Living History

Dad and TV

Television was not readily accepted by all Australians. My father’s attitude is a case in point.

Dad and mum were visiting us in Bassendean, WA in the early 1960s. We had not long before lashed out and bought an ex-hire television set, which was considerably cheaper than a new one, and were enjoying what programmes were on offer in those days of black and white only. When he had heard that we intended to buy a TV set, dad had been full of cautions. He warned us that the moral effects of viewing hadn’t been established. You don’t know what effects it will have on the children, he said. What about the amount of time watching TV will take? Wouldn’t you be better off doing something active rather than watching TV? These are a selection of his admonitions. Behind it all was a rather strong religious attitude which embraced the principle of ‘redeeming’ time rather than wasting it as well as a heightened sense of morality.

So imagine my amusement when during his visit, I observed Dad glued to the box. He watched it avidly and didn’t want to engage in conversation or anything active instead. Of course, we reminded him of some of his earlier advice and said how surprised we were that he had taken to it so single-mindedly. He responded, "Oh, I’m assessing it."

He continued to assess it! And when some months later, after their return home, mum persuaded him also to buy a second-hand hire set, both Dad and Mum became devotees.

John, Claremont, Western Australia

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