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How streaming services are helping TV rather than killing it
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Streaming services like Netflix or Hulu have long been seen as the death knell for traditional network television, But 2015 proved that theory wrong. - photo by Chandra Johnson
Chandra Johnson
Deseret News
Published: Jan 13, 2016, 9:11 AM
Streaming services like Netflix or Hulu have long been seen as the death knell for traditional network television.

As Variety reported, TV network viewership has plummeted 30 percent since 2008. A 2015 Verizon study found that millennials watch three times more TV online than older viewers, and another survey found that 5 percent of millennials said they intended to cut their cable at some point. Even previously robust outlets like ESPN have reported losses due to "changing consumer habits." This past May, Comcast announced that for the first time ever, it has more Internet service subscribers than cable subscribers.

Yet as the New Republic reported, 2015 was the year that might finally end the hand-wringing debate over whether Americans have stopped watching television as we know it. Contrary to popular belief, the New Republic contends that Americans are actually watching more TV than ever a terrific development, if networks get on board with streaming and redefine their distribution methods.

"If you think about it, these arent conventions specific to the television medium. Rather, theyre responses to broadcastings technological limitations," the New Republic reported. "New distribution technologies require a radical reconfiguration of business models and completely change the user experience of a medium."

And it seems to finally be happening for television, with last year's launch of streaming holdout HBO's new streaming service, HBO Now, other networks have followed suit by offering apps Disney, Nickelodeon, Fox, CBS and NBC, to name a few.

"Whether the portals are the chicken or the egg, a vision for the future of television is flickering into focus," the New Republic reported.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.