Minh

__**Minh Tri Le**__

__**Block 1 Room 206**__

__**26th September 2011**__

__**Media and Society. An Introduction. Active Reading Analysis.**__

In this readout, it is more focused on the effects and how media is perceived than analysing different types of media. Most note – worthy is how media is affecting the world, economics, social and political – each with different out – takes and opinions on how media is perceived to have a effect on these factors, good and bad. What I must note however, is that this piece is from one perspective as it was written by one person therefore we must take into account and caution that this source might be biased to the each of the different opinion spectrums of media, and how profoundly do media affect the world. Media is a whole host of modern communication systems, which are constantly changing. Factors that make up “media” are


 * Development of new forms.
 * Development of technology.
 * Change in characteristics.
 * Historical developments.
 * Economic determinants.
 * Social determinants.

Determinants - A factor that decisively affects the nature or outcome of something.

What I have read is that media is developed to suit a person or a party’s needs. Example:


 * Most media changes have occurred in a capitalist economy, so their development has been influenced by profit motives.
 * Governments use the media to promote their agendas. (Similar as the profiteering associating capitalist media, to promote their franchise in order to sell their good to make money.)
 * However there is concern about the potential power of the media, therefore governments implement retainers of the potential power of media using censorship laws, licensing and the public ownership of the media – similar to the BBC in Britain.

This shows that media is a very powerful influence. Although this statement might be wrong and biased without proper evidence. Although we must agree that the media has become a very powerful nature to us as stated from this extract from the “Fears about political use of media” chapter in the hand out: The term “estate” derives from the time of the French Revolution, when judiciary, the parliament, and the church were referred to as the first, second, and third estates respectfully. The media, as the fourth estate, are a body who can comment on, criticise, and investigate, through free speech, what these other institutions do.” This extract shows that the media has become a very influential state of existence that it is regarded as a “fourth estate” next to the church and government – both very influential powers, which has caused a lot of controversy and opinions on “Media”.

Alan: I think all media, which includes this text, are biased. Unless it is a scientific article it is almost impossible to present it without any form of bias. The media is something that evolves with society and culture. I would say that, nowadays, the way society works is almost entirely based on capitalism. No doubt media is going to be influenced by it, then. When I think about it, though, it makes me wonder if the people that own different media care just about personal interest and making money. That is where I stop and ask myself whether I can trust them or not. I realise that the media needs to have at least some kind of validity in order to make profit, though.

__**Top documentaries**__

__**Sexy Inc.**__


 * People sing songs without realising what it the words mean.
 * “Let’s have sex and go”
 * Age where they want to fit in. To be popular, you have to be hot. They start imitating, wearing the same as their idols.
 * Children receive sexual bombardment as if it was normal.
 * For boys it is different, for girls it is much worse.
 * Girls who are dressing up as prostitutes is apparently normal.
 * The gender has become its own stereotype: love to shop, crushing on boys.
 * Quickening the age maturity in young people.
 * Boys are being persuaded to be players, pimps therefore using girls as objects to boost their popularity.
 * Stealing the children’s childhood.
 * No difference between porn and the advertisements as it has become so normal to see half naked girls advertised.
 * Pornography = internet
 * Sex sells.
 * Pornography is a very big and profitable industry.

Examples

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__**Response to the Muslim Debate Notes**__


 * Media depicts the average Muslim as terrorists, anarchists and extremists.
 * This affects the public opinion.
 * After the events of 9/11, 7/7, War on terrorism, the media “attacks” on Islam has indentified.
 * Not all of Islam is like those extremists.
 * The media just reports the negative side of Islam, giving it a bad image.
 * However some actions of Islam cannot be ignored, for example the burning of the British flag and poppies and Remembrance Day.
 * Media usually reports the negative side of things to make the subject in question to sway public opinion to hate that subject.
 * The public opinion in England on Islam reflects the power that media has on changing our viewpoints.
 * There are similar persecutions over the world, including Christians begin harassed. It is only because the events of 9/11 have intensified and highlighted Islam because it was associated with Islam.

__**Merchants of Cool**__


 * Teenagers want to be cool, follow their idols and they have the cash for it.
 * Parents give their children money to spend as sometime as guilt money: “here is some cash now go because I can’t spend time with you.”
 * On average teens spend 100 billion and another 50 billion from the parents.
 * Teens follow the “cool”. “Cool hunting.”
 * Many companies try to fine the “cool” as it finding it proves to be profitable, but the problem is, when companies find it, it stops becoming “cool.”
 * This makes teens view marketers as their enemies.
 * Hip Hop
 * Sprite and hip hop proved to be successful, by combining a brand and a culture.
 * Teenagers are being “colonized” by youth culture from marketers.
 * MTV showed their marketing, which led to the loss of popularity. MTV realised “cool” is not their birth right, it belongs to the kids, who keeps changing their perception of “cool”.
 * Mook.
 * Midrib.
 * Sex sophistication with teen series.
 * Sex sells.
 * Teenagers are consumed by sex.
 * Companies make images of teenagers and then sell it back to them.