Media Must Educate, Inform, and Give the News

“Television has changed the American child from an irresistable force to an immovable object.” (Peter). There was a time when all children wanted to do was to run, play, explore, and be adventurous. As time evolved, children have found more interest in television. Statistics show that a child spends 900 hours per year in school,and they spend 1,200 hours per year watching television. When asked to choose between watching T.V. and spending time with their families fifty-four percent of four to six year olds voted they would prefer to watch television. Television has changed the mindset of children over the years it has been proven that the more programs they watch, the more harmful it is to their brain development. T.V.

Numerous studies have concluded that the content and amount of television programming watched by individuals – especially by children - has a direct result on the behavior of that individual. The behavior affected by television viewing can be anything from a desire for a certain food or material good to violent distemper (Zuckerman 1985.) Recently, more and more woman have given up their traditional role of raising their children opting instead to work during the day and leave their children to take care of themselves. Unfortunately, many children find that spending countless hours in front of the television to be a worthwhile way to entertain themselves. Most parents tell their children never to talk to strangers, but what they fail to realize is that every day their children are subject to the messages and ideas of strangers on the television. In fact, a study concluded that an average American by the age of 18 has spent more time watching television than they have spent in school; this study also went on the state that children spend more time watching television than any other activity besides sleeping. This may explain why an additional study revealed that if a child was told something by his or her parents and then viewed on television something that contradicted what the parents had said, four times out of five the child opted to believe the

* Fifty-five percent of children questioned usually watch television alone or with a friend, but not with their families. (13)

The average American child watches 20 hours of television per week, that is 5,000 hours before first grade. Most children between the ages of 3-6 years old can even turn on the television and start a DVD by themselves. I am guilty of allowing my children more TV time then they should have, but I guess that is because I enjoy watching it myself. There are many hidden messages in children’s shows that I was oblivious to until now. For instance, in the show “Rugrats” Charlotte Pickles, Angelica’s mom never had time for her, always on the phone and working. Ethnic stereotyping is another message sent in Speedy Gonzalez’s cousin Slow Poke Rodriguez which is lazy, slow, and dim witted. Morality is also affected by these shows. Most every little boy

As in Barbara Ehrenreich's passage from “The Worst Years of Our Lives”, she offers that television is turning people into inactive couch potatoes, however, children learning the alphabet or the number system can easily be taught by many television

The article “The Upside of Selfies: Social Media Isn’t All Bad for Kids” by Kelly Wallace discusses the positive impacts of social media. In the article, a mother is interviewed about her children’s social media use. She agrees that social media

This I find rather ironic because young children and infants, don't have the need for TV. Sure, they will watch it if you turn it on and set them in front of it, but they don't choose to. Children would rather play outdoors in the sand and trees, not spend all their time in front of a television screen.

("Screen time takes a mental and physical toll on kids.") Watching too much TV can lead to laziness, and weight gain. Studies show that kids that dont go out and play anymore are out of shape. Children 2 years of age should be limited up to 2 hours of tv time a day, studies show that children who watches tv delays brain devlopment. ("The devlopment toll might be more worrying.") Delayed brain devlopment is very popular, in kids who dont get green time. Reseach shows that there

(William-Thomas&Found,undated in Appendix1) In addition, the media also contribute to the social constructions of children, young people and families by the type of language used, describing youths as 'hoodies' for example, stereotyping and providing exaggerated discourses, such as what is classed as 'anti-social behaviour'. Such ideas and assumptions influence society and governments social policies reflect this. The effects of the mass media is therefore an example of why there is an emphasis on early intervention policies.

[“TV has even become known as "America's baby-sitter." (Krieg). Meaning that parents are now using the television as a way of entertaining their children while they attempt to accomplish other things such as cooking and cleaning.”] (PATHOS)

Media is a very important aspect of human life. It 's images heavily influence our behavior. More importantly, it keeps us within the current lingo of society and allows us to feel more connected with the people around us. However, not all of the concepts the media portrays is good, considering the fact that sexual images and violence is swarming the airwaves. A Surgeon General even reported last year that violence is in a grand total of 61% in the media 's content. Despite all of these negative criticisms, people take the media for granted and do not look into the media that do contain intellectual ideals. It can be really interesting to research whether or not some of this scientific content is true. Our group decided to use the movie

Media plays a big role in society these days. Whether it be letting society know what is going on the in the world today or something as simple as updates on current life on social media. The media's role in society not only delivers information of the world but also brings people together through common interests or general talks. In Brian Knappenberger's documentary: Nobody Speak: Trials of Free Press it is seen how media effect lives and how there is a much stronger meaning to what media stands for in society and why media needs to take its stand when it comes to people who want to devour them.

"The 'content' of the newspapers is not fact about the world, but in a very general sense 'ideas'." Fowler

The media has become the world’s main source of information that construct the value and definition of people in society. It also, facilitates our understanding of our culture. The media is the motherboard of social information shapes our understanding of race and ethnicity as part of our identity, our history, our social institutions, and our everyday lives. The media educates society on who does what as well as creating certain roles for ethno- racial groups. The roles of the groups are defined through the program itself and the moreover the advertisement, this works hand in hand to shape the ethnic identity of different races and creeds in society. However, the more effective of the two components to shape identity is the advertisement.

In today's society everything that you can possibly imagine is based around the media and what it portrays. The media practically can control anything and everything that ever goes on around the world. The media is distributed multiple different ways, from magazines to television. I feel like the most influential type of media distribution is the newspaper, because whatever stories are distributed by them are what stories are the most followed. Newspapers are distributed to everyone that lives in a typical urban city, and these newspapers are filled with information that people read everyday. A large amount of stories can be greatly influenced by whoever is publishing the stories, because the media is full of bias. This bias that absorbs