Sexism, Ageism, Racism, Classism....
all ism upheld by people, regardless of their better judgment. Why is it that people can still today think with such strict dividers. There are many dividers among class, race, sexes and age in todays society, and the media is a source that can and does fuel many of the dividers. From movies to advertisements all sources of media are made for a certain audience. There are classic urban films, teen movies, chick flicks, and straight to video films for those who cant afford to go to the movies. I feel that the media does play a role in creating and defining stereotypes. It is not nearly as bad as it could be, and i feel that recently the stereotypes have been starting to break down. There was recently a Verison commercial with a multiracial family. The first multiracial ad, with a white father and a hispanic mother. This ad gave me so m much hope about the future of media because it portrayed life as it truly is. Television is starting to gather both rich and poor audiences, and is being made for all races. While i think one could come at this question very cynically and say that the media causes all dividers - i do not think that is true.
How can the public treat issues objectively if they are given arbitrary information in the first place? This is the main question in today’s media and its role in politics.
The media and politics create a never-ending cycle. Filled mostly with half wonder where the world would be if the media coverage was not biased and controlled. We learned, or fell into this cycle as long ago as history was written; from the beginning of Christianity to George W. Bush people have come up the ranks to power with self bought fame. It seems in today’s society, especially the United States people have become blinded and brainwashed by the NBC’s and Clear Channels. Companies who control the broadcasting networks have a certain biased obligation to satisfy whoever pays their bills. As the cycle turns the news feeds false information to the people whose support is needed by the politicians, who indirectly pay news. Currently in the U.S. there are major focus points that we can only research ourselves to truly gain knowledge; the presidential primaries and the war in Iraq just to name a few. Overall the Media that feeds the news controls it, and while the war and elections are issues that have been twisted ant least they are in the news. It also comes down to the fact that many issues are rarely mentioned like women’s rights and the environment.
The presidential primers began with eight prospective candidates and immediately favorites were chosen. You never heard about Carol Mosley Braun in the New York Times but as often as the moon rose we read about Kerry and Dean. From the beginning of inequality it was clear who the favorites were. In this time of the primaries the news should spit out the facts of their candidates. To allow the public to chose a candidate to allow the public to chose a candidate they support. It is hard to choose a candidate based on their politics when the media will spin and highlight a specific event such as the “Dean Speech” after Iowa. It was clear the speech was overplays and even CNN came out and said they had overplayed it. It seemed wrong that the media is controlled in a way that limits the news given out. It is also noted that news publications endorses a candidate.
The most profound amount of misinformation given recently was regarding the war in Iraq. A question still asked year and a half later: “why did we go to war?” the response given by the news and excuse given by the government is that there were weapons of mass destruction. Forgetting that the united states still has nuclear weapons not that many people would know we did not find any, infant we came out with a different prize. Saddam Hussein was captured and “like the “Dean Speech” it was played repeatedly.
How can the public treat these issues objectively if they are given arbitrary information in the first place? This is the main question in today’s media and its role in politics.
What makes a good film?
The media has created entertainment for every type of person, in every area of the world. Because people are brought up in different cultures they grow up to have vastly different taste. To reap the most benefit, the media must create "work" for every audience. But when such different styles and tastes come together who is the one to judge what makes a good film. To judge a film based on genre is biased and flawed: comedy, action, horror - are all very different, but we can remember films are all made the same way. Camera shots, directors, lighting, style, and music. To judge a film based on mechanics is straight ahead.
Films, good films, should keep you interested and somewhat entranced. I think the two most important aspects of film are music and editing. Music most importantly, because even if a film is shot badly, everyone enjoys listening to good music. Even at the worst of times you can close your eyes, and with good music, you will not be completely turened off to the movie.
The editing of scenes should be interesting as well. Choppy, jerky cuts and zooms will leave the audience with a migraine, but smooth transitions, and many of them will give the viewer different perspectives and angles. Showing nice angles that a person would normally not look at can make a film beautiful and appreciated. A film also must in someway be original and eye catching.
Of course in the eyes of film companies the answer to this questions is simple. “ a good film makes money, a bad film does not.”
Advertisements in the form of print, television, product placement, or even blimps, reach the majority of people across the world and influence the way they live their lives. From television ads to the top of taxi's there is a constant stream of news, and the current "trend" reaching Americans. We are influenced in the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the drugs we buy, the insurance companies we use, and even the president we elect. People make both the smallest, and largest decisions of their lives due to the media and its influence.
The media is means of communicating with a population and conveying a message. It takes ideas, products, positions, and spreads them, so it hits many different people as possible. Through television commercials telling people to buy clothes that make you feel sexy, drugs that make you happy, or “excited”, soda or juices that are the healthy kind, programs that will make you loose weight, and companies that will help you organize your life, all for less money, People are brainwashed into thinking their own life isn’t good enough, and they must fit a mold. While, the media is the source that fuels insecurities, is also the media that’s fights against its own evil doing.
What we must remember is that people control the media. They force a message into people’s minds. However there is good media, and there are good messages, press that use their power and control to better lives. There are commercials and ads that get parents more involved in their children’s lives, and say its okay to not smoke. There are commercials giving people the opportunity to help underprivileged children, or help organizations in need. The only problem in our society, with our media, is looking at how it is controlled and how easily it is influenced to what it will produce. Do we see more commercials for Survivor and Viagra, or for donating to PBS and children in Africa? Who has the most money to spend, and in return who gains the most money?