Yesterday I presented my status for my research project on teenagers and the effect that the news media has on them. I attempted to show two videos in class that I thought illustrated some of my points however the computer chose not to cooperate with me. Anyway, the two videos serve as examples of news media portrayals of teenagers. One delves into teenage violence as attempts to solve the issues behind what can drive teenagers specifically to the brink of murder. The other talks about the teenage obsession with texting.
I was eager to share them with the class and wanted to perhaps get some of your opinions. Since I was unable to do so, I figured I'd post the links here on the blog to see if anyone had any opinions on them.
Here are the links:
Violence ttp://cnn.com/
Texting http://cnn.com/video/
I wanted to point out that both of these are sensationalized news stories and are not backed up by any evidence. It seems to me that they are a major part of the problem. It's not just about teen development, but how news media choose to portray teens (which I think if your point). That said, there is research on these subjects. The Pew Foundation conducts regular studies of teens and the Internet. Do parents have an uphill battle trying to combat images and ideas pitched to teens by media? I certainly think they do.
ReplyDeleteRay,
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with the idea that the news media attempts to provide a stereotypical view of teenagers as being flawed and having serious issues. An effective example is the statement in the texting video "according to a Nielson survey, teens are prolific texters." Where is the information that supports this idea? What are the characteristics that determine a prolific texter? What was the Nielson study? Such a statement serves the purpose of garnering attention, not of demonstrating teens in a favorable way. It is important to note that teens are not the main focus of the news; intriguing stories are. IF stories about the shortcomings of teenagers are capable of attracting viewers and making money, then it should be no surprise that news media outlets will deride teens for the sake of popularity.
In response to Dr. K's idea that parents are facing an uphill battle trying to combat images and ideas pitched to teens, I would have to agree. In 2000, KJ Edgar authored a book titled "Everything you need to know about media violence." In this book, Edgar raises the point that "by the age of eighteen, the average American teenager will have witnessed 18,000 simulated murders on TV. Edgar also attributes increased aggressive teenage behavior to the idea that "graphic violence is found in all media and [it] can't be escaped." With this notion in mind, the uphill battle of combating this images seems nearly impossible. If violence is in nearly every aspect of the media, and teens are exposed to these media outlets daily, then the conclusion that media violence can't be avoided is apparent.
I'm sorry guys. I forgot to post the link to the Edgar book I used. Here it is:
ReplyDeletehttp://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=TrWNzqJLhL8C&oi=fnd&pg=PA6&dq=media+doesn%27t+report+everything&ots=wcZ3WiB80C&sig=o_Mbx8rAhWJjON5OO72PLalGqxM#v=onepage&q&f=false