Category: Entertainment & Media 1830

Cultural media

The influence of cultural media studies on media trends has gained considerable interest among media scientists over the past decade. This new paradigm has been used to interpret the effect and relationship between mass media and the social structure. This aspect of media can be interrogated from various perspectives in any piece of media material.

The dominant and subordinate groups perspective for instance offers a capitalist-based division and segregation of the social structure. The capitalist society is divided along gender race nationality ethnicity among other factors. The extent of division in the social structure however depend s heavily on the situation and circumstances. This therefore causes a constant struggle for attention and prominent among the dominant and subordinate groups.

This extends to the cultural arena where the conquest is based on the need for recognition and respect by fellow members of society. The dominant group seeks to naturalize the minority and subordinate groups while the subordinate groups on the other hand resist the naturalization. This interplay allows a media material to shape the audience mode of thinking to accept certain states of affairs and live by them.

The participants of the Iraqi war have been branded as terrorists and this has been cultivated into the minds of the mass that such persons are dangerous. The key note significantly portrays the war of groups such as between the pro war and anti-war activists (Gordon 1997 p35).

The hegemony perspective suggests that disadvantaged groups and personalities tend to support a negative or substantially negative stand with the aim of getting back at the society for marginalizing them. Disadvantaged members of the voting society therefore readily support the lesser of good policy manifesto or ideology. They are easily swayed by a clever advertisement that sways their loyalty. This therefore means that there is a certain category of persons who are really influenced due to either lack of knowledge or insufficient knowledge. The media was manipulated strategically positioned and stage managed into a smooth selling narrative with a pro war agenda (Sparks 2006, p89).

The polysemy perspective on the other hand suggests that different people have different perspectives to an advertisement. The difference is caused by the variance in the individuals personal experiences beliefs attitudes values interests as well as their level of knowledge. This therefore means that not every person who reads and sees an advertisement with guns and gunfire between soldiers and civilians interprets it to mean the one thing.

Others will sympathize with one side others will feel agitated by the thought of war while others enjoy the thrill of the thought. These diverse conceptions can however be categorized into three main categories. The dominant or preferred readers agree and accept dominant thought. They for instance will go for the majority conception that the Iraqis themselves are to blame for the continued war. They therefore readily receive ideology as long as its the dominant opinion.

The negotiated reader neither questions nor disagrees with the dominant opinion but goes on to add aspects of their social or personal experience and knowledge into the situation for a better and personalized conception. They will therefore employ their individual moral and ethical stands on war into the whole Iraq war business. The resistant or oppositional reader on the other hand will disagree with the propositions of determinant thought and goes on to develop their own independent explanation.

The story telling value of the piece and the narrative quality of the key note allows it to generate sustain and maintain interest in the listener and inspires a sense of curiosity. It need not begin with the prescribed beginning notation but it has a beginning a climax and an end all of which are important in narration. They allow the audience to maintain consistent and interested stream of thought.

The Toronto school paradigm

The technological determinism assumption suggests that the capacity provided by the available technological means must be fully exploited. The manner and extent of the exploitation however depends on the technology its self. In effect the technological capacity of a society determines its potential since all other factors are deemed to rarely interact and depend on technology in one way or another. Social constructs are therefore a mere by product of the technological segregation based on the access ownership distribution and interaction with technology (Deakin University (DU) 2009, p1-7).

Globalization on the other hand perceives of the world as an interconnection of technologies. These technologies are linked and jointed together by satellites fiber optics and other technological digital mechanisms. Therefore the message may be common but the manner in which it is presented determines heavily how it will be received and interpreted. A picture and a cartoon of the same will give different perceptions of the same picture (Cunningham and Flew 1997, p23), the quality and manner of the presentation of the information determines the message that will be conveyed. The American media for instance maintains a slim margin between coverage and reporting as is criticized by the key note.

The reporting of war and war related issues rely heavily on the mode in which they are presented. The media could for instance provide a live coverage of a bombing in Iraq in the alternative of a narrated story of the bombing with several pictures. The level of seriousness that comes with the live coverage by passes the attention that the listener gives to the narration and written text.

The determinist view on the advent of technology suggests that the constraints that are caused by distance have been overcome by the harmony in the various technological appliances. During the earlier wars such as the world war, certain events went unnoticed and unreported due to the constraints of distance and communication barriers. The onset of technology has converted the information market into a global society. This therefore implies that every death bombing or gunfire that reaches the reporting desk had a chance at the global arena (Fitzgerald 2001p 35).

This has however suffered the influence and pollution of politics that has allowed mass media to be infected by propaganda. The threat caused by Iraq for instance was marred by the self interest and propaganda with the interested parties using the media such as the newspapers and televisions. The mass media was used to feed the society with the power ideology especially after the September 11 attacks. The international opinion was greatly ignored and became a tool of war giving the administration a justification to bypass the international community restrictions and cautions. (Hall 1996, pp. 12838). The commencement of the war was therefore motivated by inaccurate exaggerated and incorrect media reporting.

The critical theory paradigm

The mass media in the United States took a dominant ideology on a pro war perspective. The media took a cheerleading role in the motivating and stimulating of pro-war ideologies that subsequently catalyzed the subsequent attach of the Iraqis. This was mainly done through print and visual media which provided exaggerated information on the casualties and effects of the various terrorist attacks causing a more than proportionate reaction from the society. The majority of the media housed preached pro war messages that molded and developed into dominant thought.

There actually existed alternative viable options that could be explored instead of pro war ideologies. There was a considerable and available option of international interventions thought the international community. Bodies such as the United Nations had the capacity to interpretively and comprehensively investigate the claims of possession weapons of mass destruction. The united nations had commenced a weapons investigation in to the claims but due to the polluted media coverage and reporting the united states by passed these alternatives and went on to launch a defensive war (Fiske 1992, pp. 284326)

The coverage of war and war related issues is a matter of public interest and stirs the majority opinion on the effects and consequences as well as the implications of the war. In as long as the media continues to feed the people with war related information the more the people became more agitated. The failure of media to interrogate and question the implications of a certain ideology causes dire consequences such as those of the Iraqi war.

The critical responsibility that is borne by critical journalists and key note presenters maintains a continuous and viable force that drives the mass media movement in a consistent and stable direction. The media has however been corrupted and literally employed to serve specific interests. The media left the anti war activists to be marginalized and choked by the dominant thought. This therefore means that the pentagon made a strategic and planned media strategies that moved beyond the mere public relations developing the attack of Iraq as a sweet narrative that presented Iraq as the problem and an attack as the only solution.

The plans were highly funded and motivated with media being given hints and leads that compromised actual proper reporting. Individual reporters rights such as the BBC news reporters were violated and not reported in Bagdad to secure their offices. This therefore means that the fancy for a war was up and motivated and there was no turning back. This led to the subsequent attach and death of thousands of citizens and innocent persons.

References

Cunningham, S & Flew, T (1997) Media futures, in S Cunningham & G Turner(eds), The media in Australia: industries, texts, audiences, 2nd edn,Allen & Unwin, St Leonards.

Deakin University(DU). (2009) Approaches to media: Audiences and Effects.Custom Publication Cengage Learning. Deakin University: Geelong.

Fiske, J. (1992) British cultural studies and television, in RC Allen (ed.),Channels of discourse, reassembled, 2nd edn. Routledge, London,pp. 284326.

Fitzgerald, J. (2001) Marshall McLuhan: wiseguy, XYZ Publishing, Montreal, Canada.

Gordon, W.T. (1997) Marshall McLuhan: escape into understandinga biography. Basic Books. New York.

Hall, S. (1996) Encoding/decoding, in S Hall, D Hobson, A Lowe &P Willis (eds), Culture, media, language, Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies, University of Birmingham.UK, pp. 12838.

Sparks, G.G. (2006) Media effects research: a basic overview, 2nd edn, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. California: Belmont.

Dove Chooses Beautiful campaign is focused on female body image and body acceptance, which are significant issues in contemporary society. The slogan Choose Beautiful encourages women to let go of their insecurities about appearance and feel beautiful in the body that they have now. Thus, Doves campaign reflects the value that is attributed to appearances in contemporary society but chooses to also depict the values of acceptance of self-love. While this differs from cultural norms, the example is positive because it encourages meaningful cultural change that would make women feel better about themselves and their appearance.

The campaign also depicts some essential stereotypes and generalizations that are relevant to contemporary society. First, Dove includes stereotypical images of beautiful women when it shows women who chose the beautiful door. The campaign illustrates that women who feel beautiful are mostly tall, thin, and have attractive facial features. The key generalization made by Dove is that all women are conscious about their appearance and want to be considered beautiful rather than average. While this is true for many women who choose to adhere to cultural norms, not all women feel this way.

Dove is based in the United Kingdom, and although body image issues are widespread in this culture, the country is considered to be rather progressive in terms of its views on female empowerment, body image, and beauty. In contrast, there are many cultures that are yet to accept the notion that women must look beautiful and conform to societys expectations with regards to their appearance.

For example, in contemporary American culture, plastic surgery and weight loss are among the most common trends. For people from this culture, the generalizations and stereotypes appearing in Doves campaign are relevant, but the message behind it would likely evoke a neutral or negative response. People who agree with the notion that women must look beautiful might feel that the campaign is unnecessary because women would still need to change their appearance to look more beautiful. They might also feel indignant at the notion that women who do not conform to the idealistic beauty image can be called beautiful and feel this way. Thus, despite the similarity in cultural norms, stereotypes, and generalizations, viewers from a contrasting culture would have a different response to the campaign.

The influences of Doves Campaign are mostly positive, although there are some areas for improvement. Firstly, the campaign provides empowerment for women who feel insecure about their appearance, thus helping them to gain confidence and address body image issues. Secondly, the campaign refuses the idealistic image of beauty in favor of diverse images, arguing that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors. This could have a positive effect on contemporary culture because it promotes diversity and empowers women from different backgrounds. These positive changes in culture could help to promote body positivity and fight body image issues, eating disorders, and insecurities.

One negative influence that could be attributed to the campaign is that it excludes men and non-binary persons. This aspect is harmful because it makes men and non-binary persons think that their body image issues do not deserve media attention and are not significant. Additionally, the message of the campaign emphasizes the importance of beauty, which could undermine its purpose and lead to adverse effects.

In order to improve the campaign for people with contrasting values and address globalization from an ethical viewpoint, Dove could include more diversity in this campaign. The campaign could also include more nationalities instead of focusing on just three countries. This would help the organization to approach globalization from an ethical perspective by promoting multiculturalism and inclusion.

Today, professional experience and qualifications determine entry into a given career. The two elements also affect the ultimate growth of ones professional life. The rise of the internet age has brought in a third important factor. To this end, it is noted that increased digital presence improves the chances for a career growth. According to Aragon (2003), an online presence is needed to boost the chances of being scouted or recruited into a particular company. In light of this, it is important to note that increased social networking improves an individuals online presence. The current essay is written against this background. It is a comparative analysis of two LinkedIn profiles.

The essay will compare my personal LinkedIn profile with that of Mr. Christian DeFaria. The latter is the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa. According to OMurchu, Breslin, and Decker (2004), benchmarking against seasoned professionals is an easy way of improving an online presence. In this regard, the comparison will outline the necessary components of a profile needed to achieve the objectives set above. Inclusion of these elements in my profile will immensely improve my online presence.

LinkedIn Profiles

The online community is interconnected by the many social networks existing today. In most cases, such networks as Facebook and Twitter are used to pass information and share experiences among friends and other internet users. In the professional circles, LinkedIn and such other sites are emerging. The objective of such platforms is to connect professionals around the world. In the book 32 Ways to be a Champion in Business, Johnson (2009) is of the view that networking is an integral aspect of professional development. In light of this, LinkedIn is seen as a platform through which professionals can endorse each others skills. The potential of this profile in this field is quite immense to the extent that it may phase out resumes and CVs in the future.

Profile Pictures and Professional Networking

A profile on LinkedIn is similar to a conventional resume in the sense that it sells an individual as a brand in the market. In this case, a profile picture is necessary as it enhances the appearance and appeal of the individual owning the profile (OMurchu et al., 2004).

When compared to the profile owned by DeFaria (n.d), it is apparent that my account fails to catch the attention of a potential visitor or employer. At look at his page reveals that DeFaria (n.d.) has posted a photo that gives an outline of his entire body or physical appearance. In contrast, the photo on my profile is fuzzy and lacks clarity in detail. As a result, it is impossible to identify the person who appears on my profile or connect the image to me.

As already mentioned, a picture is an important means of promoting an individual as a brand. Smith and Kawasaki (2011) are of the opinion that a professional profile requires a formal outlook for it to appeal to the visitor. In line with this, DeFaria (n.d.) has posted an image of a smart and presentable person. The formal outfit goes on to add a professional flair to his brand as a person. On its part, my profile picture does not suggest any form of professionalism or intellectual presence. Perhaps, one of the main reasons is that I took the picture myself, something that may explain its low quality. Such kinds of pictures fail to outline most of the features of an individual.

Summary of a LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn provides an opportunity for an individual to give a general overview of their professional career path and background. OMurchu et al. (2004) point out that many people do not like the idea of developing self-summaries to promote their brand. However, Smith and Kawasaki (2011) suggest that such paragraphs optimize the chances of finding an individual online. An example is given of a recruiter who is interested in an advanced Mandarin speaker. Such key words, if present in ones summary in the profile, will boost their chances of being recruited by the potential employer.

A comparison of the two profiles reveals a worrying scenario on my part. Whereas DeFaria (n.d.) has a clearly defined summary, I have not indicated anything of the sort on my account. Smith and Kawasaki (2011) point out that such self-summaries are meant to highlight skills and capabilities that are in possession of the individual owning the profile. To underscore this point, Smith and Kawasaki (2011) make reference to the LinkedIn CEO, who argues that people can easily be found online based on their skills, ambitions, and aspects they intend to accomplish in life. A summary improves the chances of having an individual appear near the top of the search results generated after a set of key words are used in the process.

Experience and LinkedIn Profiles

The background of a professional profile gives a history of ones work experience. My profile simply illustrates the languages I am proficient in. However, unlike me, DeFaria (n.d.) clearly outlines his work experience and such other qualifications. Aragon (2003) argues that there needs to be some form of chronological order in the outline of an individuals work history and experience. DeFaria (n.d) adheres to this concept by outlining his work history from the earliest to the most recent.

The experience of an individual convinces a potential employer that to they are in possession of the capabilities needed to handle specific tasks. OMurchu et al. (2004) argue that experience does not necessarily translate to the time spent in employment or such other career pursuits. Beginners in a given career path can outline their activities while still in school prior to graduation. For instance, time spent volunteering is considered as experience in the job market. I have some form of experience that could have been included in my online profile. Failure to indicate the experience is one of the factors that contribute to my low presence on the internet.

Professional Endorsements and Online Presence

LinkedIn provides professionals with the opportunity for to outline their skills and qualifications. Smith and Kawasaki (2011) suggest that skills can be endorsed as a show of confidence on the individual. However, one cannot receive endorsement if their network is small and restricted to a particular group. DeFaria (n.d.) has a lot of endorsements on all the skills he has posted on his profile. Unfortunately, my profile has no endorsements at all. Such a scenario speaks volumes to potential recruiters who may come across my online account.

Acquiring endorsements requires one to increase their activity or presence within their network, however small or large it may be. Johnson (2009) talks of reciprocation as a way of benefitting from professional networks on the internet. In this regard, one is expected to take some time to approve the skills of other people in their network. The people who have been endorsed will respond in kind by supporting the qualifications of the individual. The result is a network of professionals who have confidence in each others skills and capabilities. Such a move acts as a vote of confidence in relation to the capabilities of a professional.

Headlines, Online Resumes, and Professionalism

Companies use catch phrases to attract consumers to their products. The same is true if one is to reel in potential recruiters. According to Aragon (2003), profile headlines act as bait to interested parties. A comparative analysis of the two LinkedIn profiles reveals that none of us seems to have taken this concept into consideration when developing our respective profiles. A suitable headline has the potential to increase traffic to ones profile since it makes it irresistible. Mr. DeFaria and I have wasted that opportunity.

Membership to Groups

The internet provides users with various platforms where shared interests can be found. For instance, if one is in the telecommunications sector, there are a number of groups in which they can access membership. Smith and Kawasaki (2011) argue that belonging to various groups increases the chances of individuals attracting more connections and possible recruiters.

A comparison of the two profiles reveals a shocking disparity between them. DeFaria (n.d.) is an active member of multiple groups, while my profile indicates nothing of the sort. According to Smith and Kawasaki (2011), every professional needs to belong to a body in their field. Such membership allows for discussions on how best to improve within a career. To this extent, it is essential for individuals to seek out these professional groups.

Recommendations

Based on the two profiles compared in this essay, it is evident that online presence can be improved through networking. LinkedIn is one of the preferred options in relation to interactions among professionals across the globe. However, a profile alone is not enough to increase ones presence online. Aragon (2003) points out that many professionals need to undertake a number of initiatives on their online platforms to increase their existence. The following recommendations are made in response to the disparities seen in the two LinkedIn profiles:

1. Headliners: A catchy phrase that describes an individual is the ideal bait to hook potential connections. In this regard, I recommend that professional profiles must have a headline.
2. Corporate image: In essence, LinkedIn is a marketplace where ones profession is dissected and analyzed. In light of this, it is important to present a corporate image. As such, I recommend the use of profile pictures where the user is neat and presentable. The use of self-taken photos should be discouraged as they do not reveal all the features of an individual.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to note that an online presence is essential in the current business environment. Johnson (2009) suggests that an online presence is beneficial to employees and entrepreneurs alike. The underlying principle entails acquisition of sufficient networks to boost ones career. The recommendations made are expected to increase the traffic to the professional profile. The future is shifting to cyberspace and only those with a huge presence will benefit. Every person engaged in employment is required to cultivate a strong online presence.

References

Aragon, S. (2003). Creating social presence in online environments. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 100, 57-68.

DeFaria Christian. (n.d.) LinkedIn. Web.

Johnson, E. (2009). 32 ways to become a champion in business. Boston: Crown Business.

OMurchu, I., Breslin, J., & Decker, S. (2004). Online social and business networking communities. Web.

Smith, M., & Kawasaki, G. (2011). The new relationship marketing: How to build a large, loyal, profitable network using the social web. New York: Wiley.

Introduction

Films as any form of media convey a message or more that either informs, entertains or stirs its viewers to take action. Others such as historical movies present a narrative of a past era of which its producers need to convey a clear understanding of the situations, characters and circumstances to its current viewers.

History films, according to Richter (2007) is historiography with the special powers and limitations of film [&] density of visual detail, which allows a feature film, with the requisite financing, to convey more about the texture of life of a past era in a few shots than a book about the period could in many pages, (p 143). In addition, this type of movie is written for the wider audience or mass market and somehow related in some sense to the real world people live in.

This paper will argue that Goodnight, and Goodluck are not historically accurate but took parts of history to present its message and encourage a much-needed media industry action for public service.

Discussion

Good Night, and Good Luck is considered a narrative film that took place in the early days of radio. Edward R. Murrow and producer Fred W. Friendly fought a dragon-like character Senator Joseph McCarthy. Together with reporter Joseph Wershba in the CBS newsroom, they defied corporate and sponsorship pressures although in a campaign that tested them and their nearest of relations. There had been instances that discrediting the Senator in his crusade to root out communist elements within the government were climactic to the lead characters who were somehow or indirectly involved with suspected communists.

The movie opened with the speech of Murrow given in his salutation night where he summoned his fellows to become vigilant, acknowledging the intelligence of readers and viewers as:

I am entirely persuaded that the American public is more reasonable, restrained and more mature than most of our industrys program planners believe. Their fear of controversy is not warranted by the evidence. I have reason to know, as do many of you, that when the evidence on a controversial subject is fairly and calmly presented, the public recognizes it for what it isan effort to illuminate rather than to agitate, (RTNDA, 2009).

The teams earliest case was of US Air Force officer Milo Radulovich being harassed and stripped of his commission from the U.S. Air Force due to his sisters political leanings. The officers father complicated the situation as a subscriber of a Serbian newspaper. The conflict between Murrow and McCarthy escalated into a public feud when McCarthy accused Murrow as a communist. McCarthy insisted that Murrow is a member of the leftist union Industrial Workers of the World.

The films one of the most obvious historical lapses is the time when Alcoa, a major sponsor of Murrows show See It Now pulled out, suggested by the film to have been an effect of the McCarthy exposure. Alcoa, however, actually pulled out two years after the McCarthy sensation, and that the pull-out had been due to popularity ratings (Richter, 2007).

So much like the 1950s, its current show year (2005) was also viewed to address mass media in general to be courageous in questioning government leaders when the Republican Party was virtually in control of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the government (Richter, 2007).

The film tackled a climate of fear and reprisal. In the film, however, the role of CBS was not highlighted, despite the open knowledge that it was headed by businessman William Paley with a White House golfing partner. In the movie, the show and its team seemed to have been independent of its actions against McCarthy as compared to the role of political support (the president at that time did not support McCarthy).

It highlighted instead an unquestionable view on censorship as experienced in the exchange of words between Paley and Murrow. In the movie argument which may have been romanticized, insisted that, I never, never said no to you. Never. Of which Murrow replied, &And I would also argue that never saying no is not the same as not censoring. Paley retorted and questioned about Murrow failing to correct McCarthys accusation that Alger Hiss was convicted of treason, instead of perjury, which, Paley viewed as censorship.

The movie featured other historical footage such as the trial of Annie Lee Moss, a Pentagon communication worker alleged as a communist. Moss had her name on a list seen by an FBI infiltrator of the American Communist Party. Other footage showed reporter Wershba and his wife having to keep their marriage secret so as not to lose their jobs at CBS. Another subplot was the suicide of Don Hollenbeck, another alleged Communist. Their accuracy definitely is out of the question as time-limit and other circumstantial filming strategies need to be considered.

The film is seen as mentioned earlier, to highlight as much as Murrow did in his speech addressed to fellow journalists the ways in which the Bush administration tried to stifle freedom of the press. Richter (2007) noted Clooneys film to have impacted a more questioning media on the motives and competence of the administration.

As for its historical accuracy, Stoddard and Marcus (2006) suggested that the burden of historical representation [&] is difficult to meet as the desire for profits in Hollywood often prevails over the desire to tell the story through the eyes of all participants and not just those who are similar to the target audience, (p 27). Aside from different views that need to be considered in reconstructing one truth or reality, there are various constraints that are necessary for film production finances, budgeting, time constraint, and other limitations that in the end need to address the most relevant: profits.

Dilemmas would always confront a lot of film productions and this includes Goodnight, and Goodluck, which at most tries to reach out to an audience that may not be knowledgeable about the inner world of journalism and mass media. In addition to the cynic view on media as simply another business entity after profits, the problem about glorifying media people is the probable misrepresentation of both sides of the story which media people themselves live by.

Conclusion

Goodnight, and Goodluck is a double entendre movie that both presents a past era as well as induces vigilance on a current situation. Like any other movie, it adopted certain historical representations to highlight a point, exaggerate an issue or scene without the intention to sacrifice credibility. This is forgivable in instances when the movies substance and essence overshadow its flaws.

Goodnight, and Goodluck while giving tribute to a historical account of the courage and integrity of broadcast journalist Murrow and his producer Friendly, the support of Paley and CBS in general, also challenged a more recent crop of journalists or the media industry to rein in their freedom to present to a public the information that they need to know, which is the incompetence of a government administration as well as its questionable motives. Historical accuracy is not its purpose, and this is its essence.

Reference

Warner Bros. (2009). Goodnight, Goodluck. Web.

Edward R. Murrow Speech (2009). Industry Leaders Web.

Richter, David H. (2007). Keeping Company in Hollywood: Ethical Issues in Nonfiction Film. Narrative, Volume 15, Number 2, pp. 140-166

Stoddard, Jeremy D. and Marcus, Alan S. The Burden of Historical Representation: Race, Freedom, and Educational Hollywood Film. Film & History: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Film and Television Studies, Volume 36.1 (2006), pp. 26-35

In the not-so-distant past video games catered to a very small market of dedicated young enthusiasts. However, from games like Mario and Pac-Man to the advanced next-generation consoles and video games that exist today, the video game industry has evolved into a global powerhouse. Subsequently, all the members of the gaming industrys value chain have benefited from this evolution.

Publishers

One of those members is the Publishers, which have grown into huge and successful businesses themselves. Their chief responsibility is to fund the actual developers of the video games, manage the sales and marketing aspect of the finalized product and take proactive business decisions which make a videogame better suited to certain markets. Some of the biggest Publishing houses include Electronic Arts, Activision, and Take-Two Interactive Software. However, the rapid improvement in technology and increases in innovative solutions for both hardware and software means that consoles have a very short lifespan. For publishers, this translates as regular large-scale investments in new next-generation console launches, which require larger development teams and longer developmental cycles.

Operating Margin FY 2005-2007

These regular Investments increase the cost of doing business for publishers and significantly reduce their respective operating margins (the amount of money a company earns on each dollar of sales before interest and taxes). The graph presented above depicts the changes in the operating margins of the major publishers of the industry from the fiscal year 2005 to 2007. We can observe from the diagram that subsequent launches of the next-generation consoles such as the Xbox360, PS3, and Wii in 2006, 2007, and 2007 respectively have significantly reduced the operating margins of the major publishing companies. The lowest Operating Margins were calculated in FY2006. The graph further shows that Electronic Arts in comparison to other publishing companies performed strongly and posted operating margins of 21% and 11% in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Activision and Konami earned operating margins of 13% and 11% respectively, however, in FY2007 Konami Posted the largest Operating Margin of 10% as compared to the other major Publishing Companies mentioned in the Diagram. However, the worst-hit company was Take-Two Interactive which posted negative operating margins of 18% and 13% in FY2006 and FY2007 respectively. This dismal performance can be attributed to the delays in the availability and consumer acceptance of certain next-generation consoles, delays in adjusting to the new support and game development perihelia for the new hardware by the game developers, and lower average selling prices of the Companys video games for current-generation systems (i.e. PS2 and Xbox). Additionally, fiscal 2006 and 2007 performance reflected higher development costs for Take-Twos next-generation titles and the Companys continued investment in building its sports division, 2K Sports.

Reducing Time and Cost Expenditure

One way to improve Operating Margins is to constantly innovate and come with novel ideas to minimize costs and time delays in developing new video games for next-generation consoles, such as providing technical assistance to developers so that they can become adjusted to the new format, support software and developing kit provided by the manufacturer of the hardware in a lesser amount of time. A company could also acquire a development house to further reduce costs and integrate resources and ensure that it has exclusive access to quality developers. Another way could be to secure publishing contracts of those games that promise a lot of potentials, provide an already existing and profitable market (this happens usually in the case of sequels such as FTA Vice City), and need a lesser amount of funding to be developed.

Shortcomings

Although the diagram is very accurate in depicting the current situation regarding Operating Margins, it fails to explain the overall effect of the reduction in the operating margins on the future strategic outlook of a company. It also fails to point out that the smaller margins are expected at the time of console launches because after a burst of sales at their initiation hardware sales tend to slow down, and the console manufacturers software companies (both Development and Publishing Houses) settle into long-term revenues from game sales and thus cash in from their initial expenditure. If we take the example of taking Two Interactive its negative margins might look like a cause for concern if we analyze them while only keeping their present perspective in mind, however while costly in the short term, these strategic initiatives were expected to have a positive impact on the Companys future performance as consumers increasingly transition to next-generation platforms. As of on cue the first major game for the next generation consoles released by taking Two Interactive, Grand Theft Auto IV, generated over 3.6 million units, equivalent to $310 million. And by the end of the first week, it sold over 6 million units globally, generating income of approximately $500 million.

Conclusion

The Video Game Industry is constantly evolving and for the industry to sustain its successful evolution innovative, risky, and strategic initiatives have to be taken that prove beneficial for the company and the industry as a whole in the future. Expenditures at the time of new hardware launches might look daunting and might decrease operating margins in the short term but these measures are absolutely necessary to give a publishing company a strong foothold in the future. The Video game Industry earned $40Billion in 2007 with US software sales amounting to $15.8Billion. These facts serve as a testament to the success of the strategic initiatives taken by various Publishing Companies in the past.

References

Graph Diagram Operating Margins FY2005-2007 (% of revenues). Web.

Oprah Winfrey is a celebrated talk show celebrity from a humble background who has invested her time in changing the world through her show and charity works. Katherine Krohn talks about the early childhood of Oprah and what she went through living in a rural farm in Mississippi. Oprah was born in 1954 and at the age of four years, she had to live with her grandmother since her mother had left for Milwaukee to search for work. She was only four years old and had to watch as her grandmother went through many hardships to help them survive. This was the time when Oprah decided that her life would never be like that of her grandmothers. Krohn talks about how Oprahs Grandmother Hattie Mae taught Oprah how to read the bible at an early age after she realized Oprahs interest. Oprah discovered her talent at an early age when she stood up in church to address the public courageously and everybody saw beautiful potential in her. Therefore, this was just the beginning of a beautiful talent that would influence the lives of others positively.

Fry talks about the life of Oprah and her achievements and focuses on her education as well where she further utilized her talents and showed interest in journalism. Most of her childhood years were spent moving from her home to home since her parents were separated. While living with her father in Nashville she was enrolled in elementary school where she enjoyed the benefits of a library and within no time she was giving public speeches again as it was her passion. She studied her fourth grade year in Milwaukee where she lived with her mother. Oprah was lucky to attend a good high school known as Nicolet High School where she was the only Black student and enjoyed the attention she received because of this factor. Fry talks about the traumatizing events that she underwent through sexual abuse by relatives. Unable to find comfort in her mother she succumbed to unruly behavior and later fell pregnant but lost the baby. Fry talks about how Oprah was able to overcome all this, emerge successful and an idol to many Americans.

Here Tyrant and Springer talk about Oprah as a strong role model to the women and the encouragement she offers to many people around the world. She is seen as the perfect example of a person whose life has changed from rugs to riches. Although she went through many challenges, Oprah was determined to succeed and use her success to help others. It all started with her realizing her talent at an early age and using it to her advantage. When she was given an assignment to attend a White House Conference in Colorado and she did exceptionally well it opened other doors for her, earning scholarships and job opportunities. She embraced these opportunities and was determined to work her way to the top despite the fact that she had faced a traumatic experience in her youth. She overcame the challenges she faced and emerged successful and very inspirational. The fact that Oprah does not focus on the past and the mistakes she made as a young youth but rather on the future and her goals has been very inspiring to many people globally.

Garson discusses the life of Oprah as she ventured into the life of television and how it influenced her life and those of others. Journalism has been Oprahs passion since she was a teenager. She followed her dream and was able to co-anchor several news broadcasts, she even got anchor position but did not adapt well to it and ended up being transferred to a talk show. Here she felt at ease with everyone and she related well with the guests on the show, which enabled her to pick up an audience fast. In 1983, she hosted a morning talk show in Chicago known as WJZ-TV. After dominating the show for a while, it changed name to The Oprah Winfrey show in 1985. She fit perfectly here, continued to attract the attention of many listeners, and excelled in many ways. Her talk shows continued to grow more intense since she discussed issues that everyone faces in their day-to-day activities. Television was where she belonged and felt that she could reach out to many people who suffer silently and be able to offer them comfort through her shows. Her audiences felt they could relate with her talk shows and grew more attached to them because it encouraged them and offered them comfort.

Oprah has achieved many things through her talk show with time and has been using her influence to help people and make the world a better place. Oprah has been able to make a fortune through her show and has invested her money in helping the less unfortunate in the society. Since she had been abused as a child, she started a campaign that would be able to protect abused children and in 1993, President Clinton passed the Oprah bill. Oprah has helped change the lives of women because they relate with her in so many ways regarding her personal life, which she often talks about publicly. Kirkwood talks about how Oprah focuses on making the lives of people better like in 2002 she visited South Africa and gave the children there hope through the Christmas Kindness Project. She has also opened many charity networks that are being put into good use by helping people with HIV. Therefore, through her talk show she has inspired many people and exceeded her audiences expectations.

One of Oprahs big achievements so far has been the opening of her school in South Africa known as Leadership Academy has been an inspiration to many people. This school caters for girls education hence, promoting gender equality all around the world. Her choosing a third world country shows that her interest is to help the less fortunate and offer them good chances in life. Oprah has invested a lot of her money in this school hoping to give these girls hope for a better future and best education possible. Creating a learning institution for the unfortunate families has been one of Oprahs goals and she has been able to achieve that through hard work and dedication. The former President of South Africa gave Oprah praise for helping build on the countrys future. This achievement inspired Oprah to open a second school in South Africa, which caters for girls as well offering them quality education. These schools help the girls in South Africa enjoy other options other than marriage. Oprah Winfrey has dedicated her life to contributing to society by helping disadvantaged people have a better life. She has changed the lives of many people over the years through her talk show and is looked up to by many girls as a role model.

Media violence presents a risk to public health, and it contributes towards having an increased level of violence and aggression in the real world. Research indicates that fictional film and television violence lead to having short-term as well as a long-term increases in violence and aggression among the young viewers (Huesmann & Taylor, 2007). It is also pointed out that the television news violence also contributes to increased violence, principally in the form of imitative suicides and acts of aggression (Huesmann & Taylor, 2007, p.393).

According to Hassan, et al (2009), the overall trend of the research findings indicates a positive link between movies violence and aggressive attitudes. It is pointed out that the preponderance of evidence from many research studies in over two decades ago shows that the violence portrayed on media influences the attitudes and behavior of children who watch it (Hassan, et al, 2009, p.154). In addition, Hassan, et al (2009) observe that a larger proportion of the scientific evidence gives a revelation that there exists a relationship between media violence and violent or aggressive behavior. As on one hand, a smaller number of people point out that there exists absolute proof that engaging in watching violence on this media caused violent behavior, on the other hand, the overall cumulative weight of all the studies examined by Hassan, et al (2009) gives credibility to the position that they are related. Media violence is among the things which may contribute towards having aggressive, antisocial, or criminal attitudes; it does, however, usually work in association with other factors (Hassan, et al, p.154).

As on one hand, the results of the effect studies on violence in TV as well as film show consistency, on the other hand, several theories explain the effects of exposure to media. The general aggression model or GAM constructed by Anderson and Bushman is presented as a unifying framework for the explanation of human aggression (Munich, et al, 2008, p.80). This model has a reliance on the short-term effect, arousal and cognition components, but includes long-term knowledge structures including aggressive beliefs and expectation schemata or behavior scripts (Munich, et al, 2008, p.80). In summary, the GAM accounts for a broad range of effects that can be seen in media violence and the declines in prosocial behaviors that follow, and on the changes in the social environment which come about as the developing child turns out to be consistently violent (Anderson, et al, 2007).

Putting it into consideration that the development and expression of aggressive tendencies in children are influenced not only by exposure to media violence by a variety of factors (Anderson, et al, 2007, p.45), the general aggression model encompasses the personal as well as ecological factors. The current version of the general aggression model is quite similar to a risk and resilient perspective (Anderson, et al, 2007, p.48). It is pointed out that the proximate causes may be momentary emotional states such as frustration, bad mood, or they could be personal variables such as violence beliefs, aggressive scripts, or competencies of self-regulation (Munich, et al, 2008, p.80). This model explains the increase in individual aggressiveness through a compound of risk factors integrating the cumulative risk model presented by Masten (Munich, et al, 2008). According to the cumulative risk model, this assumes that there is an extra or additional risk factor, for example, drug abuse, low social status, poverty, or parental violence. An explanation is presented by Anderson et al (2007) that a single risk factor like media violence is not adequate to cause children to pick up guns and begin shooting people&however, each additional risk factor children have for aggressive behavior adds to the risk factor of that child acting violently (Anderson et al, 2007, p.50).

Munich, et al (2008), in their study investigated the long-term effects of exposure to media violence at twelve years of age on antisocial behavior and violence beliefs two years later. Based on the suggestions presented by the general aggression model, the personal and the ecological factors were encompassed as the potential distal causes of aggressive tendencies (Munich, et al, 2008, p.91). Age, when people get acquainted with film violence, has been considered as one of the factors of personal risk. It was found out that the total exposure to media violence is the strongest factor in determining the violence of the students at the age of fourteen. It was also found out that those experiencing aggressive emotions such as rage and hate, associated with feelings of power and dominance when viewing media violence, continues to affect aggressive experiences of real violence between or in peer groups (Munich, et al, 2008, p.91).

References

Anderson, C.A., Gentile, D.A., & Buckley, K.E. (2007). Violent video game affects children and adolescents. New York, NY: Oxford University Press

Munich, S. O. et al. (2008). Media Violence and Youth Violence: A 2-Year Longitudinal Study. Journal of Media Psychology, 20(3),7996

Hassan, S. et al. (2009). Effects of watching violent movies on attitudes concerning aggression among middle school boys at International School at Kuala in Lumpur, Malaysia. European Journal of Scientific Research, 38(1), 141  156.

Huesmann, R. & Taylor, L., (2007). The Role Of media Violence In Violent Behavior. Annu. Rev. Public Health. 27:393415

Introduction

Globalization has led to many changes which have really affected the worlds financial system. The media fraternity has not been left out of the globalization effects that threaten a diverse economy. The media is currently adversely affected by increasing competition in the industry. Due to the constant changes in information technology, there is the need for the media fraternity to adapt to the current changes so as to survive in the market. Alongside this, globalization has also led to the commercialization of the media. Initially, the media existed as a representation of a particular public or rather a majority group with similar ideologies. Primarily, broadcasting stations were meant to serve a nationwide audience at the expense of the minority who were not represented. This however changed because of the need to focus also on minority groups who were neglected. Culturally, people wanted to be appreciated and represented in the media. Minority Media, therefore, were created although they were not fully embraced at the beginning. The objective of this paper is to discuss if the market provides a better context for the development of the media for minorities than public service broadcasting. In order to achieve this, the paper will address multiculturalism, minority media, German Public Service Broadcasting and channel 4 station in United Kingdom.

Multiculturalism

Currently, the media is continuously changing and diversifying leading to the introduction of new projects in the market. As a result of this, the media is promoting multiculturalism by representing minority groups that were previously ignored. Multiculturalism refers to good relationships among cultural communities which are governed by traditional norms (Parekh 2000, p.13). Multiculturalism is an ideal philosophy because it gives people the opportunity to really express themselves within a given society. Multiculturalism also represents peoples rights regardless of their distinct culture. For other people, multiculturalism is a policy that promotes isolation but not integration. To other people, multiculturalism is a scapegoat for an astonishing collection of political and social malevolence (Philips 2007, p.3). An example is in the Middle East where the amalgamation of ethnocultural minorities has led to world terrorism. In some countries like the United States, multiculturalism is viewed as a political and societal movement that aims to embrace diversity among groups (Fazal & Tsagarousianou, 2002 p. 24). According to Philips, multiculturalism should be one without culture and provide for stereotypes which many feminists have rejected. Philips emphasizes that multiculturalism can be made compatible by supporting gender equality and womens rights. She says that this can be achieved if there is an indulgence with an essentialist comprehension of culture (Philips 2007, p.9). Virtually, there is a need to adopt a liberal hypothesis of a multicultural society as people live in a tolerant society. In western societies, there is an existence of multiculturalism which includes liberal cultures and non-liberal cultures (Parekh 2000, p.13). Apart from conveying information through TV and radio, the media narrows down to more diverse mediums like pamphlets and exhibitions. Multicultural media can be viewed as one of the many forms of media which unite different cultures together. Multiculturalism had led to the emergence of challenging and creative activities among different ethnic groups. Initially, it was quite challenging to develop multicultural media as it was aimed at reaching societies in remote areas. As time passed by, people gained insight into this media considering its cultural importance to societies. Gradually, multicultural media acquired inspiring factors which promoted its development. In order to be successful, there was a need to appease media advertisers who play a major role in the fraternity. In Germany, there is a multicultural magazine called Babylon that is designed to attract foreigners who live in the county. Basically, the magazine focuses on issues that affect both foreigners and German citizens. Practically, this shows that the media acknowledges the aspects of multiculturalism in Germany (Bennett 1998, p.131).

Public Service Broadcasting

Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) was created with the aim of reaching a majority group which may be a nation or group with one culture. Public Service Broadcasting is normally financed and controlled by the public. This type of broadcasting can either be commercialized or non-commercialized depending on a particular country. In Germany, the public broadcasting is formed by state regulations or agreement which states the terms of broadcasting (Bondebjerg and Golding 329). Nationally, Germany has two television channels which are ARD and ZDF which have the duty to distribute national productions. Compared to ARD, ZDF is the most-watched TV station in Germany. There are rules within the legal framework that are geared towards controlling public broadcasting (Dallmayr 1966, p.107). German laws allow the media to have freedom of speech which does not restrict reporters. Journalists, therefore, are free to report on whatever they want. Normally, public broadcasting is headed by a director who takes control over general programming. The Public broadcasting market is substantially characterized by oligarchic because of a balanced economy. Public broadcasting is fundamentally financed by license fees which are paid by the public. This policy applies only to everyone who has a TV set, radio or mobile phone. As a preventive measure, radio and TV in Germany are run in a decentralized way so as to avoid mistreatment by the government.

In the United Kingdom, public broadcasting is meant for the interest of the public but not for commercial purposes. As a PSB, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a major station in the UK. Other stations include channel 4 and S4C which were established after BBC station. Channel 4 was established in 1982 as a self-funded media station with an obligation of remitting services to the public. The objective of the establishment was to provide fourth television service to the public of the UK (Philips, 2007, p.104). The channel began its services as a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA). Later there was a reform in the commercial industry which led to the abolition of IBA. After its luncheon, the channel started providing alternatives to other channels. Channel 4 has the responsibility of providing high-quality and varied programs to the public. Universally, the channel gets coverage not only within the country but also to other neighboring countries. Some of the countries that get channel 4 coverage include Ireland and other European countries. One advantage of channel 4 is that users of the internet can access it online. It is also famous in the film industry as it gives funds to film productions in the UK (Philips 2007, p.112).

Minority

Over the past years, minority groups were sidelined and were exempted from the media fraternity. According to Husband, minority groups were treated with contempt as they were not given the opportunity to express themselves (Husband 1994, p. 108). These groups include religious minorities, racial minorities and sexual minorities who lacked representation in the media. Representations not only refer to what minorities go through but also what other people think about them. More often, people feel discriminated against because of their ethnic backgrounds. Because of such reasons, it became essential for the minority to have a media representation. Muslim is an example of a religious minority whose doctrines are completely different from Christianity. Muslims should be reorganized and appreciated in the media just like in the case of Christianity. Today, Muslims are given the chance to express their views through the media by having their own stations. An example is Al Jazeera which addresses the Muslim and Arab communities (Benhabib 1966, p.88). Christianity is often challenged by other religions like Muslim, Hinduism and Judaism which are among the minority groups. For this reason, there is a need to know the religious stand of Christianity towards the other counterparts (Parekh 2000, p.25). The media is therefore a platform where such religions can air out their ideologies.

Minority groups always seek recognition from other groups through the media. Some groups may consider themselves superior or more special than other groups. Contemporary Christians normally have mixed reactions towards other religions and may include acceptance or denial (Parekh 2000, p.32). Through the media, the minorities are able to write about different issues which may not be related to mainstream media. Whatever they write might not be connected to the majority because of language barriers. Media for the minorities normally focus on the underlying problems that affect people. In Britain, there is a group of journalists who were expelled from their motherland countries. The group was formed with the aim of rebuilding hope among expelled journalists. This was a move that was also aimed at promoting journalistic multiculturalism. People of the Diaspora have constantly faced difficult times as they seek to mend their identities. In the UK the Diasporas are mostly distributed across three major groups. The groups consist of Indians, Afro-Caribbean and Pakistanis alongside others who include the Jews and black Americans. Media for the Diasporas is used to communicate within the minority groups as it can either be worldwide, local or nationwide. Minority media for the Diasporas have always lacked official recognition. The United Kingdom has a broadly diversified minority media which indicates popularity among ethnic groups. Minority media face different challenges that are characterized by a lack of recognition (Parekh 2000, p.58).

Officially, the minorities lack recognition apart from those who are in mixed marriages or those who have no citizenship. Mainstream media is not left out when it comes to neglecting the minorities (Tsagarousianou 2007, p.133). Thus the mainstream media often fails to address issues affecting ethnic groups. An example is BBC public service media which for many years ignored Asian communities. There is a need for the mainstream to recognize the ethnic media and provide the necessary support to them. Minority media can either be owned by a family, group or particular company. Digitalization has made it possible for minority media to survive in the media market. Because of this factor, ethnic media is accessible to internet coverage where they can present their broadcasting to a diverse audience. Digitalization has led to widespread minority radio stations where the usage is rampant among the Middle Eastern, Black Caribbean and Black Americans. Several radio stations have been launched in most places where ethnic groups live. Increasingly, many people own TV sets among the minorities as there are 38 channels that have been introduced in recent years. The UK has the largest film market with many Asian consumers. The cinema market is however not popular among the white mainstream audiences. Digitalization allows minority media to use the internet at a low cost and also without much restriction. New inventions have positively influenced the minority media leading to more developments and productivity. Technologies such as the satellite have created new openings for diverse ethnic groups. According to Husband, expansion in the minority media is almost reaching the mainstream standards. More people are getting interested in the minority media as they want to be associated with their cultures. In the UK, there is an increasing demand for ethnic media which might outweigh the mainstream in the near future. The market is also providing more avenues like the new technologies that are tremendously expanding the ethnic stations. People like to be associated with originality making them yearn for a broadcasting station that represents them. Despite this development, the minority media stations are still not given much thought by mainstream media (Dallmayr 1966, p. 65). Politics have also played a big part in sidelining ethnic media stations. Politicians usually use the mainstream media more frequently compared to the minority media. Public service broadcasting is normally given an upper hand when it comes to politics. Public broadcasting stations in UK such as BBC have had more opportunities for diverse coverage. BBC not only has its fame in the UK but also penetrates through many world countries. Public service broadcasting has become an international station offering varied new coverage. This indicates that the minority stations are still challenged by the mainstream station although this can change in the near future. However, there is a need for BBC to incorporate minorities into its broadcasting. For this to be achieved, the PSB can be re-launched so as to include both minority and majority broadcasting. Minority Media is steadily gaining popularity among a diverse audience from varied ethnic backgrounds.

Probably it may be needless for the minority stations to get support from mainstream media as they will be capable of rising on their own.

Conclusion

Multiculturalism should be embraced for the purpose of cohesion among different cultural societies. Multiculturalism is supposed to have policies that create room for dialogue among people from varied ethnic backgrounds (Tsagarousianou 2007, p.143). There is a need for supporting minority groups whose existence is not recognized by the majority groups. The media market is globally changing as a result of advanced technologies that are cropping up. The media market entails the majority and minority groups which offer broadcasting coverage to a wide audience. For a very long time the minority media have been unrecognized although currently, the market is offering more opportunities for its expansion. Technologies such as digitalization and the introduction of the satellite are avenues for more developments among the minorities. New trends in the political arena have made upcoming politicians recognize the cultural dimension that exists in the minority media (Husband 1994, p.81). Because of this reason, politicians are increasingly becoming popular with the minority media. There is a need for the government to impose regulations that will favor both the majority and minority. The government can come up with new laws which will ensure that the minority are not discriminated against. The minority media stations are likely to grow as more ethnic stations will be created. Ultimately, the market will also grow as new technologies are emerging.

Reference

Benhabib, S., 1966, Democracy and Difference, NJ: Princeton. Princeton University Press.

Bennett, D., 1998, Multicultural States London: Routledge Dallmayr, F., 1966, Democracy and Multiculturalism in S. Benhabib. Democracy and The difference, New York: Grove Press.

Fazal, S, & Tsagarousianou, R. (2002). Diasporic Communication Special Issue of Javnost. The Public. (Online). Web.

Bondebjerg, Ib and Golding, Peter. European culture and media. London: Intellect Books, 2004. Print.

Husband, C., 1994, A Richer Vision: The Development of Ethnic Minority Media in Western Societies, London: John Libbey.

Parekh, B., 2000, Rethinking Multiculturalism, Basingstoke: Macmillan.

Phillips, A., 2007, Multiculturalism without Culture, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Tsagarousianou, R. (2007). Diasporic Cultures and Globalization.Web.

Video games are used to entertain children but the quality of the game should be taken care of so that they do not make children become violent. Parents need to take care of their children by choosing the video games they purchase with great care because; if the games have violent themes, children practice what they watch without knowing it is harmful and they might develop bad behavior once they become adults. There are regulations imposed by the government to ensure that the video games offered for sale are not harmful and anyone who deals with illegal and violent video games is arrested and fined. Children at school must be educated on the right kind of video games to watch so that they do not get addicted to games that show acts of violence and nudity.

Before the revolution of entertainment for children, there were many interactive games that were played by children in different ways. These games had violent themes such as Robbers and the Cops and were not politically correct due to the violent themes they contained making parents object to them. When children watched violent games, they pretended to be robbing banks using toy guns and other imaginary weapons to shoot by aiming at their opponents. The government at that time could not intervene to regulate the games because; they thought that the youth would have been incited to violence. (Kutner, 2008)

Currently, there has been debate over the regulation of video games that are violent with critics and legislators saying that equivalent of robbers in the modern day is supposed to be regulated for minors to be protected from the negative effects of violent video games. This regulation is supposed to be made by the government so that violent video games are made illegal and anyone who uses them is taken to have broken the law and is liable for disciplinary action. The logic shows that, if children are exposed to violent images in video games, they grow up and become violent adults. Parents should be responsible enough to ensure that, the video games they purchase for their children are not violent so that they can mold their behavior at the early stages of their life. When children are at school, they should be warned about the dangers of watching violent video games because; once they start watching them, they become addicted to them and it becomes difficult to stop watching them. (Lachlan, 2003)

The government has come up with laws that burn video games that are violent from being sold to young people but the measure violated the first amendment in the federal courts. Recently, a law was signed in Washington that prohibited selling video games to the young generation but federal court challenges the law because protected speech can be unconstitutionally restricted. The bill for protecting children from video games dealing with sex and acts of violence imposes huge amounts of fines to the people who traded in video games and anyone who would rent or sell them was arrested and fined because they depicted sexual conducts and acts of nudity that harmed the minors. Regulatory measures have faced many challenges because there has been no evidence to prove that youths become aggressive because of watching a violent video games. (Kutner, 2008)

Self-regulation is very important where industries dealing with video games have a board for regulating software used for entertainment and a system for labeling the games so that the buyers can know the kind of game they are purchasing before they start watching it. This has helped so much because; those who operate video games for commercial purposes in restaurants have to follow the rating system of games so that they can be monitored to ensure they are of the right quality that is not harmful to children. (Lachlan, 2003)

Regulations by the government make legislators threaten the video industry with prosecution because of putting the wrong label in the games. This makes parents fail to get credible and valuable information about the recommended age to watch a given kind of video game they buy. The video industry is required to impose a scheme for a mandatory rating in order to ensure they deal with video games that are legal for sale and not harmful to the users. A parent should be free to make a decision on what their children should see or hear according to how they define what is acceptable for their children. This is because; they are the owners of children and can make a difference using their ears and eyes to decide what is fit for their children. (Gentile, 2003)

References

Lachlan K. (2003): Popular Video Games; Quantifying the Presentation of Violence and Its Context: Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media.

Kutner L (2008): The surprising truth about violent video games and what parents can do: Simon & Schuster.

Gentile D. (2003): Violent video games; The newest media violence hazard: CA Anderson  Media violence and children.

Both The Simpsons and Family Guy satirize the current problems of the contemporary family. Those animated television sitcoms are also aimed at revealing the major shortcomings and merits of the American lifestyle. Hence, the first show is more concerned with revealing humor imposed on cultural biases and a wide range of social beliefs. Therefore, The Simpsons are rather popular among different layers of society. As for Family Guy, it is mostly focused on social problems that occurred in dysfunctional families and therefore it implicitly disguises the odds of American culture. Anyway, both animated situational comedies make use of a humorous approach to entertain people and to divert them from problems.

It should be admitted that Family Guy creators use riskier approaches in humor than The Simpsons do. Hence, The Simpson mostly refers to a very restricted scope of comedy, which is more oriented on vulgar issues whereas Family Guys characters are more obsessed with patriarchal dysfunction. A politically incorrect father, Peter Griffin, still being a family guy embodies a subversive vision of family relations; he is still perceived as the mainstay of the family. However, both Peter Griffin and Homer Simpson are bigoted characters having outstanding levels of stupidity and absolute confidence in their extraordinary intellectual abilities. Other family characters in both sitcoms are balancing the images of crazy daddies that still care about their families. This is because The Simpson and The Griffins are often compared with each other.

The outrageous humor of Family Guy engages the political issues rather than those of popular culture where the character stuff includes all the social disturbances that the heroic father is trying to prevent. Unlike Family Guy, The Simpsons creators are more oriented at mocking cultural differences thus covering all national and cultural layers of society. Hence, The Simpsons are exactly the movie that can be enjoyed by all people irrespective of age and social status. This sitcom is also more focused on revealing a storm of national references embodied in different movie characters and jokes. The impacts of cultures are discovered in animated movies differently. In particular, Family Guy considerably influences other related shows like The Cleveland Show, American Dad, and others so that this film has managed to perpetuate jokes and famous idioms in other television programs.

The main similarity of these two most popular animated sitcoms lies in the fact that both are aimed at satirizing the existed problems in American families, both on a cultural and social ground. The fictional families reflect all the vices that an average family can possess so that people have an opportunity to recognize themselves in a different comical situation in the movies. At the same time, the Simpsons and the Griffins divers people from daily routines and accept the existed problems with humor.

The analyzed shows manage to presents different humor styles, which are still accepted by American society. The overt comic scenes, the famous Homers Doh! and Peters crazy actions and phrases will surely be perpetuated in the lifestyles of many American families. The shows also have many differences despite being continuously compared with each other. Hence, The Simpsons are more culturally oriented characters whereas Family Guy discloses many political issues and tricky jokes.