Does TV make us dumb, and if so, does being dumb cause us to become liberal? These are the questions implicit in Michael Medved’s interpretation of the correlation between time spent watching TV and being liberal or conservative. The more time in front of what he specifically, and not carelessly, refers to as “the idiot box,” clearly, in his view makes us idiots and therefore liberals.

This is an interesting theory, but he gives away his own bias. A study of TV habits undifferentiated by topic or form and only distinguished by time isn’t very useful. Are you watching PBS or Fox? Are you watching Jeopardy or World Wrestling? I cannot take seriously a study that doesn’t seem to sort by content.

More and more, we choose our stations and content. We self-select Fox, PBS, Oxygen or Nashville. We share common experiences far less frequently than before. The demographics for the late West Wing were different from Jeff Foxworthy. Perhaps the exception that brings us together was Sopranos, the ending being a shared cultural moment. Otherwise we sort out by demographic and our choices, I suspect, reflect our politics rather than causing us to take new positions.

I know there is supposed to be a liberal bias on TV and particularly in the news. While it is true that more writers are liberal than conservative, the same cannot be said about producers—who are chiefly interested in capturing the eyeballs in the heads of those with the right demographics. This is what is important to remember: The purpose of programs is not to entertain but to gather eyeballs to see commercials (or product placement). The producers and owners do not care about conveying a liberal message. As Jack Warner was quoted as saying, “If I want to send a message, I’ll call Western Union.”

For all the, in my view, well-earned enmity that liberals pile on Rupert Murdock, he would go far left to get eyeballs in China and at least softcore to get readers in England. He isn’t about ideology; it is, as in the God Father, “Only business.”

As to the allegation that those who spend over 4 hours a night watching TV do less charitable work than non TV watchers…Well, duh. They do less exercise and, going back to a previous topic, they probably tend more towards obesity.

Where TV does influence politics indirectly is with role models and values. In Star Trek, Kirk kissing Uhura made a difference—arguably the first black white kiss. Ellen Degeneres makes a difference as did Will and Grace. So too does the casting people of color as hoods and hookers.

I don’t believe much of anything is intended to change our politics outside of cable. We seek and find our fellow travelers right and left and sort by interest. Opera for 5 hours or NASCAR. It’s not the time.