The Limited View of the News

Terrorist attacks occurred in Mumbai, India in the past week. There were over 200 deaths. How much coverage did this event get in the media eye? Close to none. CNN ran the event for 24 hours, but that was one of the only channels. Why is it that if death happens in other countries it's not as serious as when it happens in the United States? Like in a discussion in class, the 9-11 attack was overly publicized and on every station on television for months and months. And why? Because it's America. We are so dramatic when it comes to our country and our people. I'm not saying that the attack shouldn't have been publicized. I just think that it's ridiculous when events similar to that happen in other parts of the world and aren't publicized and aren't taken seriously just because it isn't happening here. How are U.S. citizens supposed to be informed when our source of news is controlled again by a select few who choose what they want society to see? How are Americans supposed to have a valid view and comprehension of the world and its issues when the coverage on them is slight and distorted? The attack in India is just one example of how the media has a limited view.

I know Now

I know now, like I kinda knew before why people aspire to be celebrities, and give them such glory. It's because they are the select elite in our country, where everyone knows their name. Who at some point in their life doesn't want to be well-known? I bet it feels good to feel individualized in a sea of billions.

A Never-ending Conversation

Every now and then I will probably say something about celebrity media and how terrible it is. I could talk forever (though I'm not) about how persuasive and manipulative this type of media is. It can control your life and consume your daily conversations. I know, because I have been subjected to it and a witness of it. It is now considered normal and even conversation-friendly to bring up an event related to a celebrity. To me, it's just scary.

So Last Century

The discussion of the Stephen Lewis column led me to write this post. Hundreds of years ago, African Americans were brought to America and bought and sold to wealthy white men. Hundreds of years later, even though America is filled with hundreds of races and ethnicities, the country is still known for its binary racism of black and white. It's a very ignorant perspective. And most of these perspectives and notions are stemmed from media. Because the media chooses to represent the problems only among the those two races, those are the only racial conflicts that mass society will likely see. It doesn't even have to be conflict. Until recently, other races such as Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Latin American, and Central American people weren't really represented in our media world, even though they exist and are just as much present as Blacks and Whites. And it all comes back to binary racism. Hopefully, with our new President-elect, Barack Obama, America will overcome this obstacle of the races.

On a Lighter Note...

Not all media and its content is malevolent. Some media content allows people to know how to check for certain cancers, how to eat healthier, and suggestions for everyday exercise. Good media can keep people informed to live healthy lives.

That's right.

Even when it comes to basic living, media plays a role in our lives. Although social norms play a large part in what's culturally acceptable, media makes those things popular. When I say basic living, I mean what stereo to buy, what stove to purchase, what exercise video to use. Advertising and media not only persuade people to spend their money, but where to spend their money. Consequently, the media is our nation's biggest trendsetter.

Submerged

It's no wonder that children and adults today find heroes in celebrities. Celebrities' faces are plastered everywhere. They're idolized, cherished, and envied. People want they're lives, their cars, their style, their haircut, their clothes, anything that resembles that person. However, these celebrities would be nothing without media.

Overwhelming celebrity-filled society.

Checking out at most stores these days includes glancing at the numerous tabloids for purchase, for those who desperately need to know who actor Jennifer Aniston is dating, or what actor Jessica Alba's newborn looks like. Yes folks, we live in a celebrity-obsessed society where information on the stars is at our daily grasp. It's probably not wrong to assume that American citizens know more about celebrities' lives than the ones and actions of political figures in our country; the ones who make the differences. This is another way in which media is controlling toward consumers. The media delivers constant information on celebrities. As a result, Americans who swallow this news, feel like they know these celebrities personally. They become enveloped in their lives. It's not just television that sells celebrities. It's radio, newspaper, Internet, and magazine.

The Swan

I could have a never-ending conversation on how television is trash that people are quickly engulfing. Another television show that was particularly disturbing was Fox's reality show, The Swan. The concept of this show was centered around female contestants, who believed they had several bodily flaws that caused them to be unattractive. What Fox's The Swan would offer these women, if they were chosen, was a chance to become beautiful. That's right. The show paid for these contestants to have numerous plastic surgeries done. I mean we're talking about operations you've never heard of. Tummy tucks, pinning of the ears, liposuction, breast augmentations, breast lifts, face lifts, chin implants, calf implants, fat removal under the eys, cheek implants, and butt implants. Not only do these contestants have these surgeries completed, but they also have dental work done if they need it. Even lasik surgery. After these contestants undergo these procedures, they are put on a weight and exercise plan with their own personal trainer. The contestants also are given a makeup, hair, and dress makeover. All of these women are preparing for one day, which is the day of their paegant. In the meantime, the contestants are not allowed to look at themselves in a mirror. If they do, they're disqualified. When the final day comes, all of the contestants dress up in formal gowns and reveal themselves to the audience and to themselves. The show and tell is just half of the show. These women are competing for the title of The Swan. Only one will win, the woman with the best makeover. The one who is most beautiful now.
It's pretty sad really. I mean these women go through all of these terrible, painful operations to live up to society's standards of beautiful just to be rejected and to be told, "Yeah, well you're still not the prettiest." This show encourages woman to change themselves. To not be happy with who and what they are. These woman lose themselves because they're no longer the same person after the surgeries. Most of them are required to go through therapy to cope with their physical and mental changes. To read more on this visit www.people.com. Go to plastic surgery in the archive section. The pictures are of The Swan 1 winner, Rachel Love-Fraser, 27.

For Clarification

Rick Williams, an award-winning photographer, talks about the visual communication theory of Omniphasism (which means all in balance) in my Media Design and Language textbook Graphic Communications Today. In his discussion, he writes how the media does sway society.
Williams says, "Although we have always lived in a vivid, colorful world, understanding visual communication is especially important today because so much of what we come to know through our eyes has been specifically designed by advertising and media creators to carry persuasive messages. Everything--from the newspapers and magazines that we read, to packaging, advertising, film, television, the Internet, and other graphic communications that inundate us--affects our lives and our thinking."
"These messages attempt to define what is real and normal in terms of how we live and act," writes Williams. "This is particularly significant because our unconscious cognitive processing system often does not distinguish between real and mediated events as it logs the unconscious memories and meanings that help us make decisions based on our intuitive cognitive understanding. That is why the media are such powerful tools; they shape the norms and thinking of our culture. Think about it."
"The average American see between 4,000 and 5,000 "mediated" images each day," Williams says. "For example, if those images regularly portray women as 5' 10" and 110 pounds, like the average supermodel, then this image becomes the norm by which we judge all women. If lifestyles of the rich and famous are what we most often see, then those are the lifestyles that we are most likely to define as normal and real even though they are mostly imaginary, existing primarily in the minds of media artists and in the media."

What TV media is selling to kids...

 There is an ideal life that is sold to today's society.  This ideal life is that people need to be beautiful, have a nice car, a big house, and a job that pays well in order to be happy.  This notion is not only sold by the companies who produce these things, but by people who are on TV.  An excellent example would be the MTV show, My Super Sweet 16.  For those of you who don't know, this show centers around a 15-year-old girl (or boy) who comes from a wealthy family, who (if a girl) for her 16 birthday gets to do whatever she wants and gets to have ridiculously expensive celebrations. Throughout the show, more than likely, the girl will make comments about boys, how she wants a Mercedez Benz, and many appearance-based comments.  Nine times out of 10, the girl will be pretty, have a huge party and get a brand new $80,000 Range Rover for her first car.  How do you think girls this age or younger respond to this?  They accept the ideas that are presented to them as normal and something to strive for. Check it out. 

Family reality TV

The other day, I happened to see something disturbing on TV.  Which is never an unusual occurrence.  It disturbs me when there are reality shows about families.  There are so many,  I think one of the first ones was The Osbournes.  There have been numerous others in between.  But now, there's Jon and Kate Plus Eight, and the show about the Mormon family where the wife is expecting her 18th child! It's ridiculous.  These children are going to be affected by what their parents are deciding for them.  By pushing their children into the light, they're shifting their childrens' perspectives on life.  For the better?  Think again.

Ahh, television

Television is by far the most controlling medium of media today.  What is aired on television is controlled by a select few who have the wealth to decide what society watches.  When I think of TV today, I think of horrible reality shows and never ending commercials.  Both, which are selling things and ideas to its viewers.  Things and ideas that conform to society in America today.  

Strange

People are products of their environment. However, people are products of media as well.

Media Reality Check

In any country, the media is resourceful to its citizens for receiving vital information.  However, over the years, media in America has become overwhelmingly controlling of its citizens.  One who is not looking will not see it.  Look harder.  Americans are shaped and sculpted by every form of media today.  Newspapers, radio, broadcast, television, and the Internet are commodities that have become essential to peoples' lives.  Every medium of media aims to do one thing and that is to seize its audience.  Well, just that has happened.