Violence in entertainment is as old as civilization itself. In previous centuries, the Romans delighted in cheering on gladiators who fought to the death. Drama theater was also full of jealousy, revenge and violence. Although violence in entertainment is not new, it was not until the 20th century that large doses of violence were made accessible to almost everyone. Over the past hundred years, as mass media has become more prevalent, it has also become more violent. In the early 20th century, media such as cinema and radio provided entertainment to those who could afford it. Although these amenities existed, few people considered them necessary for life. With the introduction of television in the middle of the century, the availability of mass media began to increase. In 1955, two-thirds of American homes had a television. This figure rose to around ninety-three percent by the end of that decade. It is therefore not surprising that today television and mass media are a part of virtually every American. The increase in availability of media of all kinds is linked to a sharp increase in media consumption among children and adults. Media consumption, among both children and adults, has become a great American pastime. The increase in media consumption has important implications for society. Thus, the increase in violence depicted in the media has sparked debates about the impact of this violence on society. According to a study conducted by the National Violence Study and reported in the book Media Violence and Children edited by Douglas A. Gentile, media violence is defined as: "Thus, as the expansion of mass media has occurred, its violation also occurred..... . middle of paper......playing a game makes people a little rowdier for a few moments after playing. (Carey) Works Cited Carey, Benedict. “Shooting in the Dark.” New York Times 2013 February 2013. Comstock, G., Strasburger, VC Media Violence: Q & A. Adolescent Medicine: State of the Art Review, 1993. 4, 495-509. Gentile, Douglas A. Media Violence and Children. Westport: Praeger Publishers, 2003. Jr., Charles Penny. The negative impact of social media on children Cathryn Deberry. March 18, 2014. InterviewKent, SL The Ultimate History of Video Games. Roseville, CA: Prima Publishing, 2001. Reed, Lawrence W. “Government, the Media, and Youth Violence.” Mackinac Center For Public Policy 2001. Thomas, MH and Drabman, RS Tolerance of actual aggression as a function of exposure to televised violence and age of subject. Merrill-Palmer quarterly, 1975. 21, 227-232.