PEOPLE are losing a good companion in our society books. These days people prefer to watch TV instead of reading. The reading habit is gradually vanishing from our daily routine, and TV channels have been dominating.

People spend at least three hours a day in front of the television which is quite a bit of time spent in front of what is also called the ‘idiot box.’

With a variety of TV channels people find reading a mind-numbing habit. TV has been making a negative impact on the reading habit of people.

It has been observed that newspaper circulation is also decreasing as the number of book lovers is also diminishing. A teen finds books expensive, but when he goes on a shopping spree, he throws away a huge amount on lavish items of no value.

Schools should take initiatives where children should be encouraged to adopt reading as a habit in their daily schedule. Last but not least, parents play a crucial role as they can build a better generation for the future by inculcating into their children the habit of reading books, which help build character and broaden their knowledge.

SAMREEN ESSA University of Karachi