"The emergence of television as a mass medium of communication was the key turning point in improving leisure opportunities for the ordinary people of Britain." How far do you agree with this statement?

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"The emergence of television as a mass medium of communication was the key turning point in improving leisure opportunities for the ordinary people of Britain." How far do you agree with this statement?

At the beginning of the 20th century, the lives of 'ordinary people' were not ideally suited to the world of leisure. An urbanised workforce and an economy geared toward industry saw lower-class people working long hours at a low pay rate. This style of living left hardly any free time and disposable income, both key requirements for leisure opportunities. The aristocracy had always revelled in the world of leisure; their high incomes and low maintenance professions gave them a perfect framework for pursuits such as dancing, theatre going, hunting, socialising and horse riding.

Although there were popular activities of the working classes - family games within the home for example, or more commonly, an evening spent in the local pub - leisure was limited. I believe that television was the key form of mass communication to improve the leisure opportunities of the working classes as it was accessible, cheap, and knew how to cater for changing styles and tastes.

When television was first