I claim to watch less TV than I probably do – though much less than the five hours per day that the average North American watches (Neilsenwire). And as I sit watching my eight year-old absorbing the moral world of winning and losing on the X-facter I wonder (and yes, worry) about the effect endless reality TV has on our collective moral compass.

But there is another question whichemerges from a rather different perspective on the role of TV in society. Does TV have a conscience of its own? Does it shape its own value system and if so, in response to which influences? These are complex questions and demand a complex research study. Lauren Zalaznick has conducted such a study of American TV over the last fifty years.

Here’s her recent TED talk where she presents her findings. It’s a fascinating thirteen minutes given added impact by her use of GapMinder, the statistical visualization software made famous by another TED speaker Hans Rosling.