Did Childhood Tv shows like Tom & Jerry encourage children to act aggressively?

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Growing up, my favourite childhood cartoon show was Tom & Jerry. I loved both characters although most cartoons depicted Jerry to be the more sympathetic one. However, recently I read an article stating that Tv shows including Tom & Jerry encourage violence. True, the characters would be constantly running, pranking and hitting each other. The violence was cartoonish and more for laughter. Most children would be able to differentiate between fantasy and reality. I do agree with author that children do like to imitate things and would perceive antics seen in tv shows as funny without considering the consequences. Some of the cartoons when developed was less regulated than what it is today. Perhaps with parental guidance and depending on the children and their behaviour, such cartoon shows can still be enjoyed, helping them to relax and enjoy in a harmless way. What do you think?