Effects of Mass Media Part II

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Effects of Mass Media Part II
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Case Study Columbine

• Actions CBS pulled an episode of Promised Land
  due to a plot about the shooting at a Denver
  school

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• WB postpones an episode of Buffy the Vampire
  Slayer with a schoolyard massacre
• Marilyn Mansons April 30 concert in Denver is
  cancelled

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• Nickelodeon created a new intro to a special on
  senseless violence that had been created for
  previous school shootings, and began to offer
  free dubs to all schools interested in obtaining
  copies

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• MTV offered to create more programming that would
  grapple with tough issues for high school kids

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Words

• Steve Tisch (Forrest Gump, America History X)
  Whats more troubling, a kid with a sawed-off
  shotgun or a kid with a cassette of The
  Basketball Diaries? Its not just movies. Lots
  of other wires have to short before a kid goes
  out and does something like this. Its a piece
  of a much bigger, more complex puzzle.

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• Gerald Levin Time Warner Chairman
• I cant help but think that television is an
  easy scapegoat. Where is the cry to stop the
  proliferation of guns?

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• William Baldwin-Creative Coalition president
• Responding to claims that violence portrayed in
  movies and television is a contributing factor to
  violent acts by kids This needs a serious look

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• We have done a considerable amount to address
  this issue over the last 10 years. What has the
  gun lobby done?

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• Writers Guild of America
• Included a panel at their 1999 conference
  entitled Guns dont kill people, writers do.

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• Marilyn Manson Its tragic and disgusting
  anytime young peoples lives are taken in an act
  of senseless violence. My condolences go out to
  the students and their families.

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• Hilary Rosen- president/CEO of the Recording
  Industry Association
• In the coming days, we may find out more about
  the cause of this tragedy, but we do know that
  music does not drive teenagers to violent
  dispair, nor does it put guns and weapons in the
  hands of children. Its too easy to make music a
  scapegoat.

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• Robert Johnson- BET chairman
• It think its a threat to our First Amendment
  rights and the rights of viewers to receive
  information without government instruction (in
  response to questions about V-chip)

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• 1999 Gallup poll 32 of respondents believed
  that parental involvement is the single most
  important key to preventing future killings like
  those at Columbine

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• Parenting was ranked twice as important as school
  security (16)
• 42 of Pew Research Center respondents said poor
  upbringing as main reason kids commit violence

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• Public expressed concerns over effects of teen
  use of violent media, it was not by any means
  their primary fear with regards to the Columbine
  shootings

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• 4 of American adults felt that controlling media
  violence was the single most important factor to
  prevent future school shootings

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• May 1999 President Clinton would be holding a
  White House summit that would involve the
  Internet and entertainment industries

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• Clinton suggested that video games like Mortal
  Kombat, Killer Instinct, and Doom, the very game
  played obsessively by the two young men who ended
  so many lives in Littleton, make our children
  more active participants in simulated violence.

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• Clinton Parents should take this moment to ask
  what else they can do to shield their children
  from violent images that warp young perceptions
  and obscure the consequences of violence.

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• Al Gore urged Americans to place more pressure
  on broadcasters to implement the V-chip. He
  argued that Americans need to pay more attention
  to the problem of excessive violence in the
  media.

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• Gore added If you plant the seeds of violence in
  most, it wont have an impact but in some it
  does.

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• 44 of adults felt that violence on TV
  contributes a great deal to violence in real life
• 75 of adults surveyed felt that entertainment
  industry needed to make a serious effort to
  significantly reduce the amount of sex and
  violence on television

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• Public might actually be more concerned by the
  effects of childrens exposure to sex in the
  media than violence
• 46 said they are uncomfortable watching sex on
  tv with their kids

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• 37 are concerned about watching violence on tv
  with their kids
• Majority of adults think the entertainment
  industry must reduce the amount of sex and
  violence in tv

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• 43 of adults said they would be unlikely to
  actually use the V-chip to block inappropriate
  programming
• 23 of surveyed said they would be likely to use
  technology

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• Most parents are not aware of the V-chip
  technology, and they do not exert effort on their
  own to gather information about their childrens
  viewing habits

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Films that address violence and the media

• A Clockwork Orange (1971)
• Govt tries to cure Alexs love of ultraviolence,
  forced him to watch movie scenes with sex and
  violence
• Lidlockers kept him from shutting his eyes

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• Natural Born Killers (1994)
• Societys obsession with violence by engaging
  audiences in the very act it condemns
• Can we enjoy this film if we are repulsed by its
  violence?

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• Why are we fascinated by violence?
• Who is to blame- the news media for glamorizing
  violent events or the public for their interest
  in it?

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• Bowling for Columbine (2002)
• Documentary initially appears to be primarily a
  commentary on gun control, with Moores personal
  stance on the issue unclear due to his membership
  in NRA

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• Do the media cultivate fear in America?
• Why is the public interested in news stories
  about violence?

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Problems with Violent Media

• American Psychological Association- viewing high
  levels of violence in the media correlate with an
  increased in acceptance of aggressive attitudes
  and increased aggressive behavioral patterns

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• The issues related to media violence are the
  impact and influence violence in media create
  amongst the youth. Especially amongst youth that
  are under represented infested with police
  corruption, police brutality, inadequate
  education, gang violence, drugs, unemployment,
  disintegrated families, and lack of resources

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• Media is a powerful instrument which can service
  to create, build, or destroy
• While media provides a service, it is tool
  designed for making money

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• Media is a mega business and therefore will
  create for the audiences what sells based on
  popular demand, regardless of the consequences
  and impact on our youth

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• Solutions for youth- murals, community
  involvement, education, job opportunities

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Negative Effects of Music

• Violent, racist, homophobic, sexist lyrics in
  much of todays popular music could have an
  impact on impressionable young people who are
  just developing a sense of identity and self-worth

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• Studies indicate a preference for heavy metal
  music may be a significant marker for alienation,
  substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, suicide
  risk, sex-role stereotyping, risk taking behaviors

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Internet

• 1st generation to grow up with the Internet as a
  routine part of their lives
• Ahead of adults in their online explorations
• 94 of young people say they go online from home,
  compared with 79 in 2001

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• When students are asked what Internet related
  subjects they would like to learn about in
  school, the top choice for 68 is How to tell if
  information you find on the Net is true or not.

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Video games

• Violent or sexist content of games
• Provide a fun and social form of entertainment
• Teamwork and cooperation when played with others

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• Kids feel comfortable with technology- very
  important for girls, who dont use technology as
  much as boys
• Increase self confidence and self esteem as they
  master games

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• Develop skills in reading, math, and problem
  solving
• Improve eye hand coordination and fine motor
  skills

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• Video game sector is fastest growing
  entertainment industry, 2nd only to music
• Not a lot of research available about impact on
  youth culture

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• Some children become excessive or addicted
• Playing games can trigger release of chemical
  dopamine in the brain- with is associated with
  pleasurable sensations and has been linked with
  addiction

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• Parents have concerns over kids lives completely
  taken over by role playing virtual worlds
• 3.5 million people around the world play these
  games

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• EverQuest- was one of the most popular online
  games, played by more than 350,000 around world,
  spend an average of 20 hours a week playing the
  game

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• Online gaming is one of the few profitable
  businesses on the Web- hopes to attract and even
  larger mainstream audience

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Violence in Video Games

• Prime audience for video games is boys ages 7-14
• Most popular games with this group are the
  action adventure and sports genres, both of
  which often contain violence

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• 60 of male teens who are heavy players prefer
  video games with lots of action and fighting
• Interactive media too new to know how people will
  be affected

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• Growing evidence though that performing violent
  actions repeatedly in video games may promote
  aggression in some kids, especially those who
  already exhibit high levels of anger and hostility

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• Each new generation of video games ups the ante
  for realism and violence
• Mature rated game Grand Theft Auto 3 was even
  banned in Australia because of its graphic
  violence and sexual content

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• Trend is going away from traditional good versus
  evil theme in video games
• Players have now become the bad guys, acting out
  criminal fantasies and earning points for
  attacking and kiling innocent bystanders

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• Not difficult for children to access games with
  violent content
• Many retailers rent and see adult rated games to
  minors

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Gender Stereotyping in Games

• Most video games are designed by males, for males
• Almost half of the top-selling console video
  games contain negative messages about females

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• Games examined promoted unrealistic body images
  and stereotypical female characteristics, such as
  provocative sexuality, high-pitched voices and
  fainting.

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• Female characters are there only to provide
  sexual titillation- Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach
  Volleyball features bikini clad volleyball
  players cavorting on a beach

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• Women in Mature rated games are often portrayed
  as sex trade workers- prostitutes and strippers
• Developers of BMX XXX (extreme biking game) were
  forced to add clothing to their topless female
  riders when retailers refused to carry the
  product- product offers video clips of real women
  stripping

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• Violence with sexual content- DukeNukem 3D, the
  male uses X rated posters for target practice,
  gets extra points for shooting prostitutes and
  strippers who are pleading Kill me

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• Grand Theft Auto 3 one of worlds top selling
  games- players are street thugs who beat
  prostitutes to death with baseball bats after
  having sex with them

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• Some games feature strong female characters- Lara
  Croft from Tomb Raider
• Dont offer a health alternative because they are
  simply highly sexualized females who engage in
  the kind of violent, aggressive actions usually
  associated with male characters

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Racial Stereotyping in Games

• White male characters dominate in the majority of
  popular games
• Non white characters often play the traditional
  supporting roles of sidekick or villain

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• 2001 study depictions of African American,
  Asian, Hispanic and Native American males were
  rare and white female characters outnumbered
  female characters of every racial group

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• Majority of heroes were white males (86)
• 80 of African American males were portrayed as
  competitors in sports games
• Latinos only appeared in sports games, mostly
  baseball

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• 70 of Asian characters were fighters or
  wrestlers
• 86 African American females were victims of
  violence in the games surveyed
• Victimization rate was almost twice that of white
  females

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• 79 of African American males engaged in physical
  and verbal aggression compared to only 57 of
  white competitors

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Issues for Girls

• 70 of players of games written for consoles are
  male
• Games that appeal to girls are hard to find
• Girl games promote stereotypical interests such
  as makeup and fashion

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Issues for Young Children

• Young children have difficulty distinguishing
  reality from fantasy- makes them more vulnerable
  to effects of media violence, may become more
  aggressive and fearful if they are exposed to
  high levels of violence in video games

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• Violence in video games usually has no
  consequences and is often there for the sake of
  humor
• Children have easy access to violent computer and
  video games

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• Entertainment industry aggressively markets
  violent media to young children
• Almost every video game company investigated
  regularly marketed violent M-rated games to
  children

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• Toys based on action characters from games meant
  for mature players are often marketed to young
  children. Duke Nukem (for 17 and older) marketed
  action figures to children under 8

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Issues for Teens about Games

• 1998 study- 25 of teens who play video games
  feel addicted to them, troubled by lack of
  control over their behavior

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• Study teens who play violent games do worse in
  school than teens who dont
• At risk teen boys spend 60 more time playing
  games, prefer more violent games than other teens

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• Youths who prefer violent video games are more
  likely to get into arguments with their teachers
  and even physical fights- whether boys or girls

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Music

• One of most popular and powerful forms of media
• Identity, self esteem, sexuality, alienation,
  anger
• Parents tend to pay less attention to their
  childrens music as they become teenagers

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Explicit Lyrics

• Attractive to young people
• Heavy metal, shock rock, rap- received the most
  criticism for lyrics with graphic references to
  drugs, sex, violence, and hate aimed at women,
  minorities, and homosexuals

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• Hate filled rage music has entered mainstream
  of popular culture and has become the cash cow of
  the music industry
• Eminem, Limp Bizkit, etc giving direction to
  anger and aggression in mostly male adolescent
  audiences
• Chris Brown

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• Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears before sold
  girl power but what they were really selling is
  adult sexuality
• Katy Perry
• Keha, etc

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Parental Advisory Labels

• 1990- identify music containing explicit lyrics,
  including depictions of violence and sex
• System has drawbacks- cant always assume that
  music without a label will be appropriate

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• Retail industry inconsistent
• K-Mart and Walmart will not carry stickered
  products, but others dont have restrictions to
  stop children from buying CDs with advisory labels

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• Federal Trade Commission released a report in
  2000 showing how media industries market to young
  children for media meant for adults

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• 55 music recordings with explicit labels were
  studied by the FTC- all were targeted to children
  under 17

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Music Videos

• Combine energy of music with powerful visual
  images
• Great impact on children
• American Academy of Pediatrics did a study- 75
  of music videos contain sexually suggestive
  material

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• Women are often portrayed in a sexist manner,
  alcohol and tobacco use is popular
• More than 50 contain violence, which is usually
  against women

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• AAP stated that the sexist and violent portrayals
  in music videos could distort adolescents
  expectations about conflict resolution, race, and
  male-female relationships

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Advertising

• We see minimum 3000 ads per day
• At gas pumps, movie theatre, restroom, during
  sporting events, cars, taxis, buses, store
  floors, elevator walls, park benches

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• Russian space program even launched a rocket with
  a 30 foot Pizza Hut logo on it

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• Celebrities wear products in public
• Turning public spaces into ads- naming rights for
  arenas, theatres, parks, schools, museums, subways

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• Product placement
• 1982 film ET featured Reeces Pieces- sale of
  candy jumped 65
• TiVo, etc allows consumers to edit TV commercials

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Marketers Target Kids

• Advertising to children in 1990 was 100 million,
  in 2000 it was at 2 billion
• Parents are more willing to buy more for their
  kids because of smaller family size, dual
  incomes, and waiting to have children until later
  in life

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• Guilt can play a role in spending decisions- time
  stressed parents substitute material goods for
  time spent with kids

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• Pester Power childrens ability to nag parents
  into purchasing items

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• Brand loyalty mid 1980s, Nike, Calvin Klein,
  Tommy Hilfiger, etc
• Create an image for their brand name
• Babies as young as 6 months form mental images of
  logos and mascots
• Brand loyalties can be established by age 2

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• Fast food-
• Commercialization in education- schools need cash
  (vending machines, etc)

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• Supplying schools with technology in exchange for
  high company visibility
• Deals with fast food, soft drink companies
• Contests and incentive programs
• Sponsoring school events