Some positives are that children can learn from certain shows - things like dietary preferences, vocabulary, helpful behaviors, and attitudes. The negatives, on the other hand, include increases in aggressive behavior, emotional desensitization and exposure to things we may not want our children to see.
The clear message from all of the research on television and child development, is that it can be used as an educational medium. While there have been documented negative affects associated with television viewing, parents can mediate these affects by having discussions about what is happening on tv and how it is different than real life. They can also monitor what their children watch, and how much time they watch, the television.
Knowing this information, what advice would you give to a parent that asked your opinion about letting their children watch TV?