Random Posts: Concept Paper on Influence of Mass Media to the Youth

Concept Paper

Title of the Study:

Mass Media and Its Influence on the Minds and Behaviors of Young Population

Introduction

Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood (age of majority), but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage. According to Erik Erikson’s “Stages of Human Development,” the age of a young adult is 20 up to 40 years old whereas an adolescent is a person between the ages of 13 and 19. Scholars find it hard to find a precise definition of adolescence since it can be identified in many angles. A thorough understanding of youth in society today depends on information from different viewpoints, most importantly from the area of psychology, biology, history, sociology, education, and anthropology. Within all of these perspectives, it is safe to say that adolescence is viewed as a transitional period whose aim is to prepare children for adult roles. Historically, puberty is heavily connected with teenagers and the beginning of adolescent development. However, the start of puberty has had somewhat of an increase in preadolescence (particularly females, as seen with early), and adolescence has had an occasional extension beyond the teenage years (typically males) compared to previous generations. These changes have made it more difficult to define the time frame in which adolescence occurs.

The end of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood varies by country and by function, and furthermore there can be different ages at which an individual is considered to be mature enough to be entrusted by society with certain tasks. Such milestones include, but are not limited to, driving a vehicle, having legal sexual relations, serving in the armed forces or on a jury, purchasing and drinking alcohol, voting, entering into contracts, completing certain levels of education, and marrying. Adolescence is usually accompanied by an increased independence allowed by the parents or legal guardians and less supervision, contrary to the preadolescence stage.

In studying adolescent development, adolescence can be defined biologically, as the physical transition marked by the onset of puberty and the termination of physical growth; cognitively, as changes in the ability to think abstractly and multi-dimensionally; or socially, as a period of preparation for adult roles. Major pubertal and biological changes include changes to the sex organs, height, weight, and muscle mass, as well as major changes in brain structure and organization. Cognitive advances encompass both increases in knowledge and in the ability to think abstractly and to reason more effectively. The study of adolescent development often involves interdisciplinary collaborations. For example, researchers in neuroscience or bio-behavioral health might focus on pubertal changes in brain structure and its effects on cognition or social relations. Sociologists interested in adolescence might focus on the acquisition of social roles (e.g., worker or romantic partner) and how this varies across cultures or social conditions. Developmental psychologists might focus on changes in relations with parents and peers as a function of school structure and pubertal status.

. In stage of adolescence, the youngsters, being inexperienced, are prone to temptation and curiosity in such things and they are mainly influenced by mass media. "MASS MEDIA" is a deceptively simple term encompassing a countless array of institutions and individuals who differ in purpose, scope, method, and cultural context. Mass media include all forms of information communicated to large groups of people, from a handmade sign to an international news network. There is no standard for how large the audience needs to be before communication becomes "mass" communication. There are also no constraints on the type of information being presented. Mass media include all forms of information communicated to large groups of people, from a handmade sign to an international news network. There is no standard for how large the audience needs to be before communication becomes "mass" communication. Mass media may take the form of electronic media such as radio, internet, television, film, movies, CDs and DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras and videos and print media uses magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, books and brochures as a means of conveying information.

Mass media inform us about the events that happen in our country and around the world too. For example, we are in Philippines, but thanks to mass media we can to know about the political or social events of America and Europe as the result, statistics show that approximately 15% of the population receive information only from mass media many people spend the day reading newspaper and magazines to see the events around the politic, the healthy, education, etc

Furthermore another advantage of mass media is that many people can communicate with their families or with their friends Actually, people travel around the world and by this reason they need a good way in order to not lose the contact with their families in their native country, The studies reveal that approximately 95% of the population use electronic devices for their communication for example: mobile phones, telephones, computers, etc.

Without the media, most people would know little of events beyond their neighborhood. The further one goes outside of one's circle of friends and family, the more time-consuming and expensive it becomes to get information. Very few, if any, individuals have the resources to stay independently informed of world events. With the news, however, all one has to do is turn on a television or turn to the Internet. Even when it is limited, it is a picture of what is happening around the world.

The more sources one compares, the more accurate the picture that can be put together. In addition to the media, there are also a range of media outlets, though they have a much smaller audience. Some of these provide an alternative view of events and often strive to publish stories that cannot be found in the mainstream media. Technological advances in many industrialized countries make it possible to read papers and watch broadcasts from around the globe. While language skills can be a barrier, it is possible to live in the Philippines and watch Arab-language broadcasts from the Middle East, or to get on the Internet and read Chinese newspapers.

Another important benefit of mass news media is that information can be used quickly in times of crisis. Flash floods and landslides announcement can give large populations advance warning and allow them to take precautions and move out. In a country suffering war, a radio broadcast can alert people to avoid areas where the latest fighting took place. In quieter times, the media can publish other useful announcements, from traffic reports to how to avoid getting HIV. It is a stabilizing and civilizing force.

The power of media is something nobody can define because it is something that we all look forward to the moment we open our eyes in the early morning and shut them with, that very night. In fact, media is so much a part of most of our lives today that we may not even realize how much effect it has on an individual's life. We depend so much in media especially on television that we are even ready to skip breakfast but not dare miss that show on TV. Television is one of the best ways of driving information into our system, whether good or bad. We may not learn as much as through reading but through Television say watching television is one of the best ways by which we grab things that are so much catching to our eye.

Nowadays many people all over the world spent most of their free time watching television; but since its appearance, television has brought to man many advantages as well as disadvantages. First, television plays an important role in our daily activities: it keeps us informed of all current affairs in the world. Events through television are more vivid than those through books and magazines. Television broadens our knowledge in many ways. Through language teaching programs, we can learn the language we like such as: English, French, German, Chinese, Japanese and so on. We can become skilful and clever at doing jobs, making cakes or arranging flowers through practical courses taught on television. Television is a source of recreation. Humorous stories and funny films bring us minutes of relaxation after a hard day’s work. Apart from its advantages, however, television also brings lots of disadvantages to viewers too. First, television viewers gradually become passive in their action. Television may be a splendid media of communication, but it prevents us from communicating with each other or with the outer world. The world seen through television is only the restricted one: It separates us from the real world. Television, with its fascinating power, makes people of all ages sink into oblivion: whole generations are growing up addicted to the “telly.” Pupils and students are so absorbed in television that they neglect their school activities. If one sees pictures from a close distance on the television set, it affects the eye-sight. It is thus very risky for the small children who always sit very close to the television set. The students also get the bad habit of seeing films on the television. The use of television set also increases the electricity bill greatly. Food is left uneaten, homework undone and lessons unprepared. Housewives are so busy watching television that they neglect their duties toward their husbands and their children. Instead of watching television, we may use the time for a real family hour. Without the distraction of television, we may sit around together after dinner and actually talk to one another to know and like each other better. Many of us find shows with crime or violence entertaining but these are not suitable for children of young ages. These scenes are practically common on crime dramas. Children may not intentionally be being exposed but by simply being in or near the same room as an older child or adult watching the program. With children being exposed to these scenes it can corrupt there innocent minds leading them in some extreme cases become violent to other children. It can also lead to more permanent problems such as violence or evil thoughts well into adulthood. Fortunately this can be easily avoided or reversed by not allowing young children to view these programs by placing them in a different room from the television or sending them to bed.

Technology now has been advanced. The so called “Internet” now has dominated the whole universe and perhaps the most outstanding innovation in the field of communication in the history of mankind. It is the fastest way of communicating to people all around the globe. The youth generation of today was now fond of technologies including the internet. It has many advantages to humans but along with these are the disadvantages. The foremost target of Internet has always been speedy communication and it has excelled way beyond the expectations. Newer innovations are only going to make it faster and more reliable. Now, you can communicate in a fraction of second with a person who is sitting in the other part of the world. For more personal and interactive communication, you can avail the facilities of chat services, video conferencing and so on. Besides, there are plenty of messenger services in offering. With the help of such services, it has become very easy to establish a kind of global friendship where you can share your thoughts and explore other cultures.

Information is probably the biggest advantage that Internet offers. Internet is a virtual treasure of information. Any kind of information on any topic under the sun is available on the Internet. The search engines like Google, Yahoo are at your service. There is a huge amount of information available on the Internet for just about every subject known to man, ranging from government law and services, trade fairs and conferences, market information, new ideas and technical support, the list is simply endless. Students and children are among the top users who surf the Internet for research. Today, it is almost required that students should use the Internet for research or the purpose of gathering resources. Even teachers have started giving assignments that require extensive research on the Internet. Besides, you can have an access to latest researches in the field of medicine, technology and so on. Numerous web sites also allow you to talk to the doctors online.

Entertainment is another popular reason why many people prefer to surf the Internet. In fact, Internet has become quite successful in trapping the multifaceted entertainment industry. Downloading games or just surfing the celebrity websites are some of the uses people have discovered. Even celebrities are using Internet effectively for promotional campaigns. Besides, there are numerous games that can be downloaded from the Internet for free. The industry of online gaming has tasted dramatic and phenomenal attention by game lovers.

One cannot imagine an online life without Facebook or Twitter. Social networking has become so popular amongst youth that it might one day replace physical networking. It has evolved as a great medium to connect with millions of people with similar interests. Apart from finding long-lost friends, you can also look for job, business opportunities on forums, communities etc. Besides, there are chat rooms where users can meet new and interesting people. Some of them may even end up finding their life partners.

Internet has made life very convenient. With numerous online services you can now perform all your transactions online. You can book tickets for a movie, transfer funds, pay utility bills, taxes etc., and right from your home. Some travel websites even plan an Itinerary as per your preferences and take care of airline tickets, hotel reservations etc.

The concept of e-commerce is used for any type of commercial maneuvering or business deals that involves the transfer of information across the globe via Internet. It has become a phenomenon associated with any kind of shopping, business deal etc. You name a service, and e-commerce with its giant tentacles engulfing every single product and service will make it available at your doorstep. Websites such as eBay allow you to even bid for homes, buy, sell or auction stuff online.

The disadvantages of internet highly affect the youth and the users worldwide. If you use the Internet for online banking, social networking or other services, you may risk a theft to your personal information such as name, address, credit card number etc. Unscrupulous people can access this information through unsecured connections or by planting software and then use your personal details for their benefit. Needless to say, this may land you in serious trouble.

Spamming could be harmful to your computer system. It refers to sending unwanted e-mails in bulk, which provide no purpose and needlessly obstruct the entire system. Such illegal activities can be very frustrating for you as it makes your Internet slower and less reliable.

Internet users are often plagued by virus attacks on their systems. Virus programs are inconspicuous and may get activated if you click a seemingly harmless link. Computers connected to Internet are very prone to targeted virus attacks and may end up crashing.

Pornography is perhaps the biggest disadvantage of Internet. Internet allows you to access and download millions of pornographic photos, videos and other X-rated stuff. Such unrestricted access to porn can be detrimental for children and teenagers. It can even play havoc in marital and social lives of adults.

Thanks to Internet, people now only meet on social networks. More and more people are getting engulfed in virtual world and drifting apart from their friends and family. Even children prefer to play online games rather than going out and mingling with other kids. This may hamper a healthy social development in children.

Thus, Internet has the potential to make your life simple and convenient, as well as wreak havoc in your life. Its influence is mostly dictated by the choices you make while you are online. With clever use, you can manage to harness its unlimited potential.

The PRINT MEDIA is considered to be one of the most flourishing industries today. This medium is also particularly very popular to reach the target audience for advertisers. The different types of print media give a ton of options for people to reach a varied bracket of users. So, with newspapers or magazines, every medium has its particular advantages, a thing which should be considered to be of outmost importance by all advertisers and clients. However, print media also has its own disadvantages. Here, we shall take a quick look at the advantages and disadvantages of print media.

ADVANTAGES OF PRINT MEDIA:

• Different types of print media (newspapers and magazines) have a loyal readership. This can be very useful for advertisers as compared to advertising on the Internet.

• If you are targeting a particular geographical area, you can do so with ease through print media. For example, a local newspaper would be a best medium to advertise about a new shopping complex.

• You can choose the size of the advertisement space. This will help you to plan the budget of the expenses to be incurred while advertising.

• Certain forms of print media have a very loyal fans following in terms of readers. This would guarantee you added readership.

• Magazines and newspapers are always in the eye amongst public. Magazines are read for a period of a month, which brings more attention to an advertisement.

• You can even advertise through brochures or leaflets depending upon your target audience. If the information is in detail, a brochure can prove to be an apt option. A leaflet in that case, would be useful for a brief message.

DISADVANTAGES OF PRINT MEDIA:

• The cost incurred can sometimes be expensive considering the medium you choose.

• The shelf life of any particular print medium is limited. Newspapers for example, are amongst the public eye only for a day.

• This medium may not always give you a wide reach. Internet, on the other hand, can target a global audience.

• There is a limitation in terms of the kind of people who may actually read your message. The particular newspaper may not actually be accessible every time to your target group, which means, your message may be missed. The Internet on the other hand, can be accessed from anywhere.

• You may have to plan months in advance to advertise in print media. It does not offer you flexibility when you are faced with a tight deadline.

• Advertisements may get lost in all the clutter of editorial and ads by competitors.

Thus, we can see, there are certain pros and cons of print media. With proper planning, you can opt for the right form to gain maximum coverage and make the best of this medium.

NEWSPAPERS, as their name suggests, provide us with News. With the spread of education, the popularity and importance of newspapers have increased by leaps and bounds. Everybody today wants to read a newspaper. The most important function of newspapers is to bring us news of the world. News is their chief interest and charm. They tell us what is happening not only in our country by in other countries of the world as well. Without newspapers, we would be like a frog in a well who knows nothing of the outside world. I assume that it is because newspapers are cheaply available, and they are found everywhere, which means that they are readily available, making it very convenient. Also, the newspapers that we know are very user-friendly, as they contain lots of information rolled up into one-bits on food, fashion, politics, and many others. Other than that, newspapers are also generally easy to recycle after reading. Many other advantages that other mediums do not have are its mobility. People going to work may not carry notebook computers with them all the time, and even then, they might not have broadband. Also, some mobile phones might have the function to read your news flashes, but they may be either too expensive or too looking at them for too long a period might damage your eyes. Newspapers might just be the best invention of their time. By definition, "A newspaper is publication, usually issued daily or weekly, containing current news, editorials, feature articles, and usually advertising."

However like every medium of communication, newspapers also have advantages and disadvantages.

ADVANTAGES

• Allows you to reach a huge number of people in a given geographic area

• You have the flexibility in deciding the ad size and placement within the newspaper

• Your ad can be as large as necessary to communicate as much of a story as you care to tell

• Exposure to your ad is not limited; readers can go back to your message again and again if so desired.

• Free help in creating and producing ad copy is usually available

• Quick turn-around helps your ad reflect the changing market conditions. The ad you decide to run today can be in your customers' hands in one to two days.

DISADVANTAGES

• Ad space can be expensive

• Your ad has to compete against the clutter of other advertisers, including the giants ads run by supermarkets and department stores as well as the ads of your competitors

• Poor photo reproduction limits creativity

• Newspapers are a price-oriented medium; most ads are for sales

• Expect your ad to have a short shelf life, as newspapers are usually read once and then discarded.

• You may be paying to send your message to a lot of people who will probably never be in the market to buy from you.

• Newspapers are a highly visible medium, so your competitors can quickly react to your prices

• With the increasing popularity of the Internet, newspapers face declining readership and market penetration. A growing number of readers now skip the print version of the newspaper (and hence the print ads) and instead read the online version of the publication.

Some people may still maintain that reading the newspaper is a wasting time in not interested good stuff or any advertisement. However, we need to be informed on what is happening in the world around us and to keep us advertised about special offers that can benefits us for not been spending a lot of money in expensive stuff.

To conclude, reading the newspaper is more advantaged to people since, it keeps us informed and advertisement on what is going on around us. Also reading the newspaper can benefits us to increase speaking performance in learning more the language and even saving us to not spend a lot of money in stuff that we can find it on special offers.

A MAGAZINE is a publication that is issued periodically, usually bound in a paper cover, and typically contains essays, stories, poems, etc., by many writers, and often photographs and drawings, frequently specializing in a particular subject or area, as hobbies, news, or sports. Magazines are a more focused, albeit more expensive, alternative to newspaper advertising. This medium allows you to reach highly targeted audiences.

ADVANTAGES

• Allows for better targeting of audience, as you can choose magazine publications that cater to your specific audience or whose editorial content specializes in topics of interest to your audience.

• High reader involvement means that more attention will be paid to your advertisement

• Better quality paper permits better color reproduction and full-color ads

• The smaller page (generally 8 ½ by 11 inches) permits even small ads to stand out

DISADVANTAGES

• Long lead times mean that you have to make plans weeks or months in advance

• The slower lead time heightens the risk of your ad getting overtaken by events

• There is limited flexibility in terms of ad placement and format.

• Space and ad layout costs are higher

RADIO

The most common audio advertising media is FM radio. Placement of an advertisement on FM radio costs about as much as an advertisement placed in a metropolitan newspaper. However, radio is more dynamic than print alternatives because it allows the advertiser essentially to talk with the consumer. Indeed, many small business consultants believe that an entertaining and informative radio advertising campaign can be a major asset. Nonetheless, some analysts contend that small business owners should proceed cautiously before deciding to rely exclusively on radio advertising. Indeed, most businesses incorporate a media mix when attempting to sell their products or services, utilizing radio advertising in concert with print and other advertising media. The key for small business owners is to study what types of advertising best suits their products and services and to use that media to spearhead their advertising campaign.

ADVANTAGES

• Radio is a universal medium enjoyed by people at one time or another during the day, at home, at work, and even in the car.

• The vast array of radio program formats offers to efficiently target your advertising dollars to narrowly defined segments of consumers most likely to respond to your offer.

• Gives your business personality through the creation of campaigns using sounds and voices

• Free creative help is often available

• Rates can generally be negotiated

• During the past ten years, radio rates have seen less inflation than those for other media

DISADVANTAGES

• Because radio listeners are spread over many stations, you may have to advertise simultaneously on several stations to reach your target audience

• Listeners cannot go back to your ads to go over important points

• Ads are an interruption in the entertainment. Because of this, a radio ad may require multiple exposures to break through the listener's "tune-out" factor and ensure message retention

• Radio is a background medium. Most listeners are doing something else while listening, which means that your ad has to work hard to get their attention

DIRECT MAIL, often called direct marketing or direct response marketing, is a marketing technique in which the seller sends marketing messages directly to the buyer. Direct mail includes catalogs or other product literature with ordering opportunities; sales letters; and sales letters with brochures.

ADVANTAGES

• Your advertising message is targeted to those most likely to buy your product or service.

• Marketing message can be personalized, thus helping increase positive response.

• Your message can be as long as is necessary to fully tell your story.

• Effectiveness of response to the campaign can be easily measured.

• You have total control over the presentation of your advertising message.

• Your ad campaign is hidden from your competitors until it's too late for them to react

• Active involvement - the act of opening the mail and reading it -- can be elicited from the target market.

DISADVANTAGES

• Some people do not like receiving offers in their mail, and throw them immediately without even opening the mail.

• Resources need to be allocated in the maintenance of lists, as the success of this kind of promotional campaign depends on the quality of your mailing list.

• Long lead times are required for creative printing and mailing

• Producing direct mail materials entail the expense of using various professionals - copywriter, artists, photographers, printers, etc.

• Can be expensive, depending on your target market, quality of your list and size of the campaign.

TELEPHONE SALES, OR TELEMARKETING, is an effective system for introducing a company to a prospect and setting up appointments.

ADVANTAGES

• Provides a venue where you can easily interact with the prospect, answering any questions or concerns they may have about your product or service.

• It's easy to prospect and find the right person to talk to.

• It's cost-effective compared to direct sales.

• Results are highly measurable.

• You can get a lot of information across if your script is properly structured.

• If outsourcing, set-up cost is minimal

• Increased efficiency since you can reach many more prospects by phone than you can with in-person sales calls.

• Great tool to improve relationship and maintain contact with existing customers, as well as to introduce new products to them

• Makes it easy to expand sales territory as the phone allows you to call local, national and even global prospects.

DISADVANTAGES

• An increasing number of people have become averse to telemarketing.

• More people are using technology to screen out unwanted callers, particularly telemarketers

• Government is implementing tougher measures to curb unscrupulous telemarketers

• Lots of businesses use telemarketing.

• If hiring an outside firm to do telemarketing, there is lesser control in the process given that the people doing the calls are not your employees

• May need to hire a professional to prepare a well-crafted and effective script

• It can be extremely expensive, particularly if the telemarketing is outsourced to an outside firm

• It is most appropriate for high-ticket retail items or professional services.

SPECIALTY ADVERTISING

This kind of advertising entails the use of imprinted, useful, or decorative products called advertising specialties, such as key chains, computer mouse, mugs, etc. These articles are distributed for free; recipients need not purchase or make a contribution to receive these items.

ADVANTAGES

• Flexibility of use

• High selectivity factor as these items can be distributed only to the target market.

• If done well, target audience may decide to keep the items, hence promoting long retention and constant exposure

• Availability of wide range of inexpensive items that can be purchased at a low price.

• They can create instant awareness.

• They can generate goodwill in receiver

• The items can be used to supplement other promotional efforts and media (e.g. distributed during trade shows).

DISADVANTAGES

• Targeting your market is difficult.

• This can be an inappropriate medium for some businesses.

• It is difficult to find items that are appropriate for certain businesses

• Longer lead time in developing the message and promotional product

• Possibility of saturation in some items and audiences

• Wrong choice of product or poor creative may cheapen the image of advertiser

The influence that the CINEMA exerts on the minds of those who visit it is at once beneficial and harmful.

Today, there is a cinema in almost every town. The cinema provides so much entertainment that few people fail to visit it. One of the reasons for the popularity of the cinema is that it entertains all types or people, young and old, literate and illiterate. Because it is so popular, it must exercise some influence on those whom it attracts.

One of the main reasons and the main advantage of watching movies are simply for the pleasure of it. Some people forget that enjoying yourself is one of the most important things in life and we should regularly do things we enjoy to have a happy, healthy life. Many people find movies to be relaxing and a way to chill out and enjoy an evening.

Another advantage is the fact that some movies can be extremely educational. We can learn about a potentially unlimited amount of topics by watching movies. There are many movies about wars that teach us about the history of war; but movies do not just teach us facts or historical dates, they can also teach us about our emotions.

There are many sad films or happy films where we can see how other people have dealt with certain emotions and if it is done in a positive way we can use the experience of others and apply it to our own lives.

The films shown in the cinema are often very instructive and informative. Almost every film shows something about the activities and customs of the people in other lands. By seeing such films, one learns a lot about human activities. One also gains a better understanding of people of the world.

Further, some films show the battles that were fought in the past. They also sometimes show very vividly how man has struggled through the centuries to remove discomfort from his life. In this way, some films have given many people an insight into the past. Even illiterate people have benefited from such films. What they cannot acquire from books owing to their inability to read, they can acquire from films. School students, too, often benefit from a visit to the cinema. What they see and hear in the cinema makes a better impression on their minds than only the spoken words of their teachers. For example, a teacher of history can hardly describe a battle scene to his students as vividly as a film does. For all these reasons, the cinema is often regarded as an important means of spreading knowledge.

Some of the disadvantages to watching movies come from the fact they are often an unrealistic portrayal of life. We like movies to have a 'happily ever after' ending but in reality, this does not always happen.

In movies, the good guy always wins and the bad guy has to pay for their crimes, but we know this is not always how the world works.

Another disadvantage is the fact that people often spend a lot of their lives watching movies but there is no substitute for getting out there and living life. Some people spend too much time in the fantasy world of a movie when they should be facing reality.

It must be admitted, however, that some films have exerted an evil influence on many people. Films which show the activities of criminals have encouraged many youths to commit acts of crime. Other films, too, such as those dealing with sex and other natural weaknesses of man, have corrupted the morals of many people. As a result, the governments of many countries have been compelled to interfere in the display and production of certain films. Yet, the cinema continues to retain its popularity.

Now that we mentioned some major mass media devices and their advantages and disadvantages, let’s proceed to the problems of mass media.

Problems/Issues

Regardless of age, gender or occupation we are all influenced by media in a certain way. This widespread form of communication is responsible for being our main source of information and entertainment at the same time. Is media good or bad? There are many controversies regarding this subject and no one seems to have reached a conclusion.

When you say mass media, you think about things like the television, movie and music industry, plus the radio and the World Wide Web. Newspapers are also part of media, perhaps one of the most important. They present the fabulous life of movie stars and other TV celebs, having without doubt an impact on our lifestyle.

The use of guns and ammunition by celebrity movie stars, the constant exposure of which would seduce the teen to replicate the same behavior in the real life. When we watch TV or a action movie we usually see many images of violence and people hurting others. The problem with this is that it can become traumatic especially in our children as they see it more and more. Our kids that are starting to grow and are shaping their personality values and beliefs can become aggressive or they can lose a sense of distinction between reality and fiction. Another problem is that real war is used as a form of entertainment by the media, we should make our kids and teen aware that war is not a form of entertainment and that there is no win or lose like in video games, in real war everyone lose.

Teens, youngsters are in a stage of life where they want to be accepted by their peers, they want to be loved and be successful. The media creates the ideal image of beautiful men and women with all the ingredients of a successful person, you can see it in movies and TV. It’s a subliminal way to persuade the masses that if you want to be successful and look like them then you have to buy that particular brand or product. Studies regarding the impact of television in our lives have shown that there are both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to this form of mass media. TV programs have been analyzed in order to discover potential adverse effects, especially on small children and teenagers (they are easily influenced). Another negative influence in teenagers, especially in the Philippines, that has grown over the last years is obesity. There are millions of adolescents fighting obesity, but at the same time they are exposed to thousands of advertisements of junk food, while the ideal image of a successful person is told to be thin and wealthy.

Results of these studies showed that television can have a beneficial effect but at the same time it exposes younger generations to excessive amounts of violence. And this is not the only impact television has on young minds. They see too much nudity and hear foul language all the time, watching commercials that promote not only alcohol but also tobacco use.

We should be worried about how much we let media influence our lives. And we should be worried about how much television our children watch. It goes without saying that exposing them to increased amounts of TV only leads to problems; they do not go out to play and they certainly do not enjoy reading or doing any exercise. This is the negative impact media can have on youngsters. Is there a positive effect the television has?

If you have taken your time to discover the TV programs offered, you probably know that there are plenty out there suitable for young age groups. Some are intended to arouse their interest for culture and education; others are destined to teach important lessons about the world of animals and geography. Children movies are meant to offer them valuable insight about emotions and normal behavior. Such media can never be regarded as bad; on the contrary, it is the type of media that stimulates and entices.

Children are not the only ones subjected to the influences of mass media. Young adults and older generations find themselves easily influenced by music, movies and the opinions of different TV celebs. No one says that we should not listen to them and reject anything that has to go with media. It is important that we learn to filter what is good and close our eyes (and ears) when it comes to the bad things.

Music videos promote too much sexuality, violence and other offensive behavior. Their lyrics contain things that could easily influence anyone. Movies are even more convincing, especially as we see so many celebrities doing everything they ever wanted. Commercials on television increase our appetite for junk food, alcohol and cigarettes. But there are some that really show what happens when you smoke, drink or eat things that are bad for you. There are movies which have an educational value. And last, but not least, there are plenty of music videos that can teach you (even as an adult) about the good things in life. In the end, it all comes down to seeing the good and the bad side of media, trying to decide which issues matter the most to you as a person.

I have interviewed some parents of 6^th grade students of a public school in Mandaluyong regarding to this matter and their answers were my basis in drawing the bad influence of mass media mentioned above. These are the set of questions I asked them:

A) Are you and your children spending your quality time together in front of the television? What shows do you watch?

B) Are you with your kids when they are watching TV? How long are they exposed to it?

C) How do you react when your children sees alcohol and cigarette commercials?

D) How often does your child play hang outside along with the other kids?

E) When watching, how far from the television set is your children?

F) Does your family watch news? If so, do you guide your children or tell them not to imitate the violence he just watched?

G) What kind of music do they listen to?

H) Does your child imitate the actions or the sense of clothing of their favorite stars?

I) Does your child have a study habit?

All parents spend quality time with their child and the majority of the shows they watch were the evening news and movies. Most of the parents don’t accompany their children when they watch TV and their youngsters spend 5-6 hours in front of the television every day. Children would mimic the actions portrayed in the commercials and often make jokes about trying the product. Their children seldom go outdoors and would only socialize in school. They are too close or just 1 meter away from the television while watching. The majority of the parents would be drawn in watching TV and they are usually unaware that their child was engrossed either in watching violence showed in the news. Their teenagers often listen to popular “rap songs” and would sing along with it even the lyrics were offensive and the music video promotes nudity and violence. The parents noticed that their girls would often wear short shorts, revealing clothes, and big shirts and pants for boys to imitate the “gangster kind of look.” They do not develop their study habit and would rather go out with their friends.

Action Plans

Parents should guide their young when watching television. They should know what kind of shows they watch and limit the time of turning on the TV set. Parents should educate their child because in their stage of adolescent, mass media plays a significant role in the development of child’s perception between what is right or wrong.

I want to propose Republic Act. No. 19196 – the law where the viewers, such as children and young adults should not be allowed to watch any kind of violence and nudity on television and on cinema. Violators should be strongly fined and arrested.

The station owner should limit the scenes that are not suitable for young audiences. They should cut scenes like kissing, lovemaking, and intense gunfire scenes. Directors should not include violent and offending words in the scripts for many children would imitate it.

Conclusion

How to avoid the mass media influence? First of all check your sources. How do they try to tell you the news? Are they addressed to emotions or logic? In which order do they present you the news? How much time do they spend in useless news? All these question help to identify a misleading information source. Think about them the next time you watch the news and you will understand that something fishy is going on.

Another solution to defend you from mass media influence is knowledge. Open your mind, search, read, discuss, argue and most importantly THINK. This is the only way to defend you from being influenced. Your mind is your shield against their mind control games.

However, stopping getting informed from the mass media is not a solution. Just judge everything they throw to you. Trying to find the real news behind the curtain is also a great mind expanding technique. Analyze the news with four simple questions: Why, how, who and when. And most importantly analyze the given assumptions that the news are based upon. Somewhere there the real and interesting information, that you should know, is hidden.

In conclusion, the media does have a negative influence on socialization, but that does not mean that it has to be that way. If people started to come together to oppose unethical influence, we would have the power to change. We need to drop the attitude of 'money makes the world go round' so we can focus on issues of real value, like the environment, rather than what brand name would impress our friends, or watching our favorite television shows, or playing video games. I don't think video games and most television shows are very healthy in the first place; they sedentary activities, and are not very productive at all. In the end, we just end up being manipulated by the private interests of industry.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_media

http://rayuso.hubpages.com/hub/Mass-Media-Influence-on-Society
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http://www.lisadunningmft.com/negative_effects_mass_media_child_article.htm
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http://www.macalester.edu/educationreform/actionresearch/Achtenberg.pdf

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