And why even stop with only visual mediums, why is listening to music any more fulfilling or beneficial than watching a 30 minute sitcom?

This might really come down to passive viewing versus active viewing,where in the passive case you're just sitting there flipping channels to pass the time, consuming whatever is presented to you. This isn't inherently a bad thing though. If it is relaxing or enjoyable to you, then there is no reason to stop. Not everything you do in life needs to improve you as a person on some deep level.

Sometimes, sitting there twiddling your thumbs to relax or recharge is just as beneficial as reading, learning, growing, coding, building, shipping, etc.