The Media's Influence On American Culture

The media has been a part of the daily life of the American people for the longest time, because of this fact, the media influences the decisions and views of how people should live. One big part of the media that tends to start to develop a sense of how the day-to-day American should live is Disney. Since kids are the main source of Disney’s billion dollar industry children have become an important dimension of the social theory (Giroux 1999: 65). “Within this context, television emerges as a consumer-oriented medium that reflects advertisers’ desire to reach a young, upscale, and primarily White audience” (Goodale1999; Henderson and Baldasty 2003: 100). As a result other races and ethnic groups other than white Americans are often put

In today’s society, remaining connected and knowledgeable of current events and the newest trends is vital to staying ahead in business, education, and social standing. This information is supplied to everyone through the internet, newspapers, television, and radio. One can tune into stations such as CNN, NBC, Fox News, Al-Jazeera, and many others (“SQs of Media Outlets”). In order to meet the needs of viewers, readers, and listeners, the ideal media system would contain accurate, quick information, with a purely impartial view on the facts as they are known. However, this modern media system has not maintained an objective view, pushing opinionated and slanted reporting onto the population in order to create profit and gain customers. The exploitation of information media for personal gain has created a toxic and inaccurate present, constant in today’s society.

Media influences are everywhere from billboards to magazines to Television and music. The American culture would not be what it is today without Media influences, the average American child is raised by their flat screen TV’s. Some parents just don't have time for their children and the parent that are attentive can not stop their children from being brainwashed by words spoken on the TV and radio. Parents can not cover their children's eyes form images in magazines showing beauty as a pale women who look like she's missed a meal or two, or three. How does our society expect young girls to respect themselves, when women are always being sexualized on television and in music. Parents try to teach their sons to respect women but it seems impossible

Media outlets, specifically referring to televised news station, should avoid having a bias in order to stay neutral and deliver factual news to their audience. Due to the large amount of research done, we are presented with more than enough information regarding specific news outlets, such as CNN or Fox News, and the amount of bias that is presented in their broadcasts. One of the largest issues caused by bias in the media is fake news and or the spread of false stories in events such as the 2016 US presidential election, which ultimately raised many concerns and resulted in large amounts of negative circulation through social media.

Anyone that has control of the media, has the power of controlling and shaping what we do, what we think and information that we receive as a culture and as a society. As technology becomes more advanced and almost everyone has access to a computer screen, a cellular device or a television, more and more people will become susceptible to the media’s influence, manipulation, and absurd news stories. Media is any means of communication including broadcasting, publishing and the internet whilst culture is the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior (Merriam-Webster). To begin, almost everyone has access to some sort of media today. According to BBC, more than 3.2 billion people have access to the internet, meaning, even more people have access to a television or a cellular device. If we take into consideration Craig Silverman’s example of one small fake news story about Pope Francis

Various forms of entertainment media have shaped American culture and its values. Back then kids would go outside and play with family and friends. Now, all kids do is stay home, although there is nothing wrong with that, but they have become very unproductive while doing so. They do nothing but watch tv, Netflix, stay on their phones or surf the web. Entertainment media has a huge influence over how society thinks, if a celebrity, movie or tv show says something is okay then without a second thought our society will think it is okay too. There is nothing wrong with a little influence, but people tend not to understand

The media has been a vital component in informing the public. With the little resource that was used, such as the newspaper, it was enough to spread the word. Although it was important for the public to be aware about their environment, the information has been stretched to influence towards a specific opinion. The media has a massive amount of influence, and it has served as surveillance over the executive, legislative, and judicial branch. It is considered as the fourth branch because the amount of influence it has on the public that has placed it as, part of the other branches.

With actors dramatizing the reaction of frightening audience members after the “War of World’s” reinforces American’s being terrorized by the radio in 1938. After listening to both broadcasts NPR’s radio lab and the original 1938 broadcast of the “War of World’s” I heard fear in their screams, and concern for children who attended schools leaving me to believe listeners would panic. Contrary to that many disputed questions came to mind. For example, how could the mass media deceive people the way they did?

American culture can be defined as a way people melt together in the United States. It is a blend of ethnicities, languages, customs, and more. It has been called the melting pot for years due to American’s distinct customs. American culture has only expanded and grown throughout the years, as well as television and media. We are constantly being shaped daily by the customs and television that influence us, especially children. “Television remains the mass medium that can reach most of us at a single moment in time, whether it’s during a popular sitcom or a presidential debate.” (Campbell, Martin, Fabos 182) American TV shows are impacting society and watchers with its presence from trying to influence views attitudes about

News media outlets are now driven based on the biased nonfactual information.The media’s standards of credibility are continuously decreasing making it difficult to encounter reliable sources. Many would like to blame the public's inability to distinguish factual information from opinions, but the media ultimate goal and responsibility to the public is to provide factual information which they are failing to do so.

Back in the 1920s people had receive news and entertainment through the radio, which then in turn out-shined newspapers and magazines. Now day’s social media sites have become the most popular form to get the news and information. The biggest tool in the media that generates revenue by the millions every day, is advertising. The media has its way of showing us constructive information when it comes to news channels, travel and other educational shows. Kids benefit from watching these, since it can boost self-esteem, heighten interest levels in a particular subject, or encourage them to ask relevant questions.

Mass media, with its functions to inform, to educate and to entertain, is one of the most important issues in the United States because of the way it has been manipulated to cater the demands of various groups, such as partisan bias, sensationalist journalists as well as the government. Such is the problem for the modern and enlightened public; since people now have access to various areas to get news reports, the media apparently lacks the way to properly distribute truthful and factual information about events happening locally and internationally and those that are included in the sphere of public interest. Control and manipulation as well as the inability to access information about the matter, lay as the major obstacles that disable

The recent surge in popularity of social media comes with a price: fake news. Fake news is defined as news or media that has been altered or modified. Journalists have begun to analyze why that fake news exists and why it continues exist. Two authors, Eoin O’Carroll and Kevin D. Williamson, both have written articles about fake news. Eoin O’Carroll’s article “How Information Overload Helps Spread Fake News,” discusses how the media has bombarded us with news stories, blurring the distinct lines between real and fake news. Kevin D. Williamson, a journalist for the National Review, writes in his article “‘Fake News, Media and Voters: Shared Reality Must Be Acknowledged” that the news is not fake; it just does not align with one’s personal beliefs. Both authors successfully appeal to their audiences’ emotions and feelings, but O’Carroll is more likely to succeed than Williamson in persuading his audience to try and combat fake news because the writer presents himself as someone the intended readers will more readily identify with and offers evidence that his readers will find more compelling.

Filter bubbles create a ‘bubble’ of news that aligns with an individual’s views, which can be dangerous and misleading

Mass media coverage, which is most common in developed nations, has been a key benefactor that plays a significant role in the modern world by broadcasting information quickly. A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People and Press found in the United States that television ranks number one as the leading source of daily news followed by newspapers, radio, and the internet. Knowledge has never been so easily accessible than it is now, with the latest news being available to us, whenever and usually wherever. An unforeseen consequence looms over us because of this convenience. The media’s extensiveness is so great that it inevitably bears certain problems such as reporting inadequate information or creating bias. As a society, we should rethink some opinions and investigate numerous perspectives before making judgments in order to avoid prejudice.