further, if the programming has no effect, then why are you watching it? Obviously it has some impact on you...

The relationship between TV viewing and violence/aggression is just as scientifically established as the link between smoking and lung cancer. And we've known about it since the 70s.

See the official position of the AACAP, for one source (there are many sources, this is just from a quick google)

https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Fam...

Hundreds of studies of the effects of TV violence on children and teenagers have found that children may:

    become "immune" or numb to the horror of violence
    begin to accept violence as a way to solve problems
    imitate the violence they observe on television; and
    identify with certain characters, victims and/or victimizers

Extensive viewing of television violence by children causes greater aggressiveness