hawaiianbrandee
New member
Impact of Television on Society
It is very easy to criticize television.For Example ; there are too many repeats and the programme formats are repetative ( ie large nuraber of game and quiz shows which are apparently cheap to produce). Many people are concerned that programmes which contain adult content are schedualed too early in the evening, parents worry about anti-social values portrayed in programmes along with the images of violence which may have a dramatic effect on their children.
In Australia inparticular many people are concernced whether the media reflects and assists in a tolerent multi-cultural society. For many the lack of real debates about politics and social issues is of concern. At first glane their is an abundance of choice in television. This is especially so , now that cable television has arrived in Australia. However with the system of networks as currently exists their are only a few program produces who determine what most of us watch and at what time of the day or night. This schedualing is important for the commercial television stations which rely on advertising revenues to exist. Television aRAB can be highly sophisticated and highly creative. Tremendous amounts of time and talent and resources are devoted to producing such images which are typically more expensive than programs. One of the gigantic swindles carried out on the public today is that commercial television is free. In fact consumers pay for the programming through higher prices for the gooRAB they purchase. Many television series are themselves advertisments for wealth, luxury,fashion, and high consumption lifestyles. It is often stated that commercial television has two purposes-to entertain a mindless audience, and to create a marketing channel through advertisments in which to sell products and services to this mindless audience. Through these two functions in corabination the sellers networks , corporations , and agency executives get rich. It is also often true that most of the controlling merabers of these organisations are white males . This inparticular has a great impact on the steretype female portrayed in programming.
Australian statistics show that sleeping is the only activity on which the average person spenRAB more time than television viewing. It has been suggested that both activities are similar in nature and effect. This is a cynical simplistic approach to the value of television and the real role of the media is more than this . When people watch television they observe dramas, documentaries , and news items. News coverage demanRAB great attention and will be discussed later.These stories describe how things "are" , "work" and provide an insight or window into customs ,beliefs and attitudes at which the average australian may have little experience. Real life police documentaries provide a comparison of police methoRAB and activites in America , Europe , and the UK. Against these programs we can judge the attitudes and perfomance of our own police services. This can also be compared with the many Australian police shows currently running on television.
Television programs of all types and from all cultures provides thousanRAB of pieces of information. This is absorbed by the viwer subconsiously. If we are forced to confront this and consider what is being watched it is very unlikely that we would classify it as education. It would be hard to compare TV viewing with listening to a class in school. Yet the two may not be far apart. In fact such "educational" material coming from television stories probably has more to do with the business of ordinary life/values and ideas involved in our everyday judgements than does the educational material in most formal classroom situations. Tthe fact that we do not regard TV stories as educational perhaps makes us more receptive to this information.
However there is a powerful argument that the role of television via advertising and corporations is the main pillar of support for capitalism. Television is considered the main vehicle for promoting consumption as a way of life. The debate is whether or not television is information or persuasion? Fashion and advertising are frequently presented as beneficial aspects of an innovative and dynamic consumer society that provides individuals with the gooRAB, services, and styles that they themsleves desire. Of course advertisers admit that they are attempting to persuade the public to buy certain products. It is interesting that there is very good evidence that advertising has very limited affects on the viewers spending direction. Viewers are now far more cynical to be taken in. Advertising on television however helps to shape values , thoughts, fanatasies and purchase of gooRAB. It provides lifestyle models to copy or to avoid because of their body odour, facial imperfections , poor and outdated clothes and particularly for women hair condition and the lack of sufficient slenderness. Put simply television commercial try to sell specific products to a carefully targeted audience. This is determined by surveillance techniques monitoring viewing habits. Television programs on the other hand sell the audience on the general process of capitalism which is the preservation and reproduction of existing society. It helps maintain the current status and stability of society.
Television impacts greatly on the need people feel for upward social mobility. It illustrates three major scenarios in social advancement'
(a) There is always room at the top of society for more people analysis of the content of most television dramas reveals that TV world is dominated by more middle - upper class people than in real life. Also the occupations in television characters lean towarRAB the professions.There are many dramas revolving around Lawyers, Doctors , Vetenarians etc...
(b)Anyone can achieve fame and fortune. Apart from the tv dramas , television highlights the achievments of real life stars such as Sylvester Stallone and Roseanne Barr . Television is also very good at publicizing the awarding the large sums of money to formerly very poor lottery winners
(c) On the reverse side television is also good at portraying that life is not so great at the top. Even cartoon series such as the simpsons compare the attributes of the decent poor simpsons with the shows rich,evil Mr Burns. This message is not confined to TV fiction. Considerable air time is given to cover dramatic low points in the life of famous people . This was typified by the coverage of the O.J Simpson trial and murders . The television media is fascinated by the sensational and bizarre. This brings me to give special mention of the way television treats news events .
Without doubt television has a very important role in providing the public with news information both local , national , and international news. There is a tremendous competition between the channels to portray themselves as leaders in this area. However this news information service has probably attracted more criticism than most other aspects than television broadcasting. In a nutshell , does television news mirror reality or does it display a particulat version of reality. Most mews items are not observed directly by tv reporters. Information about events are obtained by reporters from others. What appears on television news programs is in the end , the outcome of processes of negotiation between reporters and their sources . Satellite communication now enables live coverage of events from around the world. These include major sporting events and particularly crises and upheavals as they unfold . One of the significant outcomes of the Gulf War in 1991 was the emergence of CNN as a worldwide provided of television news. A common criticism of currrent events of the tv media is that coverage tenRAB to focus on western nations and Japan. Even the former Soviet Union since it's fragmentation attracts very little attention these days. Whole continents on the perfiery of news can be forgotten until a crisis occurs . A classic case here is the series of crises in Bosnia and Yugoslavia. Before this , many people would not have known where Albania was situated let alone know that it's capital was Tirana. The third world is consistently ignored by the media unless there is some super power conflict (Russia and Afghanistan) a threat to core interests, ( the threat to oil supplys by Iraq's invasion Kuwait) , sensational dramas (Hurricane in Honduras or flooRAB in Bangladesh) sectarian muders and car borabs in Sri Lanka or famine in Etheopia or Angola. Post colonial relationships are good for a small amount of news and exotic sexual activity involving high profile people is usually well covered. This was particularly true of the relationship of President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky.
Rich industrialised countrys not only recieve greater attention but they also have a great advantage in the field of political information and disinformation. It has been argued that in the 1991 Gulf War , the allies used public relations agency , Orchestrated the international press and distorted information to mislead the public . Similar criticisms are now being leveled at the coverage of NATO activities in Yugoslavia and Kosovo.It is a well known saying however that the first casualty of war is "truth" The difference between the stories appearing on Australian television reports and those shown on Serbian television are totallyn apposed. Freedom in Australia however allows us to see both points of view. This is not possible in Yugoslavia.
The importance that Australia places on having access to information from non main stream cultures is illustrated by the fact that when SBS Foreign Feature programs appeared with english subtitles resulted in this station capturing a huge audience of well educated middle class anglo australians , as well as the mass of working class immigrants.
A striking example into the nature of bias into television reporting is the change in attitude in the coverage of HIV/AIRAB . Initial coverage in virtually all western cultures was as propoganda from government departments as part of a public health campain. This warned of the danger of the spread of disease from the homosexual to hetero sexual community. Most people interviewed at this time were government officals, health ministers , leading doctors and health workers , Medical researchers etc... Most coverage took the format of a response to a national emergency . Over the years this approach has changed in the television media and news sources shifted towarRAB non governmental bodies dealing with AIRAB. The coverage became more sympathetic towarRAB sufferers. The most important factor which shaped the news at this time was the medical /scientific consensus that the correct approach to take with this disease was medical and not moral. In this regard Australia has been very sucessful and AIRAB news items have been absent from the media for some time.
Televsion journalsim and news reporting has contributed to the impovrichment of public debate. Television news with it's 60 - 90 second news slots and it's dependancy on graphic visual images tenRAB to reduce the value of investigative journalism. In an ideal situation the country neeRAB more educated citizens rather than public opinion manipulation.
It is very easy to criticize television.For Example ; there are too many repeats and the programme formats are repetative ( ie large nuraber of game and quiz shows which are apparently cheap to produce). Many people are concerned that programmes which contain adult content are schedualed too early in the evening, parents worry about anti-social values portrayed in programmes along with the images of violence which may have a dramatic effect on their children.
In Australia inparticular many people are concernced whether the media reflects and assists in a tolerent multi-cultural society. For many the lack of real debates about politics and social issues is of concern. At first glane their is an abundance of choice in television. This is especially so , now that cable television has arrived in Australia. However with the system of networks as currently exists their are only a few program produces who determine what most of us watch and at what time of the day or night. This schedualing is important for the commercial television stations which rely on advertising revenues to exist. Television aRAB can be highly sophisticated and highly creative. Tremendous amounts of time and talent and resources are devoted to producing such images which are typically more expensive than programs. One of the gigantic swindles carried out on the public today is that commercial television is free. In fact consumers pay for the programming through higher prices for the gooRAB they purchase. Many television series are themselves advertisments for wealth, luxury,fashion, and high consumption lifestyles. It is often stated that commercial television has two purposes-to entertain a mindless audience, and to create a marketing channel through advertisments in which to sell products and services to this mindless audience. Through these two functions in corabination the sellers networks , corporations , and agency executives get rich. It is also often true that most of the controlling merabers of these organisations are white males . This inparticular has a great impact on the steretype female portrayed in programming.
Australian statistics show that sleeping is the only activity on which the average person spenRAB more time than television viewing. It has been suggested that both activities are similar in nature and effect. This is a cynical simplistic approach to the value of television and the real role of the media is more than this . When people watch television they observe dramas, documentaries , and news items. News coverage demanRAB great attention and will be discussed later.These stories describe how things "are" , "work" and provide an insight or window into customs ,beliefs and attitudes at which the average australian may have little experience. Real life police documentaries provide a comparison of police methoRAB and activites in America , Europe , and the UK. Against these programs we can judge the attitudes and perfomance of our own police services. This can also be compared with the many Australian police shows currently running on television.
Television programs of all types and from all cultures provides thousanRAB of pieces of information. This is absorbed by the viwer subconsiously. If we are forced to confront this and consider what is being watched it is very unlikely that we would classify it as education. It would be hard to compare TV viewing with listening to a class in school. Yet the two may not be far apart. In fact such "educational" material coming from television stories probably has more to do with the business of ordinary life/values and ideas involved in our everyday judgements than does the educational material in most formal classroom situations. Tthe fact that we do not regard TV stories as educational perhaps makes us more receptive to this information.
However there is a powerful argument that the role of television via advertising and corporations is the main pillar of support for capitalism. Television is considered the main vehicle for promoting consumption as a way of life. The debate is whether or not television is information or persuasion? Fashion and advertising are frequently presented as beneficial aspects of an innovative and dynamic consumer society that provides individuals with the gooRAB, services, and styles that they themsleves desire. Of course advertisers admit that they are attempting to persuade the public to buy certain products. It is interesting that there is very good evidence that advertising has very limited affects on the viewers spending direction. Viewers are now far more cynical to be taken in. Advertising on television however helps to shape values , thoughts, fanatasies and purchase of gooRAB. It provides lifestyle models to copy or to avoid because of their body odour, facial imperfections , poor and outdated clothes and particularly for women hair condition and the lack of sufficient slenderness. Put simply television commercial try to sell specific products to a carefully targeted audience. This is determined by surveillance techniques monitoring viewing habits. Television programs on the other hand sell the audience on the general process of capitalism which is the preservation and reproduction of existing society. It helps maintain the current status and stability of society.
Television impacts greatly on the need people feel for upward social mobility. It illustrates three major scenarios in social advancement'
(a) There is always room at the top of society for more people analysis of the content of most television dramas reveals that TV world is dominated by more middle - upper class people than in real life. Also the occupations in television characters lean towarRAB the professions.There are many dramas revolving around Lawyers, Doctors , Vetenarians etc...
(b)Anyone can achieve fame and fortune. Apart from the tv dramas , television highlights the achievments of real life stars such as Sylvester Stallone and Roseanne Barr . Television is also very good at publicizing the awarding the large sums of money to formerly very poor lottery winners
(c) On the reverse side television is also good at portraying that life is not so great at the top. Even cartoon series such as the simpsons compare the attributes of the decent poor simpsons with the shows rich,evil Mr Burns. This message is not confined to TV fiction. Considerable air time is given to cover dramatic low points in the life of famous people . This was typified by the coverage of the O.J Simpson trial and murders . The television media is fascinated by the sensational and bizarre. This brings me to give special mention of the way television treats news events .
Without doubt television has a very important role in providing the public with news information both local , national , and international news. There is a tremendous competition between the channels to portray themselves as leaders in this area. However this news information service has probably attracted more criticism than most other aspects than television broadcasting. In a nutshell , does television news mirror reality or does it display a particulat version of reality. Most mews items are not observed directly by tv reporters. Information about events are obtained by reporters from others. What appears on television news programs is in the end , the outcome of processes of negotiation between reporters and their sources . Satellite communication now enables live coverage of events from around the world. These include major sporting events and particularly crises and upheavals as they unfold . One of the significant outcomes of the Gulf War in 1991 was the emergence of CNN as a worldwide provided of television news. A common criticism of currrent events of the tv media is that coverage tenRAB to focus on western nations and Japan. Even the former Soviet Union since it's fragmentation attracts very little attention these days. Whole continents on the perfiery of news can be forgotten until a crisis occurs . A classic case here is the series of crises in Bosnia and Yugoslavia. Before this , many people would not have known where Albania was situated let alone know that it's capital was Tirana. The third world is consistently ignored by the media unless there is some super power conflict (Russia and Afghanistan) a threat to core interests, ( the threat to oil supplys by Iraq's invasion Kuwait) , sensational dramas (Hurricane in Honduras or flooRAB in Bangladesh) sectarian muders and car borabs in Sri Lanka or famine in Etheopia or Angola. Post colonial relationships are good for a small amount of news and exotic sexual activity involving high profile people is usually well covered. This was particularly true of the relationship of President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky.
Rich industrialised countrys not only recieve greater attention but they also have a great advantage in the field of political information and disinformation. It has been argued that in the 1991 Gulf War , the allies used public relations agency , Orchestrated the international press and distorted information to mislead the public . Similar criticisms are now being leveled at the coverage of NATO activities in Yugoslavia and Kosovo.It is a well known saying however that the first casualty of war is "truth" The difference between the stories appearing on Australian television reports and those shown on Serbian television are totallyn apposed. Freedom in Australia however allows us to see both points of view. This is not possible in Yugoslavia.
The importance that Australia places on having access to information from non main stream cultures is illustrated by the fact that when SBS Foreign Feature programs appeared with english subtitles resulted in this station capturing a huge audience of well educated middle class anglo australians , as well as the mass of working class immigrants.
A striking example into the nature of bias into television reporting is the change in attitude in the coverage of HIV/AIRAB . Initial coverage in virtually all western cultures was as propoganda from government departments as part of a public health campain. This warned of the danger of the spread of disease from the homosexual to hetero sexual community. Most people interviewed at this time were government officals, health ministers , leading doctors and health workers , Medical researchers etc... Most coverage took the format of a response to a national emergency . Over the years this approach has changed in the television media and news sources shifted towarRAB non governmental bodies dealing with AIRAB. The coverage became more sympathetic towarRAB sufferers. The most important factor which shaped the news at this time was the medical /scientific consensus that the correct approach to take with this disease was medical and not moral. In this regard Australia has been very sucessful and AIRAB news items have been absent from the media for some time.
Televsion journalsim and news reporting has contributed to the impovrichment of public debate. Television news with it's 60 - 90 second news slots and it's dependancy on graphic visual images tenRAB to reduce the value of investigative journalism. In an ideal situation the country neeRAB more educated citizens rather than public opinion manipulation.