TV in dementia unit

I work in a retirement home on a locked unit. The activities department is mediocre to say the least, and a lot of our residents spend a great deal of time each day sitting in their rooms or in the hall not doing much. There are a couple of activity-style rooms with nice tvs, and I like to keep movies playing or the news on so that the residents passing by will go in, be entertained, keep their imaginations active, and feel like they are in a more social setting with the other residents. I also think that just the noise helps, b/c it is such a quiet floor. However, the other morning I had the news on, and our administrator asked me if I could turn the tvs off if nobody was watching, b/c he didn't like the idea of family members thinking we supported them watching tv all the time. Maybe if we had a real activities dept. they wouldn't have to watch tv a lot......but I've found that visiting family members usually smile when they hear me inviting residents to come into the activities room, watch national geographic and have some popcorn. I have to admit I kept "accidentally" keeping the tvs turned on that day. I just can't bring myself to leave no opportunity for the residents to mingle and be connected to the world outside them in order to keep up appearances. What do you think? Tv or no Tv?