TV Images Keep Getting Faster and Faster

The images are relentless--screeching subways, an imploding building, exploding fireworks. They flash for a second but the driving beat makes them move even faster, just a few of the 54 snapshots that bombard the viewer in the 63-second opening credits of ABC’s “NYPD Blue.”

Although the show itself moves a bit more slowly, it’s still fast enough to send a whiplashed viewer to the “ER.” But be prepared to dodge a hospital gurney and any of the dozen or so plots woven into each episode of that show, whose pace is even quicker.

These days, you may want to think about attaching a seat belt to your couch. The television set may still be sitting in the corner, but the images are moving faster than ever.

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Many TV experts point to advertising as the major influence on pacing, both in terms of altering film styles--many TV and film directors began with commercials--and conditioning the audience to want everything right now.

MTV, with rapid cuts and a non-narrative style, has had a similar effect on mainstream TV, said Steven Fore, an associate professor at the University of North Texas.

TV is moving faster today for many reasons: Restless viewers, armed with remote controls, won’t hesitate to hit the expanding cable highway. And technology--lighter cameras, digital editing machines--allows for quick-paced presentations.