Just Say No?

The average American spends four hours a day in front of the television. That translates to nine full years by the age of 65. The average high school graduate today will have spent more time glued to the tube than in the classroom. Sounds like an addiction.

TV-Free America wants to change that. For the third year in a row, it is sponsoring a National TV Turn-Off Week. It starts next Thursday. Schools and libraries across the East End have jumped on the bandwagon, organizing family night activities and other programs to soothe the withdrawal pains.

In proposing the turn-off, the group says it is not judging the value of TV programming. Instead, it argues that television, by its very nature, fosters passivity and thwarts social, academic, and creative development.

Going a week without the mind-numbing presence of television will be harder for many than it sounds, especially for working families with children who rely on the tube as a babysitter. But it is a worthwhile goal.