Before there was television and motion pictures (movies), people used to spend their leisure time listening to the radio. They were offered little variety and often routinely listened to the same things. In the late 1800 s and early 1900 s, motion pictures and television were invented, respectively. In the beginning, they were considered luxuries. As time wore on, they became increasingly more and more popular. Today they are both extremely common forms of entertainment. Though they are both very popular, they are also very different.

Going to the movies offers a complete escape from everyday life for a few hours at a time. In movies, a story can usually be told from beginning to end in a short period of time. Movies allow a person to get completely wrapped up in the story without much distraction. There is a limited amount of variety in going to the movies. There are dozens of different movies to choose from but once you make that decision, for the most part, you are stuck with it. Choosing which movie to see is also often an issue. When there are several people involved, deciding on which movie to see is often difficult. Also, when people go to the movies, they do not have the luxury of being in their own homes. Frequently, people choose to stay home and watch television over going out to the movies.

Television offers many things that going to the movies does not. TV offers viewing in the comfort of one s own home. When watching TV, one has the option of doing several other tasks at the same time. You might prepare dinner, do some homework, or talk on the phone, all while watching TV. The time that you invest in TV is completely variable. You might watch a program for a half an hour or you might watch a TV movie for two hours. There is no commitment involved in watching TV. If for some reason you do not like the program that you are watching, at any time you can simply change the channel and watch something else. If something comes up and you are unable to watch a program, you can easily insert a video tape in to your VCR and record the program to watch at a later time. There is always a variety of programs to watch and there is always something for everyone. Television shows rely on stories that last for long periods of time to keep viewers interested. They keep going on and on, sometimes for years, but there is seldom an end

Movies and television are both enjoyable forms of entertainment. They each present a variety of viewing options that, when chosen carefully, can make for a very pleasant experience. For these and many more reasons, movies and television have become an integral part of our culture.