The Media
Classmates,
I am going to talk about the negative factors the media has on teenagers in the 21st century. I say 21st century because that’s essentially when the media flourished into an “entity”. It influences the lives of billions and enslaves the lives of millions of teenagers. But first we have to ask ourselves, what is the media?
It is the main means of mass communication (television, radio, and newspapers) regarded collectively. Nowadays for our generation the media is a vast form of communication that permeates nearly every aspect of modern culture. We depend on the media for information on everything from finding out what the latest gadgets are to looking at the latest fashion trend or finding out what our favourite celebrity is up to. Media’s effects on teenagers are significant. “It almost controls the minds of teenagers like a giant remote control”.
“Studies have shown that certain groups of teenagers are prone to act out violently/aggressively because of media influences”. This is because we, as a society glorify negative behaviours. Movies and television programme often show characters using drugs and alcohol and engaging in violent behaviour. At a developmental stage when teens seek greater freedom and independence, the glorification of drugs, alcohol, risky sexual and violent behaviours in the media make it challenging for teens to make responsible behavioural choices.
Furthermore according to Ofcom programmes that caused the most concern to parents when surveyed were soaps and films. This was because of “several complaints investigated by the watchdog including a graphic fight between the King Brothers on Emmerdale and a gang attack on EastEnders, which resulted in Honey Mitchell going into premature labour”. This is extremely impressionable on teens because we as teens are at a stage in life where we are like a sponge we soak up all our surroundings, what we hear, see, touch, feel, taste. But sadly this doesn’t apply when it comes to exams! Sorry I’m going off track. Where was I? Yes, this just proves that the media is largely to blame when it comes to show that certain groups are prone to act out. These are the kinds of things teens pick up when watching the “idiot box”.
This “idiot box” is responsible for a great many thing that is wrong with our current society but I think one of the biggest is the fact that “kids/teens that while away time watching television are at a higher risk of developing obesity, seeing that inactivity is major factor when slumped in front of the idiot box”. Media is held responsible for the change in eating habits of teenagers and the unhealthy lifestyle they are adopting. You ask me why? Well, because there are these junk food advertisements everywhere. There's no one advertising the benefits of eating fresh fruit every day, no one's promoting drinking 8 glasses of water daily. The benefits of following a balanced diet are not being hyped anywhere. Media is exposing the masses to fast food products, canned food, fad diets, and energy drinks. This is leading teenagers to adopt unhealthy eating habits. No one's propagating the importance of exercising to keep fit. But there are advertisements of expensive exercise equipment, and weight and fat loss programs. Watching TV or browsing the web late night is spoiling the sleeping habits of many.
I seriously don’t know what it is about the media and how it grips our soul and doesn’t let go. I say this because this is what it does to most teenage girls who read glossy magazines showcasing models with so-called “perfect bodies”. This makes teenage girls idolize and work towards a photo-shop finish which is obviously impossible; not to mention compromising their health. This is because women with petite bodies and girls with a Barbie figure are always shown to be more popular or attractive while the overweight are portrayed as less popular, having less friends and being bullied. This leads to a notion that thin is sexy and fat is not. When this thought grips the minds of youngsters, they take to fad diets or turn to cosmetic surgeries to get that so-called perfect body. The craze for models or actors and actresses, makes teenagers want bodies and facial features like theirs. To get rid of a big nose or to get those big pouty lips, teenagers are ready to go under the knife.
So to conclude, when it comes to the media don’t believe everything you see and don’t believe everything you hear because nine times out of ten it’s all photo shopped or they’re reading of a script. What I’m trying to say here to say is that just take a bit of caution when reading a magazine or watching the news. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me today.