I think the internet and social media platforms are far more influential than television is these days. A lot of teens and young people, including myself can say that they stopped watching television years ago. I think we prefer to browse the internet instead of browsing through tv channels because we can relate more. The internet is real, and I think you are more likely to find useful information on websites where real people speak their mind and review things with honesty. Tv programs, especially the news channels are known for being taboo and for hiding behind their big words and serious voices, trying to be as formal as possible. We want the real deal.
Driven by curiosity, I turned on the TV one day to watch some news. I really wanted to know if TV news and internet news are similar. The answer came pretty fast though. The blonde, pretty lady on the screen was presenting the story of a man that has beaten his wife to death and then she followed up with examples of what stupid things kids wrote on the most recent exam. I turned the device off with disappointment. People turned on the TV to see the NEWS. They want to hear what is actually going on in the world, not that a kid from the countryside didn't know the synonym for smart.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that everything on the internet is true but it just has more influence and is more relatable. For example, there is this "trend" right now that I think is the best thing people could talk about right now: how to prevent global warming and pollution; basically how to help our planet by reducing the use of plastic and by using our cars less. The moment I knew there was a problem in the world and that I could help was when I saw a lot of videos of turtles and birds dying by choking on plastic. The videos were not censored-they showed real death and what the real consequence is. It really brought some awareness in my life and I'm really happy I got informed about this huge problem.