The Impact of Media on Teens Essay

Media has become a significant component within society. While media provides many pros, it supplies various cons as well. One very prominent fault that the significance of media has is its visual depiction of women. There is an abundance of media portraying women to have ideal bodies, and this undoubtedly has a negative effect on adolescent girls. Two of the many effects of media on females are depression and self esteem issues, as well as eating disorders. Unfortunately, body dissatisfaction caused by media is becoming more and more common.

This reference shows how music lays a foundation of teenage values beyond school or parental teaching. A musical artist can influence a young mind by the chosen lyrics with greater effectiveness than formal education. Music can control or enhance moods. A good mood can get better or a bad mood can be worked through with the choice of music. A bad mood can also be enhanced by lyrics about suicide or violent behavior. Teens can also use music to gain information about the adult world, to withdraw from social contact, facilitate friendships and social settings, or to help them create a personal identity. (O'Toole, 1997)

Many teens in every generation seek to separate themselves from their parents. One way of creating that separation is by embracing different music. For the first time, teens had large amounts of disposable income that could be spent on entertainment designed specifically for them. Also, the new mass media meant that teens across the country could hear the same music broadcast or watch the same television shows. This brought a rise of an independent youth culture that was separate from adult culture. The new youth culture became an independent market for the entertainment and advertising

The impact music had on teenagers was significant. Teenager’s developed a new style of music called Rock ‘n’ Roll, because the lyrics reflected and embraced their lives. High school sweethearts, fast-cars, and rebellion against authority resembled what teenagers craved the most. Parents disliked the message and influence behind the lyrics of Rock ‘n’ Roll, because they believed it caused juvenile delinquency. Parents hated the sexuality of the songs, the performers,

According to researchers Christenson and Roberts, “American adolescents spend…between four and five hours a day listening to music…[which is] at least as much time as they spend watching standard television fare and more than they spend with their friends outside of school” (8). Music media influences the lives of adolescents in a number of ways. It “…alters and intensifies their moods, furnishes much of their slang [and] provides models for how they act…” (Christenson and Roberts 8). Music plays an important role in the lives of adolescents. They spend as much time, if not more, listening to music as they spend watching television, and therefore, music deserves additional scholarly attention.

The era of 2000’s still has time for improvement and surprises. Music can go anywhere. The current music style of pop may receive damage in quality because of the current strive for image; however, music still remains important in the hearts of teenagers. According to Kathleen O'Toole's article on Standford online Report website "On average, American youth listen to music and watch music videos four to five hours a day, which is more time than they spend with their friends outside of school or watching television."

Music has been a way for those who felt disenfranchised and disillusioned to offend, break away from their parents and be very, very cool. From Elvis' hip-wiggle to the pot-smoking Beatles, from Kurt Cobain's hoarse screams to Rage Against the Machine's "fuck you I won't do what you tell me" -- youth have been able to claim something that is their own and not their parents'. The influence of music on young people is as strong as it ever was, and since MTV is offered as part of a basic cable package, its influence is hard to ignore in our televised culture. Around the world, 70 million households have access to MTV and the channel prides itself on being the most popular station amongst the 12 – 24 year old demographic (Hay sc.8). MTV's chairman of the board emphasized the extent of MTV's influence over adolescents, "At MTV we don't just shoot for the fourteen year olds-- we own them" (Duff sc.6). And if that doesn't sound a tad frightening, listen to this: "Hey moms, it's too late! Your kid's had his head in that Walkman for a long time now. You have no idea how deep we're in your house. We're sitting right there at your dinner table and you don't even know it." That was Ice-T, a renowned rap-artist, verbalizing what may be many parent's worst nightmare (Duff sc.6).

Mass media is designed to reach large audiences with technology. Its purpose is meant to give us entertainment and information we need to act as a society. Media is everywhere; there is no escaping from it. Almost every home in America has at least one TV, the internet, and a cell phone. You cannot drive down the street without seeing billboard signs. Checking out at the grocery store can be tricky if trying to avoid magazines. There are more forms of media available today then ever before; consequently, teens are exposed to a lot of information. The media is supposed to portray what is normal; therefore, it affects what society considers normal. Teens are much more impressionable then adults. What the media tells them is normal affects

Music has more of an influence on the people in the twenty-first century than it ever has before. Teens, especially, are surrounded by some sort of it in everything they are around or do. Many disagree on how music impacts one’s mental state and behavior; however, all agree that the impact depends on how the listener feels before and how they allow it to influence them.

Adolescence is a time where an individual’s sense of identity starts to emerge and a majority of their social norms are perceived. In this day and age, adolescents live in a world heavily submerged around media, which plays an important and habitual part of an adolescents' life. In a national survey conducted in 2009, adolescents on average spend more than 7.5 hours using some sort of media a day (Rideout, Foehr, Roberts, 2010). With this unprecedented access to the world, individuals are learning and connecting with many different people and ideas through the media (Brown & Bobkowsi, 2011). With different forms of media playing an influential part in an adolescents’ life, their perceived social norms may be seriously influenced.

The media is a huge part in everyone's lives and they have a great influence on the actions we partake in on a daily basis. Though adults don't usualy fall into the pressure of the media, young children and teenagers ae highly sussestable to what the media is telling them to do and what's 'cool'. A major action glorified by the media is smoking and it pressures minors to take up the horrible habit as an attempt to be happy or some how be like their favorite celebrity. Media and holly wood especially have both contributed to an era of people smoking and are a direct cause for the increase of youth smoking today.

Unlike previous generations who were “introduced” to the internet, television and social media, the present generation is “born” in it. By this statement, it is implied that children today are much closer to technology and media than adults are, and so, are more likely to be affected by it. Perhaps, the highest impact on the physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development of children and adolescents is by media due to its ready availability through Smart phones, tablet PCs and other portable devices. This paper attempts to evaluate some of the influences of media on various aspects of child and adolescent development.

Music is something that a person hears at least once a day. Whether it be on the radio when driving to work, from the ice cream truck passing by in the neighborhood, or from a commercial on tv, music is everywhere. Music is deeply rooted in Western culture, and loved by the majority of people in society. Famous individuals like Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, and Ed Sheeran are well-known and respected for their music. People of many different ages listen to their songs and spend profuse amounts of money just to buy their albums or tickets to watch them in their concerts. These musical artists have a tremendous deal of influence over children and teenagers, and are idolized by them for their musical talents. Additionally, the themes in their songs engage

The information learned through media literacy can also be applied to the second argument that focuses upon the influence media exercises on our values and behaviors. Media is probably the most powerful influence on teen attitudes and beliefs in American society. The abundance of media exposure contributes

Media such as the internet, broadcasting, and publishing is a way to express opinions and keep up to date with the latest fashion trends. While these trends continue to go on, new trends are thought of, the trends may be a little tricky to keep up with even for celebrities. While the thought of being perfect for society, cause many adolescents to breakdown for following the false beliefs of society. Some people may use the media to be updated on important news. On the other hand, others believe the media is a horrible setting, resulting in adolescent to do whatever it takes to become just like them, poisoning their minds to become something they are not. The media produces bad influences for body image and messes with adolescents’ minds.