How Americans Spend Their "Prime Time" May Lead to Harder Times

The meaning of "Prime Time" according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

1: the time period when the television or radio audience is the largest; also : television shows shown in prime time, 1958.

2: the choicest or busiest time (emphasis editor)

The rankings for national prime-time viewing for American network television the week of December 31, 2007 through January 6, 2008 (Nielson) were as follows:


Number 1: National Football League Playoff Game, "Jacksonville vs. Pittsburgh"

25.74 million viewers






Number 26: Democratic Debate

9.36 million viewers

Breathtaking! The United States currently spends $9 billion a month to fund its military exercise in Iraq; 36 million Americans live in poverty; nearly 800,000 black men occupy American prisons--almost five times the number of twenty years ago, and the dollar weakens each month while being questioned as a reserve currency. Nearly 3:1 Americans chose to watch a game rather than a political debate dealing with the above named issues, impactful issues affecting their lives. Those in the world without voting rights must look on in wonder.

Once again, a contributing explanation for American political apathy:

A recent report released by the National Endowment for the Arts finds that "an increasing number of adult Americans were not even reading one book a year." Further bad news: 72% of high school graduates were "deemed by their employers as 'deficient' in writing."

The report emphasizes that "literary readers" are more likely to exercise, visit art museums, keep up with current events, vote in presidential elections and perform volunteer work, demonstrating that reading "creates people who are more active....(and that) People who don't read, who spend most of their time watching television, playing video games, or visiting unproductive (editor's word) internet sites seem to be significantly more passive. Finally, the report projects that at a time not so far off, "The majority of young Americans will not realize their individual, economic or social potential."

Bread and Circuses? Certainly, we've identified the circus. We'd have to visit the consumer economy to help explain the bread part.