Emma+P+-+POSITION+PAPER



#The Media

 -REVOLUTION-REACTION-REFORM- **//Is the media influential?//** __**//Media can negatively influence the lives of those exposed to it,//**__ __**//unless the influence is//**__ __**//changed to//**__ __**//a positive one.//**__

**//__Today__//**, a click of a mouse can connect you to the world, for all the good and bad that does. "//[T.V and Film] can dictate what's cool and what it means to be accepted//"(PBS). Children and Teens who are unsure about who they are, are easily swayed by these displays which leads to anorexia and __depression__, in some extreme cases. However, a connection to media can be good for children. From and early age children can use Television shows or the Internet "//for educational purposes in an effective manner//"(Buzzle.com) It can also introduce younger kids to people who are different then themselves so from a early age, they are used to diversity. Is the media influential?  **//__20__//** years ago we didn't have such an ease of __access__ to information all over the world. Now, with the click of a button we can access news, websites and blogs from the other side of the world. With over 1,000 channels on T.V something is always being broadcasted. Whether its news, sports or entertainment, you can find it at anytime of the day. Without even knowing it, you are probably doing something or wearing something that was suggested in your favorite magazine or on your favorite T.V show. With Reality T.V shows, "//teens have begun to realize that you can become famous by being a bad girl, Teen __Mom__, or a crazy party animal who likes to do nothing but drink, like the cast members on Jersey Shore//"(Gauna). We are so immersed in these influences that they seem like everyday things. Most movies coming out these days are packed with violence, sexual themes or both. It's hard to find movies that do not have some sort of suggestive material.

 **//__The__//** age that kids are first introduced to these topics is getting lower and lower. First grade students have been seen "//using derogatory language, singing suggestive song lyrics and even flirting with each other//"(TeenInk). 40 years ago, parents were still the main influence for teenagers. Media was not as involved with everyday life. Celebrities were left with the end of the movie or t.v show. However, in recent years, with the advancement of technology in the heart of the information age, why does media influence us? What compels us to follow celebrities examples in fashion, behavior, career choice? Some suggest it is because of "//[celebrities] position in the entertainment industry that [they] have more knowledge concerning what is [correct] than other people//"(Masuda).

**//__Before__//** the 1980s, popular music artists were, for the most part, only heard, but with the take-off of MTV, you could now see your favorite singers. Fashion trends were influenced as people picked up on the attitudes shown in the music videos. Musicians like Madonna and Michael Jackson not only influenced people through their lyrics, but now also through what they wore. Young adults and kids began dressing and acting like their favorite celebrities. With lyrics Madonna promoted "//a strong belief that women should be as powerful and domineering as men and that a woman should be free to express her opinions//"(Masuda) and Michael Jackson promoted one of racial equality and made way for other "//African American artists//"(ABC-CLIO), both having benefits on how young people felt about themselves. Young people liked what these and other singers promoted so they dressed like them to be more like them.

 **//__Now__//**, popular celebrities don't promote the most "moral" actions or dress. Most lyrics being sexually-oriented and/or influencing drinking and drugs. Today, "//teens see their favorite movie stars or singers doing drugs and they think that they should too//"(Child.net). Lyrics and the music videos that sometimes go with these songs have an abundance of sexual themes and an imposed definition of beauty. With thin, tall and young being the look of most singers. That is becoming the image of women and kids. So much that, "//control measures are now being taken by girls as young as 5 and 6//" (CHWN).

**//__Media__//** can negatively influence the lives of those exposed to it, unless the influence is changed to a positive one. A problem in America today is obesity. Another problem is the unrealistic body image being presented by actresses and models. The media can be a place for good things. However, in this case, people's health is an issue. Women through all the ages will see an extremely thin celebrity at least once a day and most of them, with or without knowing it, will begin to think that, that is how beauty looks. Teenagers are influenced by drinking and drugs presented in a good way through celebrities in real-life and the characters they portray in movies and T.V shows. The answer to this problem? For media to start to display all kinds of people in a fair and non-discriminating way. For everyday people to also become influences (ex. Dove Campaign). For media to stop displaying popular celebrities drinking and doing drugs in any light. For popular celebrities to support movements dedicated to helping the image of women return to a healthy one. For popular celebrities to stop writing songs about sexual themes and drinking. For celebrities to not portray characters who drinking or do drugs excessively. This sounds like a lot, and maybe a little restricting to song and script writers, but is a little freedom to much to give to protect the health of children, teenagers and young adults?

 **//__Some__//** of what I have suggested has already been done. Dove, for example, began a "//Campaign for Real Beauty launched in September 2004//"(Dove). This was geared toward women and their perception of beauty. The campaign featured 6 very different women, in both skin color and body shape. The campaign caught on and is still going strong today. Above the Influence is a website and series of commercials created for the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign geared toward teenagers about everything from drug abuse to self-image. Their goal "//is to help teens stand up to negative pressures, or influences//"(National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign).

 **//__In__//** the last couple of years, journalists have had their hands full, with the protests happening around the world and here, in the United States. A problem has arose of censoring, even arresting, journalists for covering these events. The issue:Free press, which I am going to challenge.Censorship is awful, but what if we censored tabloids. Magazines you see at the checkout of any super market in America,"//bringing [celebrities] private lives into public view//"(Batchelor) boasting about the dirty secrets of celebrities and poking fun at them if they aren't a size 0.

 **//__Think__//** of the effect this has on minors who are insecure about themselves and don't know right from wrong yet. Minors are exposed to //"proliferating entertainment news shows, Web sites and magazines [that] have created levels of familiarity and intimacy previously only shared with those in our immediate social environmen//t"(Sandvoss), on top of the fact that they have a high risk of trying to emulate what they see, leading to drugs alcoholism and unhealthy crash diets. By censoring,"//People magazine and OK! magazine//"(ABC-CLIO), we might be denying some freedom of press but we would be saving minors from an obscure view of the world.

 **//__Some__//** parents get enough time off work to spend hours interacting with their children. Others, however, might not always be there and if they are, they may not be setting the best example. Parents who are close to their children, but do drugs and drink more than they should might rub off on their children. By parents doing that sort of thing at home shows children that it's okay, even though it's not. The relationship between parents is also important. "//Children of divorced parents are seven times more likely to suffer from depression in adult life//" which is pretty likely in the United States since "//1 in 4 [children] live with only one parent//"(Rainbows). In this case, celebrities are the only influence they may have.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464691; display: block; font-family: '',Times,serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: left;"> **//__By__//** censoring the display of celebrities would not take them out of our lives, but would only not allow us into their private lives. Children would still have an influence from celebrities if needed, but it wouldn't effect celebrities daily life. We would still see the community service or the new movie a celebrity is involved in but, if they are getting a divorce, we won't know about it. The "//underground network of spies, tipsters and photographers, who all pocket stipends for their work charting [celebrities] every move//"(Batchelor) would be gone.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464691; display: block; font-family: '',Times,serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: left;"> **//__With__//** my findings I have also discovered another argument source: researchers. They bring up valid points about the importance of celebrities in our society, but as I have said before, we wouldn't be getting rid of them completely. Jaye L. Derrick and Shira Gabriel of the University at Buffalo, State University of New York "illustrate how parasocial relationships can provide a safe route for people who have a difficult time with real interpersonal relationships"(Wiley-Blackwell). These 'relationships' "which have very low risk of rejection, offer low self-esteem people an opportunity to reduce their self-discrepancies and feel closer to their ideal selves"(UPI). Censoring the media wouldn't take celebrities out of lives, but it would take us out of celebrities lives. We would still be able to see what movie a celebrity is going to be in or where their next concert will be, but it would be their doing. With social media sites like Twitter, a celebrity can have the choice of how much they say about themselves.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #464691; display: block; font-family: '',Times,serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: left;"> __//**In**//__ a world where you can be connected to the world from everywhere, it's easy to get caught up in all of it. As we write this paper we are using the internet to write the paper, articles found on the internet for research and we are to make a documentary, all forms of media. Sometimes it's hard to go a day without hearing the latest "get skinny quick" scam on the cover of People. Showing celebrities that are a healthy skinny become a twig supposedly using this. Everywhere you look there are obscure definitions of beauty and success. Paris Hilton on the cover of People shows everyone that you can party, do drugs and abuse alcohol and that you can get rich from this. Jersey Shore and Teen Mom are also part of the example of do-bad-things-and-get-rich-and-famous. With children and teenagers becoming familiar with these things being right, we have a problem on our hands. Some may say that censoring the media is a violation of freedom of speech but, how else are we going to fix this? Some would suggest parents but, not every child is born to a stable home. Be it because of teenage pregnancy, divorce, substance abuse, not every child in the United States has parents who are effective role models. So, instead of depending on unfit parents and the cast of Jersey Shore to be role models, why not censor the media. Why not make it unavailable for everyone, it's not important. Gossip on your favorite celebrity couple will never have a life or death consequence for you. Don't you think its worth giving up unrealistic influences for the sake of America's youth. Media is a big part of our lives and we are bound to be influenced by it, so why not make the influence a positive one. "//If Jesus were here today, he wouldn't be riding around on a donkey. He'd be taking a plane, he'd be using the media//". <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="text-decoration: none;"> -Joel Osteen

<span style="background-color: #000080; color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 28px; text-align: left;">__**ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY**__

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **"Pros and Cons of Mass Media." //Buzzle.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. <[]>. T**his article talks about the good and bad things that media presents to society. There wasn't an author given for the article.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **"TV & Movies: Teens." //PBS Parents//. PBS, n.d. Web. 4 Apr. 2012.<[]>.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> This article was written for parents of kids between the ages of about 3 and 17. It was meant to be informative about how to make T.V and Movies more enriching for children. There wasn't an author for this entry.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **"Celebrities and Their Influence." //Teen Ink//. Emerson Media, n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. <[|http://teenink.com]>.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> This article was written by a teenager about the effects of celebrities on everyday, mostly geared toward teenagers and children. There was no author given for this article.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **Gauna, Alyssa. "Negative Influences of Celebrities on Teens." //Divine Caroline//. Real Girls Media Network, Inc., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2012.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **<[|http://www.divinecaroline.com]>**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> This article is about the influences of Celebrities on teenagers and how that can effect their lives in both good and bad ways. There was no available information on this author.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **Masuda, Anne. "Madonna's Impact on Society." //Yahoo! Voices//. Yahoo! Inc., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. <[|http://voices.yahoo.com]>.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> This article is about the impact of the singer/songwriter Madonna, and her influences in the 1980s and now. Masuda currently works at Paramount Pictures' as a Worldwide Television Distribution Manager.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **"Michael Jackson." //Pop Culture Universe: Icons, Idols, Ideas//. ABC-CLIO,2012. Web. 11 Apr. 2012.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> This article talks about the life and career of Michael Jackson. No author was given.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **"Body Image and the Media." CWHN. Canadian Women's Health Network, 2005. Web. 13 Apr. 2012. <[]>.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> This article, written by the Canadian Women's Health Network, is about the body image of women in the world that is largely influenced by the unreal physical features of actresses and models. No author was given.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **"Teens and Celebrities." Child.net. Child.net, 2012. Web. 13 Apr. 2012.<[]>.** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> This article talks about the influence of celebrities on teenagers on the topics of drinking and drugs. No author was given.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **"The Dove® Campaign for Real Beauty." Dove®. UNILEVER, 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.<[|http://www.dove.us]>.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> This article is about the history of Dove**®**'s Campaign for Real Beauty.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **"About Us." //Above the Influence//. National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <[|http://www.abovetheinfluence.com]>.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> This article is about Above the Influence, a website and series of commercials geared to inform teenagers on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **Batchelor, Bob. "Celebrity Obsession in the 2000s." //Pop Culture Universe: Icons, Idols, Ideas//. ABC-CLIO,2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> This article is about the obsessions with celebrities in the 2000s. From ABC-CLIO.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **Sandvoss, Cornel. "Celebrity Obsession: Need To Know." //Pop Culture Universe: Icons, Idols, Ideas//. ABC-CLIO,2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **"Celebrity Magazines." //Pop Culture Universe: Icons, Idols, Ideas//.** **ABC-CLIO**, **2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **"A Generation At Risk." //Rainbows//. Rainbow International Headquarters, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <[|http://www.rainbows.org]>.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **"Admiring celebs may improve self-esteem." //UPI//. United Press International, Inc., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <[|http://www.upi.com]>.**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000080; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;"> **Wiley-Blackwell. "Admiring Celebrities Can Help Improve Self-esteem." //ScienceDaily//, 5 Jun. 2008. Web. 27 Apr. 2012.**