Studies show the television is the strongest mass communication medium in use amongst residents of the United States. Television signals are received at households via cable systems, antennas, and cable systems. Owing to the huge impact of television viewing on the public, the government has a responsibility to regulate what is aired on televisions. However, watching television is a right in the United States constitution protected by the First Amendment that calls for freedom of speech and expression.
Watching television as a right in the United States constitution is not stated directly but rather falls under the category of free expression and speech. Due to this reason it is hence necessary to understand the functionality of the television before analyzing watching it as a right. Residents of the United States are entitled to enjoy freedom of information which was enacted through a federal Act. Television as a form of media is used to disclose information and hence denying residents access to television would be same as violating this Act passed into law in 1966 (Hislop and Brooke 78). Another important functionality of the television is as a tool of expressing oneself. This is because this form of media creates a platform for citizens and minority groups to express their concerns and views. This freedom of expression is a right that stems from the First Amendment to the U.S. constitution and also from various federal and state laws (Jordan 13). Hence denying residents of the United States the right to watching television would be similar to denying the speakers in the television their freedom of expression and speech. These Acts show that watching television is a right protected by the U.S. constitution though under various sections of the legal document.
Opponents of the argument that watching television is a right protected by the U.S. constitution base their debate mostly on the fact that there is a lot of regulation on the television in the country. To them, this regulation shows that watching television is not a right as citizens watch television only because the government consents to what is being aired. Hence this argument attempts to show that people do not have the right to say or watch what they want but rather it is the government that has control over this. This assertion by these opponents is however wrong since government control does not mean that what is being controlled is not right. For example, people have a right to life but still the government exercises control over this right by ensuring that people do not end their lives whenever they want and that is why suicide is a crime.
Rights and freedoms come with great obligations for those they are meant to; the right to watch television in the United States falls under such a category and that is why the government regulates television through the Federal Communications Commission to ensure the obligations are met. It is important that the right to watch television as part of the freedom of expression and information is understood so that residents of the United States may know their civic privileges. It is also important for this right to be known and a clear explanation given for the regulatory acts by the government so that the public appreciates their significance and supports the government in this.
WORKS CITED
Hislop, Ian and Heather Brooke. Your Right to Know: A Citizen’s Guide to the Freedom of
Information Act. New York: Pluto Press, 2006. Print.
Jordan, Terry. The U.S. Constitution: And Fascinating Facts about it. Boston: Oak Hill
Publishing, 1999. Print.
