Television, Mass-Media, Family Issues
It always amazes me how the media and pop culture play such a dominant role in the lives of children as they grow up. What is even more amazing is the fact that the majority of parents do not conceptualize the predominant influence that television has on the youth. American girls get a majority of their information from what they see and hear on television, the radio, and the Internet. The young girls of “Generation Z” are consumed by social and media outlets; educating the youth about consumerism, mass-marketing, and major-network television is a new and surprisingly important necessity.
Before I get into the readings, I would like to clarify the issue that I am discussing. This topic is extremely long and detailed, and it discusses a wide variety of media, entertainment, political, and propagandist topics (this topic may even seem to be a conspiracy to those who have not studied history, propaganda, and economics). The main issue here is power. How do individuals achieve power in society today?—money is the key. It does not matter how big your military is or how skilled your emissaries are, money and wealth have always been the global means of power. With money (power) you can buy mercenaries (military), or bribe politicians (NATO/UN)—leading to unlimited power in present day society. This is the strategy of big business.
Now since I have given you a general background of the issue at hand, I will discuss the media. The media is owned by large corporations. Quickly now—MSNBC is owned by Microsoft (28%) and NBC Universal (82%)—NBC Universal is owned by GE (General Electric 80%) and Vivendi SA (French international music conglomerate 20%). MSNBC is just one of many major networks that control television and the media (including the “news”)—including what our youth including young girls, view as the truth. It is obvious that a company that works on military technology (GE), can have a conflict of interest when 80% of it’s NBC Universal holding’s 82% of MSNBC’s “news” station, covers the War in Iraq/Afghanistan/war on terror. This is just one of many examples if properly researched.
Now that I have gone off on a tangent, we can discuss relevant issues regarding girls in society today. I noticed in Red, many of the young girls spoke of shows that they watch on television; shows such as The Colbert Report, The Food Network, and others (Red 225). I especially like how Saskia Boggs explains her dilemma with the TV in her short story entitled Just Watch. She explains, quite accurately, how the television is a sort of mind control: “The TV channels our minds into a single-minded, false, and high-color world we compare our lives to in increasingly alarming increments” (Red 225). Saskia delves deeper into the issues of television and the news: “There are people all around shouting to be heard—take Niger, take world hunger, take anything of that sort. If they are not on the TV, not tonight, then we don’t think of them…We focus on Brangelia and Britney and Kevin and Dolly Parton’s tits…” (Red 225). Saskia wants to spend time with her family, yet her family is obsessed with whatever is on TV. She wants to play board games and have discussions, yet the “empty chatter of the newscasters” is all her family is interested in. She retreats to her room to escape the television and the loneliness that she feels—what is even more unbelievable is the fact that she turns her own TV on to drown out the television in the living room.
Coupled with the economic issue of big business owning major-network television, this matter is becoming increasingly relevant every day. Some families are separating from each other, yet they have no knowledge of the bias and prescripted information they are absorbing. Instead of doing nothing and sitting in front of the TV (the issue that torments Saskia), parents need to educate their young children and tell them that what they see on TV is not reality; television is only entertainment, nothing more. The television network advertises so you buy whatever they advertise and sales go up; increased sales represent effective advertising, leading to an increased demand for advertisements on a particular television network. This is the way it works; it is business, not unbiased information. Parents, spend time with your children, educate them, explain how these things work—you’re children and young girls that become consumed with what they see on TV will thank you.
Before I get into the readings, I would like to clarify the issue that I am discussing. This topic is extremely long and detailed, and it discusses a wide variety of media, entertainment, political, and propagandist topics (this topic may even seem to be a conspiracy to those who have not studied history, propaganda, and economics). The main issue here is power. How do individuals achieve power in society today?—money is the key. It does not matter how big your military is or how skilled your emissaries are, money and wealth have always been the global means of power. With money (power) you can buy mercenaries (military), or bribe politicians (NATO/UN)—leading to unlimited power in present day society. This is the strategy of big business.
Now since I have given you a general background of the issue at hand, I will discuss the media. The media is owned by large corporations. Quickly now—MSNBC is owned by Microsoft (28%) and NBC Universal (82%)—NBC Universal is owned by GE (General Electric 80%) and Vivendi SA (French international music conglomerate 20%). MSNBC is just one of many major networks that control television and the media (including the “news”)—including what our youth including young girls, view as the truth. It is obvious that a company that works on military technology (GE), can have a conflict of interest when 80% of it’s NBC Universal holding’s 82% of MSNBC’s “news” station, covers the War in Iraq/Afghanistan/war on terror. This is just one of many examples if properly researched.
Now that I have gone off on a tangent, we can discuss relevant issues regarding girls in society today. I noticed in Red, many of the young girls spoke of shows that they watch on television; shows such as The Colbert Report, The Food Network, and others (Red 225). I especially like how Saskia Boggs explains her dilemma with the TV in her short story entitled Just Watch. She explains, quite accurately, how the television is a sort of mind control: “The TV channels our minds into a single-minded, false, and high-color world we compare our lives to in increasingly alarming increments” (Red 225). Saskia delves deeper into the issues of television and the news: “There are people all around shouting to be heard—take Niger, take world hunger, take anything of that sort. If they are not on the TV, not tonight, then we don’t think of them…We focus on Brangelia and Britney and Kevin and Dolly Parton’s tits…” (Red 225). Saskia wants to spend time with her family, yet her family is obsessed with whatever is on TV. She wants to play board games and have discussions, yet the “empty chatter of the newscasters” is all her family is interested in. She retreats to her room to escape the television and the loneliness that she feels—what is even more unbelievable is the fact that she turns her own TV on to drown out the television in the living room.
Coupled with the economic issue of big business owning major-network television, this matter is becoming increasingly relevant every day. Some families are separating from each other, yet they have no knowledge of the bias and prescripted information they are absorbing. Instead of doing nothing and sitting in front of the TV (the issue that torments Saskia), parents need to educate their young children and tell them that what they see on TV is not reality; television is only entertainment, nothing more. The television network advertises so you buy whatever they advertise and sales go up; increased sales represent effective advertising, leading to an increased demand for advertisements on a particular television network. This is the way it works; it is business, not unbiased information. Parents, spend time with your children, educate them, explain how these things work—you’re children and young girls that become consumed with what they see on TV will thank you.
Comments
Interesting comment, thanks!