Thread: The Role Of Media in Society

How does the Media impact on everyday life ?
Are we doing enough to ensure it is playing a CORRECT and EFFECTIVE way in implementing discipline and positive role models??

Originally Posted by Nacian

How does the Media impact on everyday life ?
Are we doing enough to ensure it is playing a CORRECT and EFFECTIVE way in implementing discipline and positive role models??

Is it the Media's role to implement correct and effective discipline and role models? Also, Media is a little vague. Are we talking about my Grandma's flower blog, CNN, Saturday Night Live, or the Ministry of Truth?

We are talking music, newspaper and Television. Basically the lot.

I think to use the term 'the media' under a single umbrella renders the questions impossible to answer. There are news media, entertainment media, social media, and others too. Many people might associate the term most closely with both broadcast and print journalism, and I don't believe they have a role to play in the provision of role models or in the implementation of discipline. Their role is to report the news, and in some instances to provide comment and opinion.

Echoing Baron's comment, taken from another thread:

The real responsibility for the teaching and discipline of children rests with their parents.

It cannot be put more simply or succinctly.

Other media, I believe, has a role to play. For example broadcasting editors or controllers (or some other term I can't quite remember) must consider the suitability of the content broadcast on television or radio channels. Print and web editors likewise. Even script writers to a certain extent, I suppose. But, to return to the above comment, if a young child is watching/listening to/reading something unsuitable for his/her age, then ultimately the responsibility is that of the parent.

The media, like schools, are too often the target of people who are unhappy with how the/their youth behave and are influenced, and it is they who might occasionally take a closer look at themselves.

The Media needs to behave itself like the rest of us.
If it carries on playing the devil's advocate and be byiest then it is misbehaving badly.
The Media of late is divisive, vindictive, the Big BAd Wolf if you like of a stricken society with children and youngsters caught in the middle.
If you throw a newspaper that has a page 3 girl, sell it for a fraction of a price, advertise on TV, and call it NEWS it then it is feeding average citizens and youngsters vices they can only follow.
Expect nothing better from a child/yougsters if all the news you get from the media of violence sex scandals and phone hacking.
The Media is to behave in a way that is seen correct and aware of its young viewers and readers. If it is not doing so then it is as vicious and corrupt as the children put in the streets these last few days.

In response to that, Nacian, and something I forgot to put in the previous post:

much of the media is actually a product, and therefore its objective is to make money. So those who produce the rubbish you talk of--and I agree, some of it is rubbish--are only meeting the demand of the sleaze-hungry, gossip-mongering, sex-obsessed millions who buy their products.

I think for each media outlet that I embrace, there are dozens or more that I shun. I despise products like The Sun or News of the World with a contempt I couldn't put in to words. Then again, maybe I'm just an intellectual snob. I don't know.

But, who is to decide what is proper? Do you want me to tell you what is appropriate for your childeren to see, or hear? Who in today's world do you want to see making that decision? There are places on Earth today where the content of the media is strictly controlled, places like China, North Korea, and Iran. Not for me, thank you.

We get from the media exactly what we ask for as a society. If they deliver tripe, it is because tripe sells. The responsibility for what goes into our heads and hearts belongs to us. If children are being victimized, it is not the media who is responsible, it is irresponsible parents.

The objective of the Media is to make money as the rest of us do. It is no difference to us.
It is not in its jobs descriptin to throw sleazes and sick ideas to feed the public then turn around and say actually the public wants it.
There are boundaries that everyone must respect . If we behaved in the same way, in the work place, as the Media conducts itself in public then our jobs and position will be threatened.

Originally Posted by Nacian

The Media needs to behave itself like the rest of us.

"Media" is not a person.

If it carries on playing the devil's advocate and be byiest then it is misbehaving badly.
The Media of late is divisive, vindictive, the Big BAd Wolf if you like of a stricken society with children and youngsters caught in the middle.
If you throw a newspaper that has a page 3 girl, sell it for a fraction of a price, advertise on TV, and call it NEWS it then it is feeding average citizens and youngsters vices they can only follow.

And who exactly is at fault here? The one who sells or the one who buys? And to be quite honest, I don't think a sexy picture would make anyone's life worse. Before twitter is was facebook, before that it was myspace, before that it was tabloids, before that it was newspapers, and WAY before that it was religion. There is always something out there for sheep to follow; that has never changed, nor will it change. The brilliant minds have always been recluses, and the not so brilliant are always chasing after the latest fad.

Expect nothing better from a child/yougsters if all the news you get from the media of violence sex scandals and phone hacking.

I expect nothing from children that spend their lives wasting their neurons on vanity and "social networking" where the only thing that's being discussed is what was the last shocking thing they saw. Conversely, I expect a lot from children who make proper use of their time and use the technology they have available as it was meant to be used. It has always been like that, and it will always be.

The Media is to behave in a way that is seen correct and aware of its young viewers and readers. If it is not doing so then it is as vicious and corrupt as the children put in the streets these last few days.

Behave in what way? What is correct and what is not?

For instance, why is it that the most common thing, nipples, are so mystified by young people? Everybody is born with them, there is nothing strange about it, men have them too, but why all the commotion when one is shown in public? If there is a better way to create desire than shrouding it under a veil of censorship, please tell me about it.

I played Doom when I was three, Duke Nukem when I was four. A mischievous neighbor showed me pornography at the age of 6. Okay, that one left me disturbed for two weeks, but I did not become a violent, rebel teenager. Quite the opposite, in fact, I would rather get myself beaten up than lay a hand on someone without actual provocation (and that's what often happened). And to be quite honest, being exposed to so many terrible things so early made me appreciate things more. I love dramas, good music, naive love stories and art.

It's about time parents begin to realize that hiding things is not the way, that spending time with your children and teaching them the way of life is the best possible gift you can gift them. In an age where people are bombarded with information every day, telling your children about drugs, sex and alcohol before they find out from the wrong sources is the best prevention there is. Tell your children that the world sucks, that it's unjust, and about the cruelty of war and murder. Tell them that the world is beautiful, that there are many things to see, that there are little jewels of joy inside everything we do if you look for them. They may then understand that order is a necessity to maintain freedom.

Originally Posted by Nacian

The objective of the Media is to make money as the rest of us do. It is not difference to us.
It is not in its jobs descriptin to throw sleazes and sick ideas to feed the public then turn around and say actually the public wants.
There are boundaries everyone must respect .If we behaved in such a manner in the work place in the way that the Media conducts itself in public then our jobs and position are threatened.

Again I ask, who is to set those boundaries? Are my boundaries the same as yours? The media, at least here in the US, has guidelines and rules which they must follow. The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) monitors those guidelines.

Like any other business broadcasters produce products and offer them to the public. We are then free to watch the programing, or not as we see fit. If sufficient numbers of us choose to watch a program, it is a success. If we choose to turn it off it will fail. What you are suggesting is censorship

Originally Posted by Terry D

But, who is to decide what is proper? Do you want me to tell you what is appropriate for your childeren to see, or hear? Who in today's world do you want to see making that decision? There are places on Earth today where the content of the media is strictly controlled, places like China, North Korea, and Iran. Not for me, thank you.

We get from the media exactly what we ask for as a society. If they deliver tripe, it is because tripe sells. The responsibility for what goes into our heads and hearts belongs to us. If children are being victimized, it is not the media who is responsible, it is irresponsible parents.

My online interactions with a very liberal British female teacher leads me to believe - in her view and those that probably hold her same ideological outlook - feminist liberals that are rabidly anti-Christian.

Muslim to them = non-white. That's important because doctrinal beliefs in Islam (be they conservative or not) are irrelevant. All non-whites and feminists should form a uniformed line to stand against "whitey." Or white men. Whom they some how connote with Christianity.

The media should promote their feminist views. Such as, it is perfectly proper to have television shows portraying two 13 year old male characters being intimate under a hot shower. It is morally diabolical to put photos of well-figured young women in bikinis on the cover of a magazine lest men lust and young women and girls develop Darwinian fears of competition.

You , me the Law set those boundaries. So long as there are children on this earth that we must take care of what the Media subjects us to and feed us everyday. I stand not on my own and the Media has NOT the last WORD because youngsters and children are about.
I am in control NOT the Media. Without the Public, the Media would not have a leg to stand on.
If I pay then I Say what goes and what does not.
I am horrified in the way that the media exploits the public by feeding it junk, degrades language, and throw violence across the small and big screen and no one raises a finger.
I might not chose my parents now, but I can chose the next generations parents and children by ensuring that I bring up a society that puts children ideas and upbringing FIRST.
So the Media is one mean of ensuring that happens.

Originally Posted by Nacian

You , me the Law set those boundaries. So long as there are children on this earth that we must take care of what the Media subjects us to and feed us everyday. I stand not on my own and the Media has NOT the last WORD because youngsters and children are about.
I am in control NOT the Media. Without the Public, the Media would not have a leg to stand on.
If I pay then I Say what goes and what does not.
I am horrified in the way that the media exploits the public by feeding it junk, degrades language, and throw violence across the small and big screen and no one raises a finger.
I might not chose my parents now, but I can chose the next generations parents and children by ensuring that I bring up a society that puts children ideas and upbringing FIRST.
So the Media is one mean of ensuring that happens.

You are in control. You can turn off anything you do not like. Parents can control most of what their children see, and they can give the children the intellectual and emotional tools to handle the rest. Do you really want politicians and lawyers deciding what you see and hear? Or do you just want to choose for everyone else?

The Media without the public is worh nothing.
If I decide to boycott every single newspaper and news channel because I think the standard is atrocious then they are bust. Simple as.
I think it is in the interest to straighten up and clean up or they will be cleaning themselves out one way or another.
Like anyhting in life what comes aroung goes around.

Originally Posted by Nacian

The Media without the public is worh nothing.
If I decide to boycott every single newspaper and news channel because I think the standard is atrocious then they are bust. Simple as.
I think it is in the interest to straighten up and clean up or they will be cleaning themselves out one way or another.
Like anyhting in life what comes aroung goes around.

But no such thing has happened... perhaps is because people like what they see.

I'll be honest, I think you're blaming the wrong thing here. Media is a reflection of society; they are made by people and to the people that are willing to listen to them. If you have a problem with media in general, then your problem actually lies within society. The method of communication is irrelevant, it's whats being communicated. Media industries are not conspiring against young people as you seem to be implying, they are just selling the stuff that young people want to buy; that's all there is to it.

The question lies in why teenagers are so easily persuaded and have such a terrible musical taste, but that's probably because they have been taught to follow whatever figure they look up to since childhood, and most of them never make REAL decisions until their future is about to collapse.