w1 Professors benefit from appearing on TV.

The reading passage states that the professors’ television appearances have a great benefit on the professor’s and universities reputation and a positive influence on the public who watches those TV shows and provides three reasons for support. However, the speaker questions if the TV appearance is really a good thing for everybody involved and refutes each of the author’s reason.

First, the article claims that the professors gain reputation by having shows on TV because the audience is larger than the audience in a conference room, for example. The professor refutes this idea by saying that in contrary, the professors who lecture at TV might lose professional credibility among their academic fellow. She said that one negative consequence will be that the professors will not get the invitations to professional conferences and will encounter difficulties to find money for their academic research.

Second, the reading passage asserts that university will benefit as the result of its professors TV appearance because will receive positive publicity and fame. The lecturer contradicts this point by saying that professors will spend too much time to prepare themselves for TV shows. This time will be taken from the time that the professor spends on campus by doing research and talking with the students.

Third, according to the article the public will benefit from the knowledge presented by the professors on TV. In normal circumstances the large audience might not be familiar or interested with the academic subject and by watching this type of shows will have the chance to improve their knowledge regarding to the presented subject . The professor refutes this view by saying that even if professor has the intention to present the subject in discussion in deep details, the network televisions don’t want academic materials presented on TV for “after dinner” viewer. In conclusion the materials presented by a knowledgeable professor will not contain more information than the same material presented by a reporter who did his or her homework.