VIBE magazine was founded in 1993 by Quincy Jones; the magazine prides themselves on being the “preeminent brand in urban and music culture.” Most of the publication talks about ‘swagger,’ which VIBE’s editor in chief defines as “sexy pride personified. Usually associated with men and the way they walk, swagger has come to mean an overall sense of confidence, style, attitude, and an unadulterated knowledge of, and love of, self.” The authors and editors strive to put ‘swagger’ into every article and advertisement because they target younger, urban music lovers. Compared to Rolling Stone’s 1.4 million subscribers VIBE is relatively small with a circulation of only 800,000.
The July 2008 issue features Usher on the cover and has a four-page spread about his recent ascent to the top of hip-hop culture. The article focuses mainly on the reclaiming of his previously abandoned hip-hop throne but gossip about his relationship with his mom, and his new life with wife and baby seep through the seems of Mitzi Miller’s interview. The story begins by setting the surroundings; “Usher Raymond adjusts the cuffs on his navy BStar button-up and momentarily exposes a glimmering gold Cartier watch”, “he’s barely seated himself on the edge of an oversized armchair in a swank Midtown New York City hotel.” The mention of his attire and where the interview is taking place seems to enhance the notion that Usher Raymond was once dubbed The King of Hip-Hop and was paid extremely well.
The reader experiences the ‘happily ever after’ feeling when Miller gives a brief history of Usher’s struggle to gain respect in the music business and the results of such hard work; “nearly 26 million albums sold worldwide.” With five Grammy Awards and a troubled past, his father Usher Raymond III was absent throughout his childhood, Usher seems to fit the pattern of hard upbringings, scandals and gossip of many other hip-hop artists. “In my youth, I was made to feel like I had to be wary of [my biological father] because he was into drugs and a lifestyle that might not necessarily have been the best thing for me,” said Usher. “If there was anything that I would take back [about being so focused on my career], it’s the lack of connection with my father.”
In May 2004 Usher gave a similar interview to Vanessa Grigoriadis, an author of the popular music magazine Rolling Stone. In Grigoriadis’s interview Usher was portrayed more as a wild, more skeptic artist. Rolling Stone is not apprehensive about using profanity in their articles so most quotes are not edited and are directly from his mouth; the editors aren’t worried about how they depict celebrities as long as they sell magazines. Usher seemed to be more comfortable at Fox Theater, “the ornate 1920s palace in downtown Atlanta”, where the interview is taking place. He cracks a few April fools jokes and says “I sold millions of albums in my time and never been on the cover of Rolling Stone? Shoot, I thought they don’t put black faces on those covers.” This shows that black artists don’t expect Rolling Stone to have an interest in featuring them. The interview is mainly about his music and never mentions Usher’s childhood past focuses his hopeful future. “I'm going to be one of the richest motherfuckers in the world,” he says.
The advertisements in VIBE are solely focused on increasing one’s ‘swagger’. Advertisements such as Urbanworld Film Festival, Dark and Lovely hair conditioner and Pure 50 body spray by 50 Cent are a few examples. Most advertisements are dark in color and take place in Urban settings such as cities, street corners or with cars. Because the magazine is targeted toward young African Americans, African Americans are in almost every advertisement throughout the magazine. This most likely helps the products sell to their targeted consumer audience. The advertisements in Rolling Stone are targeted toward general music fans and vary in race, settings and content.
At the beginning of the magazine there’s a section on scandals from the past fifteen years including Kim Kardashian and Ray J’s sex tape, Halle Berry and Eric Benet’s relationship shocker, Senator Larry Craig’s “lewd conduct” in a public bathroom and New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s affairs with high end prostitutes. Most of the stories are informal and make fun of the news being reported. None of the reports go into too much detail and slang is used through out the stories.
The story on Governor Spitzer’s scandal doesn’t stay on topic and lacks important details that most mainstream magazines would report. The author of article lacks connection with the stories because each ‘scandal’ is only a paragraph long which doesn’t leave enough room for any background information. When Rolling Stone reported on these issues, Senator Larry Craig and Governor Eliot Spitzer, the same type of format was used. Because both magazines’ target audiences are music fans the editor knows not to waste time and space on issues that readers won’t be interested in reading.
The main objective of both magazines is to make money and they use the same techniques to sell magazines: attract a certain audience and relate to their interests. The message that VIBE seems to send to their subscribers is that being sexy and having swagger is achieved by listening to their featured artists and buying what they advertise. They are trying to convince the consumer that what they feature is popular so most of their articles on artists are biased and slanted to make the reader buy the products.
By Katie Montgomery
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Critical Reading: The Source magazine
Hip-hop is a style of music that emerged from New York City in the early 1970’s. It was initially sneered at and considered a trademark of lower class society. The future of hip-hop seemed bleak, at best; even the largest labels were unheard of to the general public, and artists were in a constant struggle to get airtime on radio stations. However, in a relatively short amount of time, the popularity of hip-hop made an abrupt shift. Rap albums exploded into music stores, radio stations and personal CD players nationwide. Since then, the genre has traveled thousands of miles from its humble beginnings in the slum neighborhoods of New York. It made its way across the country to California, steadily creeping into suburban record stores and popular music venues along the way. Today, it enjoys massive international popularity; hip-hop icons such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Flava Flav and Ice T have regularly made appearances in foreign countries, and expanded their careers to include a variety of film and television roles in addition to music.
The Source, since its creation in 1988, has been a magazine which carefully documents popular hip-hop artists, industry news, and popular culture surrounding the genre. The magazine was created by two white Harvard students and distributed out of their dorm room as a small concert newsletter. Over the years its production changed hands and grew exponentially; it currently caters to African-American and urban audiences between the ages of eighteen to twenty-five all across the country.
The July 2008 cover features the rugged, tattooed face of twenty-eight year old Jayceon Taylor, who, since his debut in 2002, has gained notoriety as rapper The Game. The picture draws particular attention to his unshaven beard, squinted eyes and anguished expression. Upon opening the magazine, the reader must flip through a full fifty-three pages of captivating article headlines, dazzling shoe and jewelry advertisements and large full-color pictures of rap artists before arriving at the cover page story. Before reaching this story, the reader finds articles which chronicle the lives of newly-discovered rappers, as well as reviews ranking the musical success of both major- and minor-label artists. News articles fill the spaces in between: one describes public outrage at the court results of a highly debated case (an article which delivers the news with a detectable bias toward the defendant), while another describes the level of “real-ness” that certain rappers incorporate into their lyrics and images.
The Source captures the reader with two full spreads of The Game’s startling glare before delving headlong into the article. The author begins by mentioning Jayceon’s astonishing success in the frighteningly unpredictable hip-hop industry. He describes the rapper’s deceptively gruff exterior as contrasting to his apparently kind-hearted personality, reasoning that, in the context of a dramatic and unforgiving life, a positive outlook is surprising. For several paragraphs, the author ponders the high death rate of rap artists and mentions its tie to the persistent drama and feuds within the industry. The remainder of the article covers the details of the rapper’s rocky childhood in Compton, his current feelings on life, and his intended future in music. The Game’s rise to fame is of particular interest to the author. Similar to other articles in The Source, this one emphasizes the rags-to-riches success that brought him his current status. Jayceon Taylor was once like so many other young urban Americans: unfortunate and impoverished, with few realistic hopes of escape. In six short years, he successfully created an entirely new lifestyle built on his rap career. His sudden success might be appropriately compared to the late rap artist Notorious BIG, whose lyrics proclaim, “And [my mom] loves to show me off, of course / Smiles every time my face is up in The Source.” Young readers might find encouragement in this story. It documents the unexpected rise of a once-hopeless kid, and, in a way, it becomes a story of motivation. It is proof to urban youth that dreams can come true, despite the odds against them. In most mainstream magazines, such messages are typically absent.
A comparable publication, Rolling Stone, painted its June 26th, 2008 cover with a different famous face: that of Chris Martin, member of the rock band Coldplay. Rather than portraying him as rough or unkempt, Rolling Stone offers its readers a polished, thoughtful, sandy-haired young Caucasian man who obviously comes from a wildly different socioeconomic background than The Game. The story features an interview with Martin, in which he comes across as straightforward and down-to-earth, opposite of Jayceon Taylor’s powerful bad-boy attitude. His level of education is substantial, evident in his near-perfect English marred only with the occasional obscenity. This stands in contrast to The Game, whose quotations are laced with slang; suggesting to readers that his academic opportunities have been poor. Rolling Stone is a more deeply establish and more widely distributed publication than The Source, and its cover article manifests this. Instead of discussing higher-than-average death rates or other sordid affairs, the author questions Chris Martin about an array of lighter topics, including the intricacies of his new album, his political views, and his musical production process. Ultimately, this presents an image of the musician that a larger number of American citizens will relate to. The author provides an appealing and acceptable documentation of Martin’s feelings regarding his upcoming music, comprising an article which runs parallel with common American ideals.
Evidently, there are several significant differences between Rolling Stone and The Source. The former features articles that play on socially acceptable views (such as the value of political discourse) in order to compose an American vision of how musical icons ought to appear; whereas the latter offers a distinct and unapologetic representation of an impoverished African-American youth turned ruggedly-handsome hip-hop star. The Source, unfortunately, also seems to deliver messages other than that of perseverance in the face adversity. Its glossy pages carry flashy photographs of celebrities flaunting expensive clothes and diamond-encrusted jewelry, implying that money and fame directly influence happiness. Young men from urban areas might recognize the graffitied walls and brick buildings that often appear as backgrounds. Consequently, they would be more likely to respond to the messages that this publication sends. It also promotes numerous rap and hip-hop artists whose lyrics glamorize rampant drug-dealing, habitual marijuana use and careless sexual misconduct. For example, in his hit Big Dreams, The Game proudly tells his listeners, “Lunchtime I was sellin’ behind the bungalows/Baggin’ up rocks the size of melons.” Rather than encouraging children to hold firmly to their dreams and ambitions, such lyrical content sanctions behavior that would prove detrimental to the health, happiness and personal success of future generations.
This publication’s frequent association of African-Americans with under-developed urban housing, reckless behavior and stereotypical language seems somewhat racist, because it exacerbates the presence of societal prejudices that, unfortunately, continue to linger. It is available nationwide; its sales are not restricted to large cities or predominantly African-American neighborhoods. It appears on newsstands and in stores everywhere, subject to the diverse and critical eye of the public. Citizens who are not a member of the target audience may still encounter this magazine, so their perception of its messages will influence society’s attitude toward minority groups. American society has undergone severe behavioral and judicial evolution over the past century, and personal ethnicity can no longer be attached to certain lifestyles or behaviors. The Source, however, may be aggravating such stereotypes through its one-sided portrayal of urban culture.
Rolling Stone and The Source each target an entirely different audience group. Each magazine, however, placed artists on their cover who chose to ignore others in their search for independence. This implies that both publications place subtle emphasis on the value of personal liberation and self-reliance. When Jayceon Taylor was asked whether he would seek future musical assistance from Dr. Dre, he responded decidedly, “…I am forever in debt to him…But I work alone.” Chris Martin, in a similar comment to Rolling Stone, said with conviction, “The spirit of rock & roll is freedom. It's about following what you believe in and not caring what anyone else says.” Culturally and ethnically different musical icons, it seems, may occasionally find common ground in the values and messages they choose to send.
By Jeff Sholtis
The Source, since its creation in 1988, has been a magazine which carefully documents popular hip-hop artists, industry news, and popular culture surrounding the genre. The magazine was created by two white Harvard students and distributed out of their dorm room as a small concert newsletter. Over the years its production changed hands and grew exponentially; it currently caters to African-American and urban audiences between the ages of eighteen to twenty-five all across the country.
The July 2008 cover features the rugged, tattooed face of twenty-eight year old Jayceon Taylor, who, since his debut in 2002, has gained notoriety as rapper The Game. The picture draws particular attention to his unshaven beard, squinted eyes and anguished expression. Upon opening the magazine, the reader must flip through a full fifty-three pages of captivating article headlines, dazzling shoe and jewelry advertisements and large full-color pictures of rap artists before arriving at the cover page story. Before reaching this story, the reader finds articles which chronicle the lives of newly-discovered rappers, as well as reviews ranking the musical success of both major- and minor-label artists. News articles fill the spaces in between: one describes public outrage at the court results of a highly debated case (an article which delivers the news with a detectable bias toward the defendant), while another describes the level of “real-ness” that certain rappers incorporate into their lyrics and images.
The Source captures the reader with two full spreads of The Game’s startling glare before delving headlong into the article. The author begins by mentioning Jayceon’s astonishing success in the frighteningly unpredictable hip-hop industry. He describes the rapper’s deceptively gruff exterior as contrasting to his apparently kind-hearted personality, reasoning that, in the context of a dramatic and unforgiving life, a positive outlook is surprising. For several paragraphs, the author ponders the high death rate of rap artists and mentions its tie to the persistent drama and feuds within the industry. The remainder of the article covers the details of the rapper’s rocky childhood in Compton, his current feelings on life, and his intended future in music. The Game’s rise to fame is of particular interest to the author. Similar to other articles in The Source, this one emphasizes the rags-to-riches success that brought him his current status. Jayceon Taylor was once like so many other young urban Americans: unfortunate and impoverished, with few realistic hopes of escape. In six short years, he successfully created an entirely new lifestyle built on his rap career. His sudden success might be appropriately compared to the late rap artist Notorious BIG, whose lyrics proclaim, “And [my mom] loves to show me off, of course / Smiles every time my face is up in The Source.” Young readers might find encouragement in this story. It documents the unexpected rise of a once-hopeless kid, and, in a way, it becomes a story of motivation. It is proof to urban youth that dreams can come true, despite the odds against them. In most mainstream magazines, such messages are typically absent.
A comparable publication, Rolling Stone, painted its June 26th, 2008 cover with a different famous face: that of Chris Martin, member of the rock band Coldplay. Rather than portraying him as rough or unkempt, Rolling Stone offers its readers a polished, thoughtful, sandy-haired young Caucasian man who obviously comes from a wildly different socioeconomic background than The Game. The story features an interview with Martin, in which he comes across as straightforward and down-to-earth, opposite of Jayceon Taylor’s powerful bad-boy attitude. His level of education is substantial, evident in his near-perfect English marred only with the occasional obscenity. This stands in contrast to The Game, whose quotations are laced with slang; suggesting to readers that his academic opportunities have been poor. Rolling Stone is a more deeply establish and more widely distributed publication than The Source, and its cover article manifests this. Instead of discussing higher-than-average death rates or other sordid affairs, the author questions Chris Martin about an array of lighter topics, including the intricacies of his new album, his political views, and his musical production process. Ultimately, this presents an image of the musician that a larger number of American citizens will relate to. The author provides an appealing and acceptable documentation of Martin’s feelings regarding his upcoming music, comprising an article which runs parallel with common American ideals.
Evidently, there are several significant differences between Rolling Stone and The Source. The former features articles that play on socially acceptable views (such as the value of political discourse) in order to compose an American vision of how musical icons ought to appear; whereas the latter offers a distinct and unapologetic representation of an impoverished African-American youth turned ruggedly-handsome hip-hop star. The Source, unfortunately, also seems to deliver messages other than that of perseverance in the face adversity. Its glossy pages carry flashy photographs of celebrities flaunting expensive clothes and diamond-encrusted jewelry, implying that money and fame directly influence happiness. Young men from urban areas might recognize the graffitied walls and brick buildings that often appear as backgrounds. Consequently, they would be more likely to respond to the messages that this publication sends. It also promotes numerous rap and hip-hop artists whose lyrics glamorize rampant drug-dealing, habitual marijuana use and careless sexual misconduct. For example, in his hit Big Dreams, The Game proudly tells his listeners, “Lunchtime I was sellin’ behind the bungalows/Baggin’ up rocks the size of melons.” Rather than encouraging children to hold firmly to their dreams and ambitions, such lyrical content sanctions behavior that would prove detrimental to the health, happiness and personal success of future generations.
This publication’s frequent association of African-Americans with under-developed urban housing, reckless behavior and stereotypical language seems somewhat racist, because it exacerbates the presence of societal prejudices that, unfortunately, continue to linger. It is available nationwide; its sales are not restricted to large cities or predominantly African-American neighborhoods. It appears on newsstands and in stores everywhere, subject to the diverse and critical eye of the public. Citizens who are not a member of the target audience may still encounter this magazine, so their perception of its messages will influence society’s attitude toward minority groups. American society has undergone severe behavioral and judicial evolution over the past century, and personal ethnicity can no longer be attached to certain lifestyles or behaviors. The Source, however, may be aggravating such stereotypes through its one-sided portrayal of urban culture.
Rolling Stone and The Source each target an entirely different audience group. Each magazine, however, placed artists on their cover who chose to ignore others in their search for independence. This implies that both publications place subtle emphasis on the value of personal liberation and self-reliance. When Jayceon Taylor was asked whether he would seek future musical assistance from Dr. Dre, he responded decidedly, “…I am forever in debt to him…But I work alone.” Chris Martin, in a similar comment to Rolling Stone, said with conviction, “The spirit of rock & roll is freedom. It's about following what you believe in and not caring what anyone else says.” Culturally and ethnically different musical icons, it seems, may occasionally find common ground in the values and messages they choose to send.
By Jeff Sholtis
South Park-Jake Kaplan
Comedy Centrals hit comedy series South Park, created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, is a show geared toward mature children and young adults that portrays a satirical view on events that are currently going on in the world. A couple of examples of topics the show has used are: the smallpox epidemic, the guitar hero fad, and a parody of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ titled The Passion of the Jew. Although the show has won multiple Emmy Awards it receives a ton of criticism worldwide as you can imagine from the aforementioned topics the series covers. The show rarely shows sympathy for anyone that may have been involved in any of these events. Instead it makes fun of every event; no matter how tragic or serious the event was to the people involved. This is not just every now and then; this is a clear pattern of how the show is written.
Obviously, the reason Parker and Stone do this is because it entertains their viewers in an original and very creative way but at the same time they are corrupting America’s youth. I know this because every week in high school, the morning after whenever a new episode was aired, talk of the content of the show was what everyone was talking about. Even months later you still hear references to quotes from South Park. It is definitely very influential on young people in America today.
As I mentioned earlier there are many adults, mostly parents of children who watch the show, that have complained that the show is inappropriate and inconsiderate and should not be on television. Although, it would take a huge call to action to get this show off the air, every letter that is written to Comedy Central, the FCC, or to Parker and Stone directly probably does help the cause of getting this show off the air or to at least lessen the extent of controversy they stir in the show.
Obviously, the reason Parker and Stone do this is because it entertains their viewers in an original and very creative way but at the same time they are corrupting America’s youth. I know this because every week in high school, the morning after whenever a new episode was aired, talk of the content of the show was what everyone was talking about. Even months later you still hear references to quotes from South Park. It is definitely very influential on young people in America today.
As I mentioned earlier there are many adults, mostly parents of children who watch the show, that have complained that the show is inappropriate and inconsiderate and should not be on television. Although, it would take a huge call to action to get this show off the air, every letter that is written to Comedy Central, the FCC, or to Parker and Stone directly probably does help the cause of getting this show off the air or to at least lessen the extent of controversy they stir in the show.
Mess and Media
Media and mass media are often used when discussing the power of modern communications. The word media is often used to refer to the communication of news. The word includes not only the newspapers, but the term can be extended to include magazines, TV show, internet and everything that can reach and inform large audience. In the Twenty-first century, TV show occupies an important role of media and become the most common way for people to get the information. However, some of the TV shows send the audience totally wrong information. The Comedy Central’s South Park usually exaggerations the issues and lead the audience toward to a wrong idea. South Park, which is created by four elementary main characters, uses the social issue or the privacy of celebrities as a topic to create the dark humor video. South Park is about four young boys growing up in the American Midwest. It sounds harmless enough, but the show is actually full of swearing, violence and gross humor.
The Comedy Central’s South Park performs the four characters in a carton version due to the untruth. Carton version can provide the audience an unreal sense so the audience will not mix the false information and the fact of the real world. Since the overall show is all made by the two Creator and Executive Producer, most of the plots are just jokes. For example, after the hijackers intentionally give the serious and unpredicted attack to both the economy system and the human lives of the U.S, South Park products one video which points that the U.S government is the actual assassin behind the scenes. It mentions that the U.S wanted to gain the support from other countries to assault the Iraq in order to get the benefit form the territory of Iraq. The purpose to do the secret conspiracy was due to the plenty oil and the market development. This show performs totally against to the truth. The creators satirize the government and the celebrities by portraying them as a group of insidious people. The dark humor is full of all the violent action and curing conversation in the carton in order to reflect the problem of society.
Overall, the purpose of the creators to make the film such like the South Park is to grab audience attention. Since the producers realize that everyone is interested in celebrities’ lives, they focus on the privacy of celebrities and make fun of them. By this point, they effetely advertise the show and make people pay attention to it. After the show achieves its first goal, grabbing people’s attention, it stars to develop more and more surprising topics which are focus on the social problem. Even most of the way the show represents is inappropriate, yet it gives the audience an opportunity to think about the problem of our environment. We can not deny all the issue that has shown in the South Park. Like the Exposes the 9/11 Hoax episode of South Park, it is true that the U.S government actually expects the natural resource form the territories of Iraq. It is also true that the U.S is trying to keep the power of the world, yet in an appropriate way. So even though the South Park is not a honor TV show, it actually provides he audience some subject to talk about.
Since the South Park always involves violent trouble and an inappropriate solution to solve the problem, it is definitely an unwelcome TV show for most of young people. Children who see the South Park as an entertainment will somehow imitate the characters. It not only influences the young’s personality but also the entire society indirectly. Also, children are too young to distinguish the truth and the false of the show. They might believe whatever information the South Park had provided to them and being misleading by the show. Parents would rather let their children to see The Simpson than the South Park since there is less violence and curing conversation. Even though the show is designed to reflect the problem of society, yet it also creates social problem at the same time.
South Park has the most extreme evaluation from the audience. Although there are so many inappropriate plots in the show, many people are still attracted by the humor in the show. Since it is impossible to use the political power to forbid the South Park, the associable department should at least move the time of the show to later at night in order to prevent young kids to watch it. Reducing the show time can help preventing kids to watch too. Also, some of the website such like Youtube should have sensor on the video which is inappropriate for younger children. After all children is the foundation of the country, we do not want any kind of inapposite media lead them to a wrong direction. Only if people prevent the inapt show from kids, our society can become a better world.
The Comedy Central’s South Park performs the four characters in a carton version due to the untruth. Carton version can provide the audience an unreal sense so the audience will not mix the false information and the fact of the real world. Since the overall show is all made by the two Creator and Executive Producer, most of the plots are just jokes. For example, after the hijackers intentionally give the serious and unpredicted attack to both the economy system and the human lives of the U.S, South Park products one video which points that the U.S government is the actual assassin behind the scenes. It mentions that the U.S wanted to gain the support from other countries to assault the Iraq in order to get the benefit form the territory of Iraq. The purpose to do the secret conspiracy was due to the plenty oil and the market development. This show performs totally against to the truth. The creators satirize the government and the celebrities by portraying them as a group of insidious people. The dark humor is full of all the violent action and curing conversation in the carton in order to reflect the problem of society.
Overall, the purpose of the creators to make the film such like the South Park is to grab audience attention. Since the producers realize that everyone is interested in celebrities’ lives, they focus on the privacy of celebrities and make fun of them. By this point, they effetely advertise the show and make people pay attention to it. After the show achieves its first goal, grabbing people’s attention, it stars to develop more and more surprising topics which are focus on the social problem. Even most of the way the show represents is inappropriate, yet it gives the audience an opportunity to think about the problem of our environment. We can not deny all the issue that has shown in the South Park. Like the Exposes the 9/11 Hoax episode of South Park, it is true that the U.S government actually expects the natural resource form the territories of Iraq. It is also true that the U.S is trying to keep the power of the world, yet in an appropriate way. So even though the South Park is not a honor TV show, it actually provides he audience some subject to talk about.
Since the South Park always involves violent trouble and an inappropriate solution to solve the problem, it is definitely an unwelcome TV show for most of young people. Children who see the South Park as an entertainment will somehow imitate the characters. It not only influences the young’s personality but also the entire society indirectly. Also, children are too young to distinguish the truth and the false of the show. They might believe whatever information the South Park had provided to them and being misleading by the show. Parents would rather let their children to see The Simpson than the South Park since there is less violence and curing conversation. Even though the show is designed to reflect the problem of society, yet it also creates social problem at the same time.
South Park has the most extreme evaluation from the audience. Although there are so many inappropriate plots in the show, many people are still attracted by the humor in the show. Since it is impossible to use the political power to forbid the South Park, the associable department should at least move the time of the show to later at night in order to prevent young kids to watch it. Reducing the show time can help preventing kids to watch too. Also, some of the website such like Youtube should have sensor on the video which is inappropriate for younger children. After all children is the foundation of the country, we do not want any kind of inapposite media lead them to a wrong direction. Only if people prevent the inapt show from kids, our society can become a better world.
Jerry Springer-Lauri Dafner
The Jerry Springer Show is an entity onto itself. The host, Jerry Springer, delivers an array of downright crude interviews full of obscenities and odd guests. Interviews range from stories about cheaters to full on fights between disgruntled family members. As seen on the “culture as a skyscraper” diagram, shows such as Jerry Springer place in the low class category for viewers. Therefore most interview themes are insignificant to the greater community and full of trivial themes and conflicts. Unlike most talk shows, guests are encouraged to get into physical fights. As mentioned earlier in the chapter, such shows as “Jackass” which was on MTV for a brief amount of time, delivers the same time themes. When looking at both television shows, the response is divided in each. One group of people would say the viewers are being influenced to subject themselves to such activities. Other groups of people would claim that these shows are simply for entertainment purposes.
Most stories are about people who are in the mist of fighting or have hateful feelings for another person. In which case these individuals come to the show to pursue conflict and solve their issues. When watching such a show as this, it is easy to wonder if those that are being interviewed have chosen to be portrayed in such a low class way. Reports have said that the producers of the show have coaxed people into appearing through false claims and promises.
By looking at all facets and goals of this television program, it seems as if the show aims to please viewers while leaving guests looking dumb. Many times guests are also given a false sense of why they are really on the show. This deceptiveness has lead to injury and even death. one significant interview lead to the murder of a guest. A woman was asked to come on the show and reconcile her relationship with her ex-husband, who she had been stalking. Little did she know that the show lied to get her on television. When she got on the show she was informed that her ex-husband had since remarried and wanted nothing to do with her. this conflict ended in tragedy when the ex-husband continued his rage off stage and killed the woman.
In this case the Jerry Springer show had an obligation to its guests to tell the truth. It is important for television networks and more importantly, the producers of shows to recognize and evaluate the condition of their guests. it is one thing to get good ratings, its another to strive to do so while tampering with guests fragile feelings and lives. Many times a line needs to be drawn. Over and over again the Jerry Springer show crosses that line.
Most stories are about people who are in the mist of fighting or have hateful feelings for another person. In which case these individuals come to the show to pursue conflict and solve their issues. When watching such a show as this, it is easy to wonder if those that are being interviewed have chosen to be portrayed in such a low class way. Reports have said that the producers of the show have coaxed people into appearing through false claims and promises.
By looking at all facets and goals of this television program, it seems as if the show aims to please viewers while leaving guests looking dumb. Many times guests are also given a false sense of why they are really on the show. This deceptiveness has lead to injury and even death. one significant interview lead to the murder of a guest. A woman was asked to come on the show and reconcile her relationship with her ex-husband, who she had been stalking. Little did she know that the show lied to get her on television. When she got on the show she was informed that her ex-husband had since remarried and wanted nothing to do with her. this conflict ended in tragedy when the ex-husband continued his rage off stage and killed the woman.
In this case the Jerry Springer show had an obligation to its guests to tell the truth. It is important for television networks and more importantly, the producers of shows to recognize and evaluate the condition of their guests. it is one thing to get good ratings, its another to strive to do so while tampering with guests fragile feelings and lives. Many times a line needs to be drawn. Over and over again the Jerry Springer show crosses that line.
The Maury Show-Emily Shuff
Maury Povich, a respected journalist and the host of his popular TV show Maury, talks to his viewers about compelling issues that impact teens, their parents, and society as a whole. Now in his ninth season, it is clear his viewers believe his topics are tolerable and do not push ethical boundaries.
The Maury Show covers a variety of topics from odd couples to paternity tests, and while some incidents cause for foul language, the language is always cut out of the episode and the mouth is blurred so one cannot make out what the person was trying to say. Unlike Jerry Springer, there is no violence on Maury, and Maury’s goal is to find a solution to the problem, where The Jerry Springer show tends to never find an answer. Also, Maury’s show has never had any known confrontations with outside authorities due to the content in the show, where as The Jerry Springer Show was linked to a murder after the guest was on his show.
Some key patterns on Maury’s show are the way the guests are introduced on the show. Each guest is given a proper introduction, and is given equal airtime as the other guests on the show. The guests then sit beside Maury in the chairs he has set out for them. Also, Maury’s compassion for his guests is a rare find on television talk shows. He always offers more help if anyone needs it, and he is always willing to devote his time to help someone’s life a little easier. Each episode he continues to show his caring nature, which is another pattern shown.
The reasoning behind Maury’s compassion is due to his feelings toward his own show. Without his passion for his guests and viewers, he would not have had nine seasons of a successful show. The way Maury has his guests introduced and has them sit beside him might mean that he wants everyone to feel equal, and not have someone seem favored.
Overall, Maury Povich seems to have a good grasp on what is acceptable to put on TV. Maury brings many different types of people on the show, not focusing on one group of people. He talks about topics that relate to everyone, and treats his guests with respect, as well as his viewers.
Writing a formal e-mail or letter could be one way to let the studio know about the critiques made. Also, contacting the FCC with ideas and critiques can be another way to let them know of one’s findings on the specific topic.
The Maury Show covers a variety of topics from odd couples to paternity tests, and while some incidents cause for foul language, the language is always cut out of the episode and the mouth is blurred so one cannot make out what the person was trying to say. Unlike Jerry Springer, there is no violence on Maury, and Maury’s goal is to find a solution to the problem, where The Jerry Springer show tends to never find an answer. Also, Maury’s show has never had any known confrontations with outside authorities due to the content in the show, where as The Jerry Springer Show was linked to a murder after the guest was on his show.
Some key patterns on Maury’s show are the way the guests are introduced on the show. Each guest is given a proper introduction, and is given equal airtime as the other guests on the show. The guests then sit beside Maury in the chairs he has set out for them. Also, Maury’s compassion for his guests is a rare find on television talk shows. He always offers more help if anyone needs it, and he is always willing to devote his time to help someone’s life a little easier. Each episode he continues to show his caring nature, which is another pattern shown.
The reasoning behind Maury’s compassion is due to his feelings toward his own show. Without his passion for his guests and viewers, he would not have had nine seasons of a successful show. The way Maury has his guests introduced and has them sit beside him might mean that he wants everyone to feel equal, and not have someone seem favored.
Overall, Maury Povich seems to have a good grasp on what is acceptable to put on TV. Maury brings many different types of people on the show, not focusing on one group of people. He talks about topics that relate to everyone, and treats his guests with respect, as well as his viewers.
Writing a formal e-mail or letter could be one way to let the studio know about the critiques made. Also, contacting the FCC with ideas and critiques can be another way to let them know of one’s findings on the specific topic.
Monday, July 14, 2008
South Park Influence
South Park is a television show that is viewed by all different types of people, although they all share one similar interest: comedy. This show’s humor revolves around political controversy and race, constantly mocking political figures and situations. Although South Park may seem like reckless humor, society’s opinion has to ability to be swayed through simple mass media. As “Examining Ethics” states, “Such programs and practices on TV shows raise serious ethical questions. Complicating any discussion of ethics, however, are the competing values that govern how talk and reality shows handle topics and guests” (pg 21). There is controversy revolving around South Park, due to their mockery of serious issues in society. Comedy Central includes multiple different topics in their shows, ranging from movie stars to singers to race to politics. South Park continually taunts the terrorist attack of September 11th, 2001 as well as race and religion. These subjects are extremely serious issues and portraying them as humorous can affect the viewer’s opinion on stereotypes.
The affect of immediate coverage regarding any serious situation also plays an important role in society. As well as immediate coverage, loss of verbal communication also plays an important role, because many people form their own opinions based on their personal experiences. A pattern that has emerged from many episodes in South Park is the mockery of stereotypes and political situations. For example, South Park plays an image from September 11th, and circulates the message that the attack was thoroughly planned by the United States government. The messages that South Park relays regarding the government has the ability to influence viewers to question the motive of the United States. Not only does South Park deride the government, it constantly mocks and stereotypes religions such as Judaism, Catholicism, Christianity and Islam. Many ask, “why mock so many serious topics?” The use of humor is South Park’s method to portray opinion and humor is a way to draw attention to possible viewers. Since humor is a popular motive for people to watch a show, it is a convenient way to present opinion.
South Park’s expression of opinion and mockery of many controversial subjects has a negative affect through mass media. Unfavorable thoughts involving different types of people are depicted as funny, which can affect viewers without even being aware of it. Although South Park is a tendentious television show, there are benefits to its personal perspective. The ability to participate in conversation and debate arises from the expression of personal opinion. South Park’s use of public advocacy through humor and mockery is not a method that is fair to the subject. Although the content is believed to be amusing, it is re-enforcing to the viewer’s that stereotyping people is acceptable, as well as comical.
The affect of immediate coverage regarding any serious situation also plays an important role in society. As well as immediate coverage, loss of verbal communication also plays an important role, because many people form their own opinions based on their personal experiences. A pattern that has emerged from many episodes in South Park is the mockery of stereotypes and political situations. For example, South Park plays an image from September 11th, and circulates the message that the attack was thoroughly planned by the United States government. The messages that South Park relays regarding the government has the ability to influence viewers to question the motive of the United States. Not only does South Park deride the government, it constantly mocks and stereotypes religions such as Judaism, Catholicism, Christianity and Islam. Many ask, “why mock so many serious topics?” The use of humor is South Park’s method to portray opinion and humor is a way to draw attention to possible viewers. Since humor is a popular motive for people to watch a show, it is a convenient way to present opinion.
South Park’s expression of opinion and mockery of many controversial subjects has a negative affect through mass media. Unfavorable thoughts involving different types of people are depicted as funny, which can affect viewers without even being aware of it. Although South Park is a tendentious television show, there are benefits to its personal perspective. The ability to participate in conversation and debate arises from the expression of personal opinion. South Park’s use of public advocacy through humor and mockery is not a method that is fair to the subject. Although the content is believed to be amusing, it is re-enforcing to the viewer’s that stereotyping people is acceptable, as well as comical.
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