Why 1990 Nickelodeon is Better than Today

Editorial



Children often reflect the shows that they watch.  With Nickelodeon being the popular choice for kid’s programming, it is a wonder how generations react to the ever-changing programs they show.  The current children will not only be able to speak fluent Spanish – assuming they only need to know “rapido” – thanks to Dora, but also believe that pineapples grow in the ocean.  While my generation had our own fair share of confusions – thank you CatDog – we had shows such as Hey Arnold and Doug to set us straight.



Nickelodeon of the 1990s

          The war of television is undoubtedly one that must be balanced.  Do you show Power Rangers repeatedly because kids enjoy watching them protect the planet from evil, or do you show Full House, which less kids will watch, but those who do will learn a valuable lesson.  This clash of “good vs. evil” is a delicate war that has no victor.  In my time, we had the good Rugrats where the innocent Tommy and Chuckie went on adventures, while we also had our fair share of “scary” shows such as Aaahh!!! Real Monsters and Are You Afraid of the Dark?
          Today, the balance is much less focused upon and real actors have replaced animation.  Shows like Victorious, Big Time Rush and iCarly teach children from a young age that by your high school years, they will be a global phenomenon.  These children’s shows with actual actors are giving the youth of America the idea that everyone’s lives are like this, while my generation grew up knowing that we would never be an animated figure no matter how much we desired to be one.
          Lastly, the line between “G” and “PG” shows is more blurred in today’s media than back then.  In my youth, I always knew what shows I was allowed to watch due to the aptly named TeenNick .  Today, there is no distinction between the young kid shows and the older kids shows.  My generation grew up in a time where the shows challenged kids to interact with the program, while today; the shows are only used as entertainment and not as a springboard for future learning.  This gives my generation an unfair advantage in the future.