider moral beliefs, specific choices, and standards of professionalism and/or etiquette. Reality TV mirrors real life, and thus presents viewers with their imperfections that they can identify with. `But in this case it is important to understand that not all the reality programs their participants act naturally but react according to the script and directions’. Moreover, as consumers, we need to think critically to comprehend that an event portrayed before our eyes is far from neutral.
2. Distorted Perception
Thus, one has to understand that reality shows often depict different situations rather closely but do not mimic life. They tend to color more and enhance more—the hyper type and high, strong type character, and high, strong type situations, and high, strong type feelings. As these stimulus-filtering sorts watch those exaggerated narratives, we can see how their reality gets distorted. For instance
Body Image and Beauty Standards: TV programs, such as ‘American Next Top Model’ or ‘Love Island,’ legitimize unachievable beauty standards. A participant subordinates himself or herself to these standards, and a viewer incorporates such images into the self-image, therefore influencing self-esteem and body image.
Relationship Expectations: Dating shows proactively offer spectators an image of love that must be mutual from the beginning, of grand romantic gestures, and of the ‘happy ever after’ ending. Real-life associations are not like this, and are often hardly likely to live up to these notions thus causing disappointments and setting high expectations.
Conflict Resolution: Not only do reality shows focus on conflict, but it is important to note that these shows do not demonstrate how to resolve conflicts properly either. Audiences can ‘learn’ to use aggressive communication methods to express themselves, or that conflicts are inevitable in any relationship.

Reality shows and how they have influenced the heritage and customs of people all over the globe 
 Shaping Trends and Norms: Some reality shows have affected fashion trends, the way people speak and their interaction in the society. When a contestant of “Project Runway” comes up with a style, people wake up to it or in this case – run to it. Suddenly, that peculiar accessory that nobody wore before becomes a trend. In the same manner, shows such as “The Bachelor,” or “Love Island,” establish relationship expectations—like the parading of women or the concept of falling in love amongst competition. Such programmes foster social identification that unites generations and provides a common perception that they all understand. People start to quote catchphrases of the comedy’s contestants, mimic their gestures, and even start to have life choices that are similar to their idols. Reality television is not only a social show; it is a sign of social development and a phenomenon that impacts on how people communicate. 
 Celebrity Culture and Aspirations: These shows actually take ordinary individuals out of their everyday mundane life and place the in the celebrity stratosphere. Participants thus are all over the place, with people following them, hawking products, and getting social media exposure. Their lives are transformed into the narrative of success, whether that is the fancy sets portrayed in camera or their real life experiences. It is beautiful to watch them grow from the unknown to Hollywood fame, from rags to riches. Whether it is a chef in Top Chef or a singer at the Voice here success stories ring a bell. The viewers see themselves in a similar situation and want to become stars of an unscripted drama at least for a day. Reality TV makes people feel that anything is possible and we can all be a star. 
 Therefore, reality shows are not just passing addictions that are watched by the audience and fades away; instead, reality shows engrave themselves on our cultural radar. They guide our preferences, decide what we should watch or read, and give a glimpse into the human lives, the failed and the successful.

The TV has had a huge impact in people’s lives changing from a small box with a grainy screen to the streaming options we have today. In essence, television is not about a number of pixels but in the context of narrating every story in our lives. Thus, the best way forward as we traverse through this dynamic environment is to celebrate the role that television plays in fostering communication, imparting knowledge and provoking social conscience. Thus, sit back, grab that remote, and always realize that there is a force beyond the screen that is still transforming society.