Photo Illustration by Mike Crupi/THE POST TV Turnoff Week lasts from April 22-28 and seeks to make a statement against control of information and expression by the major networks.

While most people eagerly are awaiting new episodes of Friends or ER, others are participating in the sixth annual TV Turnoff Week.

Starting on April 22, thousands of people around the world turned off their TVs to challenge the medium of television. Adbusters, the same group that sponsored Buy Nothing Day, is the organization in charge of TV Turnoff Week, which lasts until Wednesday. Other groups, such as TV Free America, also are sponsoring a TV-free week.

Adbusters Campaign Manager Tom Liacas said the group is against control of information and expression by the major networks.

"There are over 200 studies that make a direct link between violence on television and children, studies done by groups like the American Medical Association," Liacas said.

For advertising for TV Turnoff Week, Adbusters aired a commercial on CNN. This is the first of their ads to be accepted by a major network. ABC, CBS and NBC all turned down the same commercial with complaints of it being too controversial.

"The networks accept ads of other groups but not ours because they don't want to upset their sponsors," Liacas said.

The commercial in question asked, "Do your children belong to you - or the networks?" and urged people to turn off their TVs for a week.

Some students view TV Turnoff week with skepticism, especially during sweeps week. This overlap with new television shows is a problem for some students.

"I couldn't survive without [TV]," junior Jean McEndree said. "I can't imagine my day without it."

Senior Xavier Lancer says he tries not to watch too much TV because "it sucks you in."

"I call it the electronic babysitter," he said.