Indeed, watching TV is not a passive, structured experience, as the experts claim. No more than is reading a book, or playing with lego.
If it were then TV shows would not be interesting.
My guess is that there are two factors which may harm children's development. One is that watching TV until exhaustion, if done too often, may divert resources which would otherwise have gone into growing the brain. This applies only in the very early years when that growth is rapid.
The other is parents using TV to pacify children instead of helping them and paying attention to their problems.
If it were then TV shows would not be interesting.
My guess is that there are two factors which may harm children's development. One is that watching TV until exhaustion, if done too often, may divert resources which would otherwise have gone into growing the brain. This applies only in the very early years when that growth is rapid.
The other is parents using TV to pacify children instead of helping them and paying attention to their problems.