Reading and Television by Marie Winn, abridged

It is not enough to compare television watching and reading from the viewpoint of quality. The nature of the
two experiences is differ-ent and that difference significantly affects the impact of the material taken in.
During the process of reading our mind 'hears the words and thereby invests them with meanings previously
learned in the spoken language. It is important to remember that reading involves images. These images colour
our reading and make it more enjoyable.
The great difference between these 'reading images' and the images we take in when viewing television is this:
we create our own images when reading, based upon our own life experiences and reflecting our own individual
needs, while we must accept what we receive when watching television images.
Television images appear to be stronger, but ultimately they satisfy less. Because reading demands complex
mental manipulations, a reader is required to concentrate far more than a television viewer.
A comparison between reading and viewing may be made in respect to the pace of each experience. When we
read we can control the pace. We may read as slowly or as rapidly as we can or wish to read. We may stop to
reread what we don't understand.
When we watch a TV programme we can't control the pace or 'turn back' if a word or a phrase is not
understood.
Not to "lose the thread" is a need that limits the working of the viewer's imagination and also causes tele-vision
to intrude into human affairs far more than reading experiences can ever do. When we begin to learn reading we
begin to acquire the rudiments of writing. These two skills are always acquired together. A young child
watching TV enters a realm of materials completely beyond his control and understanding. Reading is
accessible wherever we go, TV sets are stuck in a certain place.
Reading involves a complex form of mental activity
Reading is a two-way process: the reader can also write; television viewing is a one-way street: the viewer
cannot create television images. Books are ever available, ever controllable. Television controls.
Nu este suficient s se compare televiziune vizionarea i citirea din punct de vedere al calitii. Natura a celor
dou experiene este difer, ORL i aceast diferen afecteaz n mod semnificativ impactul materialului luat
n. n timpul procesului de citire minii noastre "aude cuvintele i le astfel investete cu semnificaii nvate
anterior n limba vorbit. Este important s ne amintim c lectura implic imagini. Aceste imagini color lectur
nostru i s-l mai placuta. Marea diferenta dintre aceste "imagini de lectur" i imaginile lum n cnd
vizualizarea de televiziune este aceasta: vom crea propriile noastre imagini atunci cnd citesc, pe baza propriilor
noastre experiene de via i reflect propriile noastre nevoi individuale, n timp ce trebuie s acceptm ceea
ce primim atunci cnd urmresc imagini de televiziune. Imagini de televiziune par s fie mai puternic, dar n
cele din urm acestea ndeplinesc mai puin. Deoarece lectur cere manipulri mentale complexe, un cititor este
necesar s se concentreze mult mai mult dect un telespectator. O comparaie ntre lectur i vizionare pot fi
fcute n ceea ce privete ritmul de fiecare experienta. Cnd am citit putem controla ritmul. Putem citi la fel de
ncet sau ct mai repede putem sau dorim s citeasc. S-ar putea opri la recitesc ceea ce noi nu nelegem. Cnd
ne uitm un program TV nu putem controla ritmul sau "ntoarce", n cazul n care un cuvnt sau o fraz care nu
este neleas.
Nu la "pierde firul" este o necesitate care limiteaz funcionarea imaginaiei privitorului i, de asemenea, cauze
de tele-viziune a ptrunde n afacerile umane mult mai mult dect experiene de lectur pot face vreodat. Cnd
ncepem s nvm lectur vom ncepe s dobndeasc rudimente de scriere. Aceste dou aptitudini sunt
ntotdeauna achiziionate mpreun. Un copil ma uit la TV intr ntr-un trm de materiale complet
independente de voina i nelegerea lui. Cititul este accesibil oriunde am merge, televizoarele sunt blocat ntrun anumit loc. Reading implic o form complex de activitate mental. Cititul este un proces n ambele
sensuri: cititorul poate, de asemenea, scrie; privitul la televizor este o strad cu sens unic: privitorul nu poate
crea imagini de televiziune. Crile sunt ntotdeauna disponibile, niciodat controlabil. Controale de
televiziune.