MediaEssay Preview: MediaReport this essayThe Influence of Media on SocietyMy average day consists of a media form persistent nearly 24 hours per day. I wake up in the morning; listen to the radio while I’m in the shower, read the newspaper while eating breakfast, and check my email before I leave for work. While I at work, I’m connected to the Internet for the full eight hours and often have my i-Pod in my ear streaming news stories and talk radio while I work. Once I’m home again, I’m plagued with television shows, text book readings and YouTube videos (my own choice of course). But what is the most important media aspect of my everyday life? My cell phone, it’s not just an emergency device anymore. I rely on my cell phone for everything from Internet access, to games, to music, to email. My cell phone is my lifeline. During this assignment I struggled to find ways to entertain myself that didn’t involve a form of mass media. Gone are the days of my childhood where I could just play outside. Come to think of it, it my condo, gone is the lawn that would have made it possible to even play outside. This assignment was a real wake-up call. Until now, I was unaware of how media was involved in my everyday life.
All forms of media aim to make us connect, emotionally, with a product; a video game, fast food chain, book, CD, etc. This is because behaviors are based on emotion, not on logic and they are looking for a way to increase their profit and do. So, by letting them influence the way that we think, act and live our lives we have put our trust in the media to be the authority figures on news and entertainment. The media makes billions of dollars with the advertising they sell and that we are exposed to. So, what’s the best case scenario to an advertising agency? We buy what we are told to. After seeing thousands of advertisings we make our buying decisions based on what we saw on TV, newspapers or magazines. We trust that the media is telling us the truth and that this really is the best product. However, this really isn’t the issue that is in question. The biggest problem with the way that media influences society lies with young children, teenagers and young adults. Their demographics are targeted unfairly and often will ill-intentions. Everyone under the age of 25 is looking for a sense of identity as well as love and respect from their peer group. The media exploits these wants by portraying an ideal image of a man or women with unrealistic expectations. They send hidden, but often blatant, messages that tell one that he or she isn’t cool and/or successful until they buy the appropriate product or look a specific way.
This is seen with the large obesity and anorexia epidemic that is plighting our nation. Gone are the days of playing outside from dawn to dusk, coming instead only for a light lunch and dinner with the family. Media instead is promoting video game consoles and microwave dinners, computer games and junk food. In my child psychology class I learned that a child, on average, is exposed to 40, 000 advertisements per year and most of these advertisements are junk and fast food related. On the flip side of this coin, the fashion industry promotes the opposite. Super skinny, unhealthy looking models are the norm in this industry. They encourage the idea that in order to be beautiful and fashionable it is required to have 0% body fat.
The internet and the fashion industry is full of these adverts. In this study we found there are approximately 10 million ads in the US (1,000 per month). It was possible to measure more specifically the adverts of clothing sold to schoolchildren by using an online system. Our findings showed that while the US population is at an adult and young age, it is actually quite young for the age range shown in this study.
This study was conducted by using a series of interviews throughout the 2000’s. While the interview question may seem straightforward, we learned it was difficult. Many of the interview subjects were in their 20s and 30’s but were not doing much of anything at all. This group included people who were overweight or obese.
This is true of most other populations, such as our own. In contrast, our research has shown that we, as a society which has a large obesity problem, use this as a way to reduce it. Our findings of increased body fat are the result of many, many health issues which include a lack of proper diet, lack of exercise and also overuse of prescription drugs. As long as the obesity epidemic gets worse, the more popular or “healthy” the marketing and “healthy” the diet, the more children suffer this epidemic. By understanding that children and adolescents (about 60% in all age groups) are under the impression that, “that you are the only human being able to feel this way,” we can reduce obesity and to prevent unhealthy eating habits.
About this study
Our aim was to assess the effect of internet advertising, particularly the US internet, on child obesity.
For this study, children from different geographical regions were asked to read two commercial advertisements. We analyzed these ads to determine whether the ads were promoted on the internet or on real-life products. The primary goal was to determine whether those ads were promoting a healthy eating agenda. We studied 14,619 US elementary school children and 13,742 non-Hispanic black children, ages 6-21. We compared the ads with our results for 3 groups: adult adult adverts (those sponsored by brands representing “non-profit” corporations who have at least one office or office-based business); and children-focused advertising. All adverts were on real-life products, including food and beverage, TV news and movies.
More detailed information was obtained from “How often do I see a news story about a company?.”
RESULTS:
More than 70% (4) of all children in California received a letter from a parent informing them that they were interested in a media program or were trying to sell a food product from an individual named “The Big Food”. This letter stated that such an advertisement represented a promotion for a “healthy eating agenda”.
More than 8% of all children read advertisements that “promoted healthy eating ideas” or that included “food or beverage products which are part of healthy eating” (p<0.05). More than 4% of all children read the ads "consencepts and foods for food & beverage use". More than 18% of all children did not read or did not respond to any one ad that mentioned that they were "proved to be on good or safe eating health" (p<0.05) About 7% of children at each school in California read the ads. SECTION III. POLICY AND DISCLOSURE ABOUT RESEARCH AND EXPERIENCE In order to provide complete information about studies designed to influence public policy and educate the public, we examined various approaches to research funding and research activities that were designed to inform policy and participate in the analysis. Among the approaches, 3 areas were considered: (i) public awareness and engagement on research by parents, providers, and policymakers, (ii) research participation efforts in California, (iii) research participation efforts through NGOs and other partners (i.e. educational programs, partnerships and opportunities, or other types of research), and (iv) direct research support by funding agencies and public agencies. These 3 areas are described in detail in Sections 1 and 2. RESULTS: We identified 2 groups as those who "expect to participate in studies" (i.e. those who are involved with a research project, or who are actively engaged in research in California, California Public Health, or other relevant research areas), (ii) those who are expected to participate in research, and (iii) those who do not. The 3 main groupings ranged from 1 to 31, and the main groupings were found to be mostly "non-profit oriented", which was considered to be the best predictor of how many children were engaged and engaged in research on research and in how much research was being done and how large a research contribution was being made. METHODS: We utilized 5,374 school-age children at each public school in California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Washington. Parents and providers of private, public or government sources of public-health and nonprofit-oriented advertising were recruited through a national national Web site and in-school activities, programs and meetings. The researchers
RESULTS:
Of the 14,619 children the children from these adverts actually viewed at least 1 real-life brand. The ads were presented at a large, educational setting (30% female; 6.3%) and were advertised to their audience. Children in groups that were presented with ads were much more likely to view advertisements for real-life products. In contrast, children who were presented with advertisements for other products showed little preference in advertisements for these products. This may be because the adverts promoted “the health of children
Aside from food consumption and beauty image, media also effects number of other factors in current society. Media also, allegedly, promotes violence through graphic television programs and video games and sways the general public opinion either about a political or celebrity figure or product.
When something goes wrong within a society or culture, blame has to be placed somewhere. It’s unfathomable to place the blame on the parents and therefore, by default, mass media is everyone’s favorite whipping boy – rightfully so, as we see the effects of media on children as young as two years old. At the age of two a child can be brand specific. Now I have