# Is There ANY Danger From TV 'Radiation'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-danger-from-tv-radiation/243776 "2004-05-06T03:35:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-danger-from-tv-radiation/243776/1 "2004-05-06T03:35:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Announcer: Your cable television is experiencing difficulties. Please do not panic. Resist the temptation to read or talk to loved ones. Do not attempt sexual relations, as years of TV radiation have left your genitals withered and useless. > Wiggum (checking): Well I’ll be damned. [Chief Wiggum](http://www.thesimpsonsquotes.com/characters/chief-wiggum-quotes-2.html) from the _Simpsons_. Well, as that quote illustrates, anecdotally at least, some people believe TV gives off radiation that is harmful. And mothers of course tell you to stay at least 6 feet from the TV set. But is that in any way true? Note that I put this in GQ as opposed to GD because this is a purely factual question: is there **any** reason to believe that TV in **any** way gives off harmful radiation? Thank you to all who reply 🙂 . ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-danger-from-tv-radiation/243776/2 "2004-05-06T03:44:49Z")
Early TVs were emitting a fairly copious amount of X-rays if the screen voltage was set too high, though still in a much lower dose than you get at the doctor’s office. Nevertheless, long-term exposure could pose a danger. Modern TVs emit virtually no X-rays and have HV control circuitry and CRTs designed to keep the X-ray levels down. See [here](http://www.noradcorp.com/3tutor.htm) for more information. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-danger-from-tv-radiation/243776/3 "2004-05-06T03:51:30Z")
Obesity and lack of muscle tone from excessive TV watching is far more dangerous. Plus my mom said it would make you stupid. Now let’s go back to that… building-thingy… where our beds and TV… is. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-danger-from-tv-radiation/243776/4 "2004-05-06T03:52:36Z")
Radiation from prolonged exposure to daytime dramas, sitcoms and reality shows can turn your brain into sausage. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-danger-from-tv-radiation/243776/5 "2004-05-06T03:56:42Z")
Mmmmmmmmmm…saussage… ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-danger-from-tv-radiation/243776/6 "2004-05-06T04:01:08Z")
If you sit too close to the TV for long periods of time, you can chafe your eyeballs. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-danger-from-tv-radiation/243776/7 "2004-05-06T04:30:53Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Early TVs… I should point out that only _color_TVs were emitting X-rays. This is because of the high-velocity electrons slamming into the metal screen, or shadow mask, that covers the phosphor layer. ---
**Author:** ![Mandarax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Mandarax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mandarax)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-danger-from-tv-radiation/243776/8 "2004-05-06T13:25:24Z")
Geez, six replies, including some from an SDSAB member, no less, and no one has linked the Master yet: [Will sitting too close to the TV ruin your eyes?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a920724.html) ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-danger-from-tv-radiation/243776/9 "2004-05-06T13:46:16Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Mmmmmmmmmm…saussage… Mmmmmmmmmm…BRAIN sausage… ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-danger-from-tv-radiation/243776/10 "2004-05-06T14:41:26Z")
Of course, TVs _do_ emit copious amounts of visible radiation, or else we would be calling them radios. 😉 TVs also emit RF radiation, as anyone who’s walked by a large TV while listening to a cheap walkman can tell you. (Especially if that walkman is tuned to an AM signal.) Such radiation is long-wave and low-energy and poses no threat to your cells. Finally, of course, TVs emit heat. All electrical and mechanical systems do, owing to the laws of thermodynamics. In some theories, the Universe is headed for a state where it is nothing but waste heat and gradually decaying elementary particles. So using your TV could be contributing to the eventual entropic demise of all we are, were, and will be. Kinda puts _The Simpsons_ in perspective, doesn’t it? 😉