In the last 50 years the media influence has grown exponentially with the advance of technology, first there was the telegraph, then the radio, the newspaper, magazines, television and now the internet. We live in a society that depends on information and communication to keep moving in the right direction and do our daily activities like work, entertainment, health care, education, personal relationships, traveling and anything else that we have to do. A common person in the city usually wakes up checks the tv news or newspaper, goes to work, makes a few phone calls, eats with their family when possible and makes his decisions based on the information that he has either from their co workers, news, tv, friends, family, financial reports, etc.
What we need to be aware is that most of our decisions, beliefs and values are based on what we know for a fact, our assumptions and our own experience. In our work we usually know what we have to do based on our experience and studies, however on our daily lives we rely on the media to get the current news and facts about what is important and what we should be aware of. We have put our trust on the media as an authority to give us news, entertainment and education. However, the influence of mass media on our kids, teenagers and society is so big that we should know how it really works.
Of all the media distribution channels the most influential has been the television, we are constantly exposed to thousands of images of violence, advertising, sex, celebrities and much more, in fact a its known that a child is exposed to about 40,000 ads a year. Years ago there was more diversity in companies, but they have merged so now they are just a few and they have the power to shape the opinion and beliefs of us and our kids. So its important to be aware of what your kids are exposed to every day and you should also try to look at things from different perspectives and not just from the one the media gives you.
The media makes billions of dollars with the advertising they sell and that we are exposed to. We buy what we are told to be good, after seeing thousands of advertisings we make our buying decisions based on what we saw on Tv, newspapers or magazines to be a product we can trust and also based on what everyone else that we know is buying and their decision are also base don the media. These are the effects of mass media in teenagers, they buy what they see on Tv, what their favorite celebrity advertise and what is acceptable by society based on the fashion that the media has imposed them.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Media Influences on Violence
Television executives are also quick to deny the influence of media violence. Yet the entire economy of television hinges on viewers' suggestibility. When NBC sells time to Microsoft and Toyota, it does so by hawking the tube's power to move minds. (The fact that individual commercials may fail to result in purchases is immaterial here.) Media's ability to influence people is a no-brainer for the simple fact that media is everywhere and everything; it is central to American culture. To argue that people aren't influenced by media is to argue that they aren't influenced by culture, and you don't need to be Margaret Mead to know that's insane.
When Fonzie brandished a library card on Happy Days library registration shot up nationwide. After a popular Budweiser campaign, people began greeting their pals, "Whassupp!" (To capitalize on the spots' popularity with children, J. C. Penney even sold "Whassup" kiddie T-shirts.) When Ally McBeal wore a certain style of pajamas, thousands of viewers asked retailers for them. It's the same thing with movies. ET and Reese's. Tom Cruise and Ray-Bans. Dirty Harry and . 44 Magnums. And it's not just companies that exploit media's influence. Many large nonprofit groups--from the NAACP to the White House drug office to the American Medical Association--hire people to lobby Hollywood for favorable coverage.
Does violence in the media influence the real world? Of course it does. Cop shows and crime reports make us scared of other people, of going out at night, of helping out strangers. That is perhaps its primary effect. But there should be no doubt that watching violence can also lead to violence. To say that it can is not to say that it does in most circumstances, with most people, in most places. Nor is it to say that violent media creates violent behavior out of nowhere. Whether someone's violent tendencies originated with an abusive parent or with Dirty Harry is on a certain level irrelevant; the fact remains that a steady diet of media blood and guts isn't good for some people, some of the time.
To say all this is simply to acknowledge an uncomfortable truth, one for which there is no easy solution. Censorship by righteous experts or government officials is not the answer. Even if you ignore the serious First Amendment issues involved, censorship schemes could at best treat only the symptoms. The real problem with the media is not overt violence, but an unchecked market that churns out content strictly for bucks. The only solutions, then, are far more radical: the establishment of a truly public broadcasting system, as opposed to the limp vessels of PBS and NPR. Let the corporate-owned networks program whatever garbage they like. Providing true alternatives to commercial media would give viewers more choices. And even if a fraction of the audience watches the alternative channels, their presence would help put things in perspective, onscreen and off.
When Fonzie brandished a library card on Happy Days library registration shot up nationwide. After a popular Budweiser campaign, people began greeting their pals, "Whassupp!" (To capitalize on the spots' popularity with children, J. C. Penney even sold "Whassup" kiddie T-shirts.) When Ally McBeal wore a certain style of pajamas, thousands of viewers asked retailers for them. It's the same thing with movies. ET and Reese's. Tom Cruise and Ray-Bans. Dirty Harry and . 44 Magnums. And it's not just companies that exploit media's influence. Many large nonprofit groups--from the NAACP to the White House drug office to the American Medical Association--hire people to lobby Hollywood for favorable coverage.
Does violence in the media influence the real world? Of course it does. Cop shows and crime reports make us scared of other people, of going out at night, of helping out strangers. That is perhaps its primary effect. But there should be no doubt that watching violence can also lead to violence. To say that it can is not to say that it does in most circumstances, with most people, in most places. Nor is it to say that violent media creates violent behavior out of nowhere. Whether someone's violent tendencies originated with an abusive parent or with Dirty Harry is on a certain level irrelevant; the fact remains that a steady diet of media blood and guts isn't good for some people, some of the time.
To say all this is simply to acknowledge an uncomfortable truth, one for which there is no easy solution. Censorship by righteous experts or government officials is not the answer. Even if you ignore the serious First Amendment issues involved, censorship schemes could at best treat only the symptoms. The real problem with the media is not overt violence, but an unchecked market that churns out content strictly for bucks. The only solutions, then, are far more radical: the establishment of a truly public broadcasting system, as opposed to the limp vessels of PBS and NPR. Let the corporate-owned networks program whatever garbage they like. Providing true alternatives to commercial media would give viewers more choices. And even if a fraction of the audience watches the alternative channels, their presence would help put things in perspective, onscreen and off.
Children abuse by Media
Life on many television shows and movies is far from normal. They often glamorize potentially destructive behaviors like drinking, drugs, affairs, and intimate teen relationships. As a parent you can counteract the media's influence by pointing out how the actions of the people on screen are potentially dangerous. Alcohol commercials never show the hangovers the next day. Rarely does a teenage girl get pregnant or someone contract a sexually transmitted disease in the media. Research done by both RAND and the University of North Carolina also shows that teenagers who are exposed to more sex talk and acts in the media are more likely to engage in those same behaviors themselves.
Dr. Brown, one of the researchers says, "Teens are defaulting to entertainment media for sexual information because they aren't getting this information in other places. Unfortunately, the media aren't the best sex educators. The media tend to leave out the crucial three C's: commitment, contraception and consequences." The study on media influence on children also pointed out that parents could have a greater impact on their teen's sexual behavior than the media when they talk about it. Taking the time to discuss the things that our children view in the media will ensure that they are learning the things that we want them to and not the lessons that the media might be teaching thus avoiding negative influence of media.
Life on many television shows and movies is far from normal. They often glamorize potentially destructive behaviors like drinking, drugs, affairs, and intimate teen relationships. As a parent you can counteract the media's influence by pointing out how the actions of the people on screen are potentially dangerous. Alcohol commercials never show the hangovers the next day. Rarely does a teenage girl get pregnant or someone contract a sexually transmitted disease in the media. The majority of child abuse cases stem from situations and conditions that are entirely preventable in an engaged and supportive community.
A community that cares about early childhood development, parent support and maternal mental health, for instance, is more likely to see families nurturing children who are born healthy and enter school ready to learn. Cities and towns that work to create good school systems and who come together to ensure that affordable housing is available in good, safe neighborhoods are less likely to see stressed, isolated families who don't know where to turn. Child Abuse Prevention Month is about connecting all of these dots so that the solutions to child abuse receive the attention the public craves.
Dr. Brown, one of the researchers says, "Teens are defaulting to entertainment media for sexual information because they aren't getting this information in other places. Unfortunately, the media aren't the best sex educators. The media tend to leave out the crucial three C's: commitment, contraception and consequences." The study on media influence on children also pointed out that parents could have a greater impact on their teen's sexual behavior than the media when they talk about it. Taking the time to discuss the things that our children view in the media will ensure that they are learning the things that we want them to and not the lessons that the media might be teaching thus avoiding negative influence of media.
Life on many television shows and movies is far from normal. They often glamorize potentially destructive behaviors like drinking, drugs, affairs, and intimate teen relationships. As a parent you can counteract the media's influence by pointing out how the actions of the people on screen are potentially dangerous. Alcohol commercials never show the hangovers the next day. Rarely does a teenage girl get pregnant or someone contract a sexually transmitted disease in the media. The majority of child abuse cases stem from situations and conditions that are entirely preventable in an engaged and supportive community.
A community that cares about early childhood development, parent support and maternal mental health, for instance, is more likely to see families nurturing children who are born healthy and enter school ready to learn. Cities and towns that work to create good school systems and who come together to ensure that affordable housing is available in good, safe neighborhoods are less likely to see stressed, isolated families who don't know where to turn. Child Abuse Prevention Month is about connecting all of these dots so that the solutions to child abuse receive the attention the public craves.
Bad Influence of Media on Children
At an early age books, movies, television, and the Internet influence how our children think and act in a variety of ways. As children grow these media influences become even more powerful. The media influences on children is not always a good influence and parents need to counteract this influence by discussing and monitoring what their children are exposed to. The media often stereotypes people and races. Most children's programming deals in absolutes reinforcing the idea that people are good or bad, stupid or smart and because of their inexperience children will latch onto stereotypes that they see.
Parents can counteract this stereotyping by commenting when a group is portrayed inaccurately. Let your children know for example that every blond isn't stupid, and wearing black doesn't make you a bad guy. Point out that everyone has good and bad traits. So, often in the media a character is either good or bad, but in real life this is not the case. The media uses its influence on children to market items and influence your child's desires making them think that they need certain items to be popular or cool.
My children often comment on things that they saw in commercials. The other day my son told me that I should get a kitchen chopper, because it can cut things up so much faster than I can using a knife. I replied that I don't need a kitchen chopper because a knife works just fine. Every year children influence their parents spending by convincing them to buy things that the media has portrayed as "cool". Children recognize name-brand products at an early age because they see them in the media. My children recognized the McDonalds sign by age three even though we never eat there, because they saw commercials on television.
Counteract the marketing by pointing out the faulty logic in commercials. Ask your child if they really think having the latest toy will make them more popular or happy. Children often don't realize that a Barbie won't move around like it does on the commercials or that the elaborate set doesn't come with the toy. Parents can teach their children that things do not equal happiness. Try rewarding with praise and time instead of objects. My children know that they don't get what they see on television and they rarely ask.
Parents can counteract this stereotyping by commenting when a group is portrayed inaccurately. Let your children know for example that every blond isn't stupid, and wearing black doesn't make you a bad guy. Point out that everyone has good and bad traits. So, often in the media a character is either good or bad, but in real life this is not the case. The media uses its influence on children to market items and influence your child's desires making them think that they need certain items to be popular or cool.
My children often comment on things that they saw in commercials. The other day my son told me that I should get a kitchen chopper, because it can cut things up so much faster than I can using a knife. I replied that I don't need a kitchen chopper because a knife works just fine. Every year children influence their parents spending by convincing them to buy things that the media has portrayed as "cool". Children recognize name-brand products at an early age because they see them in the media. My children recognized the McDonalds sign by age three even though we never eat there, because they saw commercials on television.
Counteract the marketing by pointing out the faulty logic in commercials. Ask your child if they really think having the latest toy will make them more popular or happy. Children often don't realize that a Barbie won't move around like it does on the commercials or that the elaborate set doesn't come with the toy. Parents can teach their children that things do not equal happiness. Try rewarding with praise and time instead of objects. My children know that they don't get what they see on television and they rarely ask.
Consumerism
We are all susceptible to the messages we see in the media, but the influence of media on children is particularly powerful. Many of our basic beliefs are formed in our early years and media can hold sway if not monitored and regulated by parents. Per Wikipedia, consumerism is the "equating of personal happiness with the purchasing of material possessions and consumption." Nearly all forms of media are filled with both overt and subliminal messages encouraging us to buy. Academic experts have attributed depression, anxiety, and other emotional maladies with consumerism.
It is said by some to be leading us to a social/financial catastrophy, and certainly even religious leaders have seriously challenged the value of our consumer based culture. Reports have indicated that many families in the US have their TV on an average of 6 ¾ hours per day potentially giving their TV a stronger foothold in a child's education than their school teacher. According to The Sourcebook for Teaching Science, the average child in fact, views 1500 hours of television per year compared to spending only 900 hours per year in school.
With so much time to educate and entertain, it becomes clear that television is indeed a powerful force in how we perceive things; both for adults and for children. Certainly for advertisers, children are a desirable target as they are even less likely to be consciously aware that those who promote products are attempting to shape they way they think and behave. There are a number of ways parents can exert some control over the influence of media on children. With younger children it isn't too complicated to limit their exposure to television and other types of media.
However, it becomes increasingly important for parents to take an active role in how kids evaluate what they see in print, on television, and on the internet. With media advertising often targeting children specifically, it is important for parents to learn what they can about the techniques used by ad companies. The resources below will help. Parents can then engage their kids in looking critically at the marketing that is thrown at them in an effort to thwart the influence of media on children. Several of the links below will discuss the types of questions parents can use when talking to their children about these topics.
It is said by some to be leading us to a social/financial catastrophy, and certainly even religious leaders have seriously challenged the value of our consumer based culture. Reports have indicated that many families in the US have their TV on an average of 6 ¾ hours per day potentially giving their TV a stronger foothold in a child's education than their school teacher. According to The Sourcebook for Teaching Science, the average child in fact, views 1500 hours of television per year compared to spending only 900 hours per year in school.
With so much time to educate and entertain, it becomes clear that television is indeed a powerful force in how we perceive things; both for adults and for children. Certainly for advertisers, children are a desirable target as they are even less likely to be consciously aware that those who promote products are attempting to shape they way they think and behave. There are a number of ways parents can exert some control over the influence of media on children. With younger children it isn't too complicated to limit their exposure to television and other types of media.
However, it becomes increasingly important for parents to take an active role in how kids evaluate what they see in print, on television, and on the internet. With media advertising often targeting children specifically, it is important for parents to learn what they can about the techniques used by ad companies. The resources below will help. Parents can then engage their kids in looking critically at the marketing that is thrown at them in an effort to thwart the influence of media on children. Several of the links below will discuss the types of questions parents can use when talking to their children about these topics.
Media and its influences
Television can be a powerful entertainment and education tool for children given the right programming. However, studies have shown that television, and media in general, can also have a very negative influence. Some studies indicate it can shorten attention span, distort body image, work in conjunction with other factors to escalate obesity, create fear, and increase agressive and anti-social behaviors if exposure is unmonitored and unlimited. Learn about what the research shows regarding the influence of media on children.
The dangers, and how to counteract the potential negative influence here on this page as we cover what parents need to know. The influence of media on children extends to health related issues. Although television has the power to educate on nutrition, exercise, and a wide variety of health related issues, it can also be a negative force through images and advertisements which influence viewers to make poor food choices or to overeat. In addition, excessive television viewing can result in inactivity which further contributes to excessive weight gain and poor fitness levels.
Children are specifically targeted by some advertisements and are even more vulnerable than adults to their influence. Adults must assist children in questioning and thinking critically about the messages they see on TV. Limiting television viewing time and encouraging physical activity are precautions that parents should consider. The influence of media on children also extends into how we view ourselves and others. Television shows portray women in a certain way. Generally focusing primarily on their attractiveness; or at least Hollywood's version of it.
These images from movies, television, and all kinds of advertisements bombard women; often with the effect of creating an unattainable image in their minds of how they should appear. Anorexia, bulemia, low self-esteem and a host of other problems can result. These images of course, can also effect the expectations that men have regarding how women "should" behave and look. Talking with young girls about the images they see and giving them better role models can be important.
Wetlands
Through the ages, urban wetlands have been the lifeline of most cities in India. They were preserved and looked after by the people as their main source of water supply for drinking and irrigation. These wetlands are found all over the country and are either natural or built by people. Over the years, they have gradually depleted, leading to a number of problems in urban areas such as flooding, water scarcity, and water logging. Tanks were constructed in the catchment areas of cities that were not located near a river or a large lake.
Rainwater or run-off would collect during the monsoons and be stored for the rest of the year in these tanks and lakes. The city would get its water supply from these. In southern India, the towns were built around a temple, which always had a tank at the centre. Wells were located in the tank, which served as a link with the aquifers. There were innumerable tanks dug by the rulers, most of which have been destroyed. In fact, in some areas tank building by the ruler was considered a noble deed. In Karnataka, the Hoysalas built tanks all over the state.
Some of these still exist. Festivals were organized around tanks; cleaning and de-silting the tanks were a part of the rituals. But over the years, human activity steadily destroyed these wetlands. In Bangalore, the city bus terminus has been built on the Dharmambudhi tank. A part of the Sampangi tank has given way to the Kanteerva stadium and the remaining to a housing colony. Another lake was filled up to house the city market. Once upon a time, these urban wetlands maintained a steady supply of water for the city, recharged the groundwater, cooled the city, and prevented flood as they were a natural drainage system.
Over the years, these very tanks and wetlands have been neglected, encroached upon either to accommodate more houses or to dump waste. This has caused large-scale water crisis and monsoon flooding and water logging, leading to misery and disease. These wetlands that have been protected for centuries are now being ravaged and destroyed in the name of development. People in the urban areas must learn to live in harmony with nature in their own habitat. The wetlands, the green belts, and the flora and fauna of these areas have to be preserved for urban areas to survive and remain healthy.
Rainwater or run-off would collect during the monsoons and be stored for the rest of the year in these tanks and lakes. The city would get its water supply from these. In southern India, the towns were built around a temple, which always had a tank at the centre. Wells were located in the tank, which served as a link with the aquifers. There were innumerable tanks dug by the rulers, most of which have been destroyed. In fact, in some areas tank building by the ruler was considered a noble deed. In Karnataka, the Hoysalas built tanks all over the state.
Some of these still exist. Festivals were organized around tanks; cleaning and de-silting the tanks were a part of the rituals. But over the years, human activity steadily destroyed these wetlands. In Bangalore, the city bus terminus has been built on the Dharmambudhi tank. A part of the Sampangi tank has given way to the Kanteerva stadium and the remaining to a housing colony. Another lake was filled up to house the city market. Once upon a time, these urban wetlands maintained a steady supply of water for the city, recharged the groundwater, cooled the city, and prevented flood as they were a natural drainage system.
Over the years, these very tanks and wetlands have been neglected, encroached upon either to accommodate more houses or to dump waste. This has caused large-scale water crisis and monsoon flooding and water logging, leading to misery and disease. These wetlands that have been protected for centuries are now being ravaged and destroyed in the name of development. People in the urban areas must learn to live in harmony with nature in their own habitat. The wetlands, the green belts, and the flora and fauna of these areas have to be preserved for urban areas to survive and remain healthy.
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