27 Apr 2012, 11:23 pm
27 Apr 2012, 11:23 pm
28 Apr 2012, 4:06 am
28 Apr 2012, 4:09 am
28 Apr 2012, 8:42 am
28 Apr 2012, 9:10 am
The two sides that have come up are "things said on TV should be taken seriously" and "things said on TV should NOT be taken seriously".
I feel we've been talking past each other on that for long enough to make some of the folks on both side irritated.
My position is that "Things said on TV should NOT be taken seriously", but I'm not blind to the damage TV can cause to its audience and even the people who have to live with its audience.
TV programs focus on social issues (trivial or serious), and thrive on confirming preconceptions that market research picked up. Unless they do not care about profit, the stations give their target audience what they want. This is true even if it means they promote horrible stereotypes. Profit and social responsibility go together like two magnets with the same charge.
The fact that someone would complain about these shows is not at all surprising. If enough shows with big enough audiences were geared against you or members of a group you identify with, you would feel insecure too.
As I said earlier, I'm not as worried about the shows as much as I am the fact they have an audience. The size of the audience that persistently watches trashy shows most certainly DOES give you some idea about how much of society might agree with them.
After feeling more and more insecure about your identity, imagine someone telling you all of your problems could be solved by "just not watching it". Yeah, that helps, but it doesn't solve the entire problem. 
People acting like they are too big to be hurt by mass media do not take the time to realize that they are surrounded on all sides by the people who agree with the shows. Studios have catered to existing stereotypes that are clearly wrong for years, hence my mention of the NAACP and Amos 'n' Andy.
When I say don't take shows seriously, I agree with the old claim that one should not feel directly attacked. However, you could be indirectly attacked by audiences that grew enough to influence social norms at the expense of others.
28 Apr 2012, 2:09 pm
28 Apr 2012, 2:12 pm
I feel we've been talking past each other on that for long enough to make some of the folks on both side irritated.
My position is that "Things said on TV should NOT be taken seriously", but I'm not blind to the damage TV can cause to its audience and even the people who have to live with its audience.
TV programs focus on social issues (trivial or serious), and thrive on confirming preconceptions that market research picked up. Unless they do not care about profit, the stations give their target audience what they want. This is true even if it means they promote horrible stereotypes. Profit and social responsibility go together like two magnets with the same charge.
The fact that someone would complain about these shows is not at all surprising. If enough shows with big enough audiences were geared against you or members of a group you identify with, you would feel insecure too.
As I said earlier, I'm not as worried about the shows as much as I am the fact they have an audience. The size of the audience that persistently watches trashy shows most certainly DOES give you some idea about how much of society might agree with them.
After feeling more and more insecure about your identity, imagine someone telling you all of your problems could be solved by "just not watching it". Yeah, that helps, but it doesn't solve the entire problem.
People acting like they are too big to be hurt by mass media do not take the time to realize that they are surrounded on all sides by the people who agree with the shows. Studios have catered to existing stereotypes that are clearly wrong for years, hence my mention of the NAACP and Amos 'n' Andy.
When I say don't take shows seriously, I agree with the old claim that one should not feel directly attacked. However, you could be indirectly attacked by audiences that grew enough to influence social norms at the expense of others.
^^^maybe someone else will address your points, but i think you are missing the point of the thread.
28 Apr 2012, 2:57 pm
28 Apr 2012, 2:58 pm
28 Apr 2012, 3:00 pm
28 Apr 2012, 3:02 pm
28 Apr 2012, 3:28 pm
28 Apr 2012, 3:44 pm
28 Apr 2012, 3:57 pm
MXH
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Joined: 28 Jul 2010
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 13,057
Location: Here i stand and face the rain
28 Apr 2012, 4:01 pm
