Is anyone else bothered by the absurd amount of TVs on the NDSU main campus?

Is anyone else bothered by the absurd amount of TVs on the NDSU main campus? In Minard alone, where I spend most of my time, there are a bunch of TVs near elevators, the coffee shop, and near the stairwell. There’s also dozens in the Memorial Union too. 

Honestly, I think we have too many TVs on campus. I understand their appeal. They can display information about events and locations for guests who may not be familiar with NDSU. They advertise events to students in the building more quickly and possibly more effectively than posters on the campus cork boards. They show student-run news and sports. They might also give bored passersby something to focus on amongst the sea of students you might find any day on campus. I have two issues, however: first, we have more TVs than we need and second, some of the content shown on TVs is stressful or wasteful. 

Upon being bombarded with news, campus events, and advertisements of school plays and coffee shop specialties, I wonder if all of these TVs are necessary. The money for them had to come from somewhere and they aren’t exactly old. I’d be surprised if they were affordable when purchased. That money, I argue, could have covered something more useful to more students on campus, like events with free food and prizes, remodelling older buildings, or if it happened to be a factor in the decision process, more timeless decor. 

Instead, I see ads for campus events that I already see in my emails and advertisements for new energy drinks at the coffee shop that I won’t be buying anyway. Sometimes, I see sports or news instead. All I’m saying is we have enough addiction to our screens whether they be phones, laptops, tablets, or TVs at home. We don’t need that added screen time of campus TVs every other corner you turn. I also am curious how many students attend events or purchase items based on what they see on the TVs compared to the mass emails and posters on campus. I don’t suspect it made a significant difference, again if that was part of the decision process for purchasing so many TVs.

My other issue with these TVs is the type of content. Sports or events might not be controversial but I have seen other things that bother me on our TVs. Like I mentioned earlier, we don’t need more advertisements to spend more money at a school we are already going into debt to attend. The thought that someone wanted to purchase and set up these TVs and they’re advertising to me makes me skeptical about how NDSU spends its funding and where it gets money for something as unnecessary as this. 

Additionally, some content on the TVs can be emotionally triggering. I have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that can be easily triggered by stressful situations out of my control such as natural disasters, violence, and gore. One TV that has always bothered me has been the TV next to the elevator on the third floor of Minard Hall. While it hasn’t been used this semester (again, I think this is a waste of money), for previous years it would show news covering natural disasters including wildfires and earthquakes in my home state of California and national flooding. Just seeing glimpses of this would increase my stress when moving from the elevator to my office in Minard 318. It again just seems like money was spent not to improve my experience but make it more negative after seeing the TV in an unavoidable location I’d go to every day I’m on campus. 

I’ve seen some news on the TVs in Memorial Union, too. Some of them were negative or stressful, but the ones constantly stuck on the weather disaster coverage channel were more stressful. If we have these TVs on campus, we should be using them to improve students’ and visitors’ lives in positive ways. This includes displaying event locations and agendas to help people navigate campus; sharing excellent student work such as art displays, sports, or projects; or showing entertainment that is positive, age-inclusive, and/or informative on topics like cooking, gardening, educational topics, or sports. It doesn’t need to be news all the time, which is often negative. 

I know it is too late to not waste money on these TVs, but we can change how we use them to make it more beneficial for student and visitor viewers instead of how they are currently used to overwhelm us with stress and advertisement. We can also see if we can sell ones that aren’t used anymore or if we can replace broken ones with decor that is more sustainable in the long run. I’d be happy to see displays of student work in the English department or math department replace the now unused TV on Minard’s third floor near the elevator.