Last April, when two maladjusted, hate-filled teens strode through the doors

of Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, and transformed that place of learning into a charnel house, the entertainment industry sat up and took notice. Heeding the wake-up call, network and studio executives alike began to have second thoughts about the portrayal of violence on television and movie screens and the irreparable harm it might cause.

Sadly, that’s the problem with second thoughts: they often come too late.

This fall, as the big four – and the new kids on the block, WB and UPN – prepare to unveil the latest slate of new shows and returning programs, it’s clear that they're beginning to recognize the burden they bear in influencing the behaviour of today’s youth, for better or worse. A new standard is slowly starting to evolve – ratings, certainly, but also responsibility.

Make no mistake; we’re not referring to immediate, sweeping, overhauls in programming or content – after all, Rome wasn’t reformed in a day. And attempting to affect change in the television industry is like trying to slay the hydra.

The increase of school shootings begs the question whether the entertainment industry is solely at fault. Certainly, violence on the large and small screen can be considered a contributing factor, but it's only part of a larger problem. After all, millions of moviegoers have seen ultra-violent movies such as Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs and From Dusk 'Til Dawn (apologies, Quentin), but resisted the urge to grab a shotgun and go on a shooting rampage.

Whether it was Littleton or Paducah, Kentucky, or Taber, Alberta, something was wrong with these teenage killers before they made the decision to take up arms against their peers; be it genetics, physical or emotional abuse or just plain paranoia. One Oliver Stone movie does not a sociopath make.

I recently watched Natural Born Killers, and aside from entertaining the thought of grabbing the Blockbuster clerk who enthusiastically recommended it and shaking him until he handed back the five bucks I wasted to rent it, I had no feelings of bloodlust. For that matter, I also saw the coming-of-age movie American Pie but didn’t go on a pastry-humping extravaganza, either.

The viewing public has to stop thinking of itself as living an arm's length from the programs they watch on television. Television acts as a barometer for our societal mores, trends and behaviour. Those characters we watch are based on our actions; our attitudes. We're one big Neilsen family and we need to shoulder our share of the blame for what's happening on the homefront.

Violence isn't necessarily the problem; consequence–free violence is. Shows that deal with violence on a regular basis such as the ultra–violent HBO drama Oz or the new Law and Order spinoff Special Victims Unit effectively illustrate not just acts of violence but also the aftermath.

The proliferation of sex, violence and obscenity in general on television is due not to the fact that it’s simply good ratings sense but because, as a society, we’ve devolved to a point where once-risque topics and situations have now become acceptable fodder for prime-time programs to tackle.

And if you don’t agree with what you’re watching, there's always a quick solution – turn the channel. Better yet, turn the television off altogether. Aside from common courtesy and honey crullers, the old maxim rings true – too much of anything is never a good thing. It’s the same for TV. Don’t abuse it and it won’t abuse you.

On average, Canadians spend close to 24 hours a week watching television. Think about that. That’s one day out of seven spent in front of the tube. The truly frightening breakdown is that children aged two to eleven log close to eighteen hours a week; frightening because ninety per cent of prime time programming isn’t intended for children - which isn’t to say that they wouldn’t understand the shows. Let’s face it, folks. You don’t have to be an intellectual leviathan to wrap your mind around the nuances of the latest Nash Bridges plotline. Parents need to be more judicious not only about what they watch but what their children watch, as well.

According to the latest statistics, 98.7 per cent of Canadian households own at least one colour television - well above microwaves, dishwashers and even washing machines. Not necessarily all that telling, except when you also note that fewer households have smoke detectors than TVs.

Until computers become affordable for everyone to own – especially those in poorer, urban areas of the world – television will continue to reign as the most pervasive form of mass media. A 25–inch TV with remote will only set you back $350 while a basic home computer can run upwards of $1,000, not including Internet charges and software.

The price of the Columbine High massacre? Fourteen wasted lives.

Let’s hope there’s no more room for second thoughts..

Copyright © 1999 Jan Sorensen

Jan Sorensen was the editor of the University of New Brunswick’s student newspaper. He now lives and works in Vancouver, B.C.