Finally, First piece of Introduction

‘We live in a world in which we are dangerously influenced by media images.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement?

A common viewpoint in our society is that the media presents harmful stereotypes to us in several ways every day. Different kinds of media exist which manipulate all of us. News papers, TV, Radio etc. are the prominent media at present. However, this also has the power to educate people through documentaries, visuals, news papers, and movies. The propagation of ideas become very easy since it directly induces comprehensive knowledge to us. Looking at the other side of the picture spending too much time on TV or playing games leads us to develop indolence, violent behaviour and unhealthy diet. In recent years when media and technology are surrounding all over we have started relying on media more than it deserves. Commercials these days don’t even attempt to inform about the product and instead rely entirely on gimmicks. Truthfully, it all depends on individuals how they react against what they see or hear on TV, news papers, magazines or radio. According to Joan Langham and Warren Stewart (1981), children who were found with more aggression in their nature were more likely to watch really different variety of programs to non-aggressive children. Their priority was to focus their attention more towards violent stereotypes and characters, and they had the extensive choice of TV channels. This essay will examine that to what extent our society is influenced by the media specifically whether this consequence is constructive or destructive.

Word count 235

References:

Langham, J. and Stewart, W. 1981 ‘Television viewing habits, and other characteristics of normally aggressive and non-aggressive children’ Australian Psychologist, viewed 30^th July 2008,

Importance of Media Literacy and Knowledge

Because it makes you a better citizen

Media literate people understand that media are constructed to convey ideas, information and news from someone else's perspective. They understand that specific techniques are used to create emotional effects. They can identify those techniques and their intended and actual effects. They are aware that the media benefit some people, but leave others out. They can (pose and sometimes answer) questions about who benefits, who is left out, and why. Media literate people seek alternative sources of information and entertainment. Media literate people use the media for their own advantage and enjoyment. Media literate people know how to act, rather than being acted upon. In this way, media literate people are better citizens.

Why study the media?

1. Media saturation
2. Media influence
3. The manufacture and management of information
4. Media education and democracy
5. The increasing importance of visual communication and information
6. The growing privatization of information
7. Educating for the future

Key principles of Media Literacy

Key principles of Media Literacy

1. The ability to distinguish fact from fiction.


2. The ability to identify and appreciate different levels of realism.


3. A better understanding of the actual mechanisms of production and distribution of TV programmes, CD-ROM games, films, interactive software, websites etc...


4. The ability to differentiate reportage from advocacy.


5. Awareness and assessment of commercial messages within programmes (product placement etc) and a critical approach to advertising.


6. An awareness of the economic and presentational imperatives that underlie news management.


7. The ability consciously to explain and justify media preferences.

Media Literacy

Definition of Media Literacy

Understanding the Word Literacy

1. the quality or state of being literate, esp. the ability to read and write.
2. possession of education: to question someone's literacy.
3. a person's knowledge of a particular subject or field: to acquire computer literacy.

The Kind of programmes people watch

Violence in Media Entertainment

This article can be found here Violence in Media Entertainment


In this article the writer talks about how our society is influenced by the media violence in the name of entertainment. A research was done in between 1993 and 2001, in which and increment of indecency by 378 per cent was reported. TV shows in 2001 averaged 40 acts of violence per hour most of them was before 8 pm which is the prime time for children to watch TV.

Other research indicates that media violence has not just increased in quantity; it has also become much more graphic, much more sexual, and much more sadistic. In 2001, only a quarter of the most violent television shows, and two-fifths of the most violent movies, were rated R. The majority were rated PG or PG-13. The description of the rating of movies can be found HERE.

According to UNESCO's research in 1998 conducted in 23 countries around the world including U.S., Canada, Europe, Arab states, Latin America, Asia and Africa they found that, More than half (51%) of boys living in war zones and high-crime areas chose action heroes as role models, ahead of any other images; and a remarkable 88% of the children surveyed could identify the Arnold Schwarzenegger character from the film Terminator. UNESCO reported that the Terminator "seems to represent the characteristics that children think are necessary to cope with difficult situations."

New words from the article

Main Entry: elude
Part of Speech: verb
Synonyms: avoid, baffle, ditch, dodge, duce, escape, evade, flee, foil, frustrate, hide, outwit, sidestep, slip

Main Entry: dominate
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: To occupy the preeminent position in.
Synonyms: predominate, preponderate, prevail, reign, rule
Idioms: have the ascendancy, reign supreme

Main Entry: societal
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: Of or relating to the structure, organization, or functioning of society.
Synonyms: social

Main Entry: notion
Part of Speech: adjective
Synonyms: imaginary, notional, theoretical, unreal, visionary, whimsical