Television is currently one of the most popularly used modes of electronic form of communication. It entails the transmission of both sound and light, enabling visualization of the information being communicated. This technology has developed over time to currently offer both life and recorded transmissions.
Television is currently used for purposes like information as relates to news broadcasting, entertainments ranging from sports to artistic production in dramas, movies and music to commercial use in advertising. Among popular advancements after invention is the development from black and white to colored televisions, from analogue to digital transmissions as well as the introduction of the 3D televisions.
This paper seeks to discuss the advancements in television. This paper will discuss the advancement of television, the time period for the advancement invention and factors that led to the advancements. It will also discuss how the advancement affected art and how it has evolved over time as well as its effects over later times and its relation to humanities.
Television Advancements
Discovery of TV
According to Greenlee (2010), in his book The man who invented television , television was invented by a Scottish national by the name John Logie Baird. The invention is attributed to Baird individually as opposed to a corporate discovery sponsored by an organization under a well established research.
Baird was a man from a humble background but his own efforts saw him through self motivated learning process like learning foreign languages for instance he learnt French by himself. Greenlee (2010) claimed that this invention was made in the early 1920s.
The invention by Baird could therefore be attributed to his curiosity and intent to learn that saw him transverse different fields including religion, linguistics and even medicine. The invention by Baird improved to a great extent the value in communication. No doubt, the art of comedy and other artistic forms especially those with emotional themes got a great boost from this discovery (Greenlee, 2010).
According to TVhistory (n.d.), the first TV, a mechanical one used in America in the year 1927 involved both wire and radio circuits. The subsequent years saw continuous improvements in television sets production and transmissions that greatly improved the services in terms of picture clarity as well as advanced transmission modes. The improvements occurred simultaneously in different countries including the USA and a number of European nations (TV history, n.d.).
Colored TVs
One of the developments on TV was the introduction of colored television sets. The invention began as early as 1925 but the first authorized broadcast based on RCAs inventions was done in December 1953. David Johnson in his article, Recent Technological Advancements in Television indicates the first major improvement as being the shift from black and white to colored television broadcast (Johnson, 2011).
After the Second World War, Americans saw the need to take time and relax. There was a need for some sort of entertainment and thus it has been viewed that this need led to the circumstance that led to the invention. This saw test colored broadcasts done by 1951 (Bellis, 2010).
It however had effects ranging from low quality programming to all day news broadcasting though people were happy with the improvement. There was a change which led to consequent transmission from the highly trained actors who performed in the black and white and with the advancement in the quality of the transmission then entertainment was upgraded to a high level (Johnson, 2011).
Advancement in the TV technology was the invention of the 3D TV. The discovery can be attributed to desire to know more and to have new and more efficient goods. The 3D TV which is seen as a basis for entertainment has over time developed from film halls to home based entertainments.
Among the developments is the advancement from wearing 3D glasses that were in paper form to the current digitally formatted glasses. In its three main models, plasma, LED and LCD , It has improved TV production to wider and advanced viewing content. This is seen as a move to improved art, an important aspect of humanity (Severn, 2011).
Digital TVs
Digital TV is also an inclusive development in the TV technology. It was one of the achievements in the TV advancements. Bringing in shaper pictures , more quality sound and even better color images , it is viewed as one of the greatest achievements since the development of the colored TV.
Its establishment also saw the global advocacy for a change from analogue TV transmission to a digital form. Like other developments, it is an attraction of the public at large to view televisions. The development of TV products of high quality enhanced art production thus enhancing the quality of TV shows (Kruger and Guerrero, 2002; TV history, n.d.).
Liquid Crystal Display
TV development has also included the introduction of the liquid crystal display television. The development that was launched in 2002 TV manufacturers including Panasonic, Hitachi, Sony, Philips and Toshiba among others also took the technology to another level.
It was, according to Joy (2011), the competition among the manufacturers and the need to create more customer satisfaction that made it possible for the TV to develop (Joy, 2011). Further advancements were initiated to develop the LCD properties in terms of utility. With its advanced features like consumer electronic control and x.v.colour support it is seen as the perfect ever available product in the TV industry.
Developments are still ripe in this technological advancement. In view of the fact that it has brought better quality in the communications industry, it is a source of attraction of viewers to the artistic products. This as a result is a boost in the industry increasing artists income, a motivation to more commitment hence greater level of creativity. Also significant in the technological advances in the TV manufacture is the invention of remote control in the 1950s, a move that increased comfort in viewing TV (Jezek, 2006).
Conclusion
With its invention in the early 1900s, TV improved communications in many aspects with significant beneficiaries being artists in the mass communication field as well as the manufacturers and consumers. The artists had their productions presented to audience in a more satisfying way while the consumers had a more satisfying reception of the presentations.
The advancement in this technology has gone through a variety of inventions including the introduction of colored TV sets, 3D TV, digital TV and among others. The inventions were majorly initiated by the desire to improve the art of customer satisfaction in mass communication as well as in the TV set manufacturers. In their discoveries, the various advancements occurred over a period of time and they all related satisfaction either in the quest for knowledge or to meet peoples expectations or demands.
The period of the 1960s can be discussed as the decade of significant changes in the history of the British Television because of the intensive growth and development of television for the society and principles of broadcasting.
Many changes in the nature of the British Television and in used technologies which were observed and developed during the 1960s are associated with the effects of the Pilkington Report on the governments vision of the role of broadcasting in the British society. The Pilkington Report was published and presented in 1962 as a result of the Pilkington Committees work.
The committee was organised in 1960 in order to explore the situation related to the development of the British Television regarding the impact of broadcasting on the society and the televisions possibility to respond to the publics interests.
The chapters of the Pilkington Report presented the range of improvements proposed by the committee to be realised in relation to the most significant aspects of the British Televisions development.
In spite of the fact that the main ideas presented in the Pilkington Report were actively criticised by the broadcasters, government, sponsors, and by the public, the effect of the report on the further growth and development of the British Television in the 1960s was significant and rather positive because the necessity of the third television channel was stated and the BBC2, which was launched later in 1964, responded to the new needs of the television audience; because the focus on the development of colour television on 625 lines was stated; because the attempts to reform the independent television were realised and led to the improvement of the television quality; and because the more obvious focus on the television quality was proclaimed in contrast to the spread of triviality on television.
The Origin and Main Points of the Pilkington Report
The Pilkington Committee is the Committee of Inquiry which was organised in 1960 in order to explore the situation associated with the development of the British Television, to provide the ideas on the future of broadcasting, to advise on the definite television services, and to present important recommendations on improving the quality of television.
The committee was headed by Sir Harry Pilkington (Milland 2004, p. 76). Thus, the Pilkington Report included the thoughts on the future of the British Television in relation to the allocation of the third channel, the development and re-organisation of the Independent Television (ITV), and the rejection of the general principles of the commercial television.
Moreover, the Pilkington Report presented the detailed discussion of broadcasting as the important factor for the development of the British society. This factor influenced the development of the British Television significantly because the concepts of the broadcasters social and moral responsibility were re-thought.
Therefore, the authors of the report state that by its nature, broadcasting must be in a constant and sensitive relationship with the moral condition of society. Broadcasters are, and must be, involved; this gives them a responsibility they cannot evade (Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962, p. 15).
From this point, the purpose of broadcasting, which is reflected in the stated principles is in influencing the morality of the British society. Thus, according to Milland, Pilkington produced the most cogent, best-argued and best-written statement of the principles (Milland 2004, p. 77). In this case, the report can be discussed as good in promoting the idea and purpose of broadcasting from the point of the televisions role for the society.
The authors of the report also rejected the idea that the future of the British Television was in the development of the commercial principles related to broadcasting because the orientation of the ITV on advertising was actively criticised.
As a result, the authors of the report proposed several new approaches to using the advertisements in broadcasting in order to support the idea of the social and moral responsibility, to discuss the audience as citizens, to reject the idea of the audience as consumers, and to provide the new principles of the commercially competitive television.
Despite the fact that the ideas on the re-organisation of the ITV were presented in the Pilkington Report, the ideas were not supported with the help of the associated legislation.
The authors of the report paid much attention to the issue of expanding the powers of the Independent Television Authority and connected the discussion of the controversial question with resolving the problem of the commercial television (Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962).
It is important to note that the views of the reports authors were not correlated with the observed social tendencies, and the committees proposals related to the principles of advertising on television were not supported with the necessary legislation.
That is why, the most important effects on the development of the British Television were observed in relation to the recommendations which were reflected in acts and policies. From this point, Television Acts of 1963 and 1964 supported the proposals developed in the report legally, and BBC2 was launched at the basis of the new 625-line UHF band (Milland 2004, p. 79).
It is also important to focus on the fact that the authors of the report demonstrated the opposite opinions on the role of the BBC and ITV for the societys progress and for the future of broadcasting in Britain. Therefore, the report provides the critique of many aspects associated with the ITVs content, idea, principles of organisation.
Thus, the content is discussed as poor in spite of its popularity because of the low quality of programmes and promotion of triviality and violence.
According to the report, the ITV pays much attention to the foreign programmes which can erode the British culture and traditions, and the focus on commercial principles and advertising contributes to the progress of the vulgar materialist culture in the British society (Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962).
Moreover, the idea of the commercial television can be discussed as not realised completely and adequately with references to the ITV resources. In addition, the authors of the report conclude that the role of the ITV as the broadcasting organisation seemed to lack that positive and active quality which is essential to good broadcasting.
We reject, too, its [ITV] view that television will be shaped by society (Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962, p. 67). In spite of the fact that the ITVs performance was discussed by the authors of the Pilkington report as rather trivial and poor, only few changes were supported by the government to improve the quality of the independent television according to the high aesthetic standards which were actively promoted in the Pilkington Report (Milland 2004, p. 76).
However, these results should also be mentioned as the important positive effects of the report, which are related to the quality of the British Television.
On the contrary, the authors of the report demonstrated the significant support regarding the purpose and idea of the BBC, and proposed the development of the third channel which could be discussed as the improved version of the BBC. Thus, the authors of the report stated that they found in the BBC an all-around professionalism Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962, p. 48).
Moreover, it is noticed in the report that the BBC knows good broadcasting & they are providing it (Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962, p. 48).
According to the Pilkington Committee, the notion of good broadcasting is closely associated with presenting the high-quality serious programmes which reflect the reality of the British society because, following the principles presented in the report, the broadcasters must not only reflect society; they must pick out and focus attention on that which is significant (Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962, p. 285).
The BBC is discussed as the channel which completes this task effectively.
Furthermore, at the same time, the broadcasters must care about public tastes and attitudes in all their variety in all kinds of programmes , and this idea can be discussed as the nature of the broadcasters responsibility (Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962, p. 285).
That is why, the BBCs awareness of the nature, the magnitude and the complexity of the task of catering for the needs of the public respond to the basic principles promoted by the committee in relation to the nature of broadcasting (Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962, p. 48).
From this point, the programmes of the BBC as the channel with the excellent reputation responded to the mentioned principles, and the programmes were described as sound and objective, made with references to the good taste.
The Allocation of the BBC2 and the Development of the High-Speed Colour Television
The allocation of the third channel (BBC2) in 1964 accentuated the active shift in the sphere of broadcasting to the new standards and ideas of the high-quality television, which were proclaimed in the Pilkington Report.
It is important to pay attention to the fact that the Pilkington Committee achieved the significant results while attempting to propose the new standards for the commercial television when the government agreed to finance the BBC2 by the licence fee instead of referring to the advertising revenues (Milland 2004, p. 76).
Thus, the BBC2 was launched in 1964 as a result of the governments new policies related to broadcasting and as the response to the recommendations provided in the Pilkington Report. Many positive commentaries on the nature of the BBC and the quality of the proposed programmes were provided in the report.
From this perspective, the BBC2 was launched to double the success of the BBC and to present more high-quality programmes oriented to the publics interests, but contributing to the development of the educated society. Moreover, the decision to launch the BBC2 was important for the broadcasters because the new approach to television was also proposed.
Thus, the BBC2 proposed programmes and shows which could be considered not only as alternative to the programmes broadcasted on the BBC but also as experimental in their nature to meet the needs and interests of the audience.
Furthermore, according to Caughie, the peculiar conjuncture in public service broadcasting produced by the Pilkington Report and the expansion of BBC2 opened a space in television drama in which social responsibility was particularly available for political appropriation and challenging reinterpretation (Caughie 2000, p. 104).
On the contrary, many television series proposed by the ITV were criticised by the authors of the report because of their triviality, violent character, and focus on naturalism.
With launching the BBC2, broadcasters and directors proposed the new vision of the television show and focused on television drama. These new programmes and dramas were developed according to the principles of social responsibility mentioned in the report, and these programmes and shows were positively accepted by both the political leaders and by the public (Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962).
The opportunity for the challenging reinterpretation of the programmes and dramas content also contributed to the reputation of the BBC2 as the alternative channel to meet the tendencies of the changing society. In addition, the BBC2 became the first channel which used the technology of 625 lines and the specific ultra-high frequency bands.
The focus on the use of 625 lines can be discussed as the most remarkable technological improvement related to broadcasting in the 1960s. It was proposed in the report to refer to the colour television depending on 625 lines and with references to the specific ultra-high frequency (UHF) bands.
This proposal was supported by the broadcasters and government, and the necessary preparation for using the new technologies was started in 1962 (Milland 2004, p. 80-81; Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962). As a result, the quality of broadcasting was increased significantly, and the audience could see the positive result with references to the BBC2 launched in 1964.
The Focus on the Quality of Television Programmes and the Avoidance of Triviality
It is stated in the Pilkington Report that the trivial approach to broadcasting is the main problem associated with the quality of the programmes which can influence the society and its morality.
The authors of the report state that the trivial approach can be reflected in a failure to respect the potentialities of the subject matter, no matter what it be, or in a too ready reliance on well-tried themes, or in a habit of conforming to established patterns (Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962, p. 34).
As a result, many programmes broadcasted by the ITV were discussed as trivial in their nature because the broadcasters were oriented to the publics interests without paying attention to the issues of morality and without following their professional code (Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962, p. 66).
From this perspective, the important effects of the Pilkington Report are the positive changes in the quality of the broadcasted programmes because the broadcasters chose to concentrate on proposing the high-quality programmes and shows where violence and naturalism were replaced with the focus on realism. Thus, the idea of the necessity of high-quality programmes is clearly reflected in criticism of the ITV content presented in the report.
It was also stated in the Pilkington Report that the quality of television was closely associated with the quality of drama, programmes, and series broadcasted (Report of the Committee on Broadcasting 1962, p. 65).
As a result, the demand for the new drama was accentuated. Much attention was paid to the progress from naturalism, which was often associated with triviality and as it was discussed by the television critics, to realism.
Thus, Caughie states that in the 1960s and after, in writing about television drama at every level, naturalism appears simply as bad realism, associated with sordidness, boredom, the kitchen sink (Caughie 2000, p. 96). That is why, the focuses on the new realistic programmes and shows are necessary in order to promote the high-quality television and respond to the interests of the public.
The genre of the realistic drama-documentary developed, and BBC as a serious channel and BBC2 as the alternative channel broadcasted the most powerful dramas among which it is necessary to concentrate on Up the Junction (1965) and Cathy Come Home (1966).
According to Caughie, in Cathy Come Home, the principles of the documentary drama are reflected even more vividly than in Up the Junction.
There is the journalistic sense of message, a message given an urgency which seems to require a stronger central narrative and a greater authority for the documentary evidence , and moreover, the documentary voices are no longer at odds with the image, as they are in the quite radical juxtaposition of the love scene in the derelict building in Up the Junction (Caughie 2000, p. 119).
Thus, Caughie discusses the fact of the focus on realism typical for the programmes and drama documentaries of the 1960s as important to speak about the positive effects of the shift on the development of the television contents quality. From this perspective, the Pilkington Report was rather effective to affect the quality of the contents proposed by the broadcasters.
Conclusion
In spite of the fact that the Pilkington Report published in 1962 was actively criticised by the broadcasters, government, sponsors, and the public, the role of the report in the development of the British Television in the 1960s is significant.
The examples of the main positive effects of the Pilkington Report on the progress of the British Television are the allocation of the third channel, the shift to the new colour television on 625 lines, and the improvement of the content quality.
Although such proposals as the re-organisation of the ITV and the reformation of the principles related to the commercial television were not supported by the government and reflected in the associated legislation, the Pilkington Report drew the government and publics attention to the issues.
Although the Pilkington Report is often discussed as ineffective to propose the successful improvements because of the focus on radical discussions ands conclusions, the role of the report is significant because some of its recommendations contributed to discussing the period of the 1960s as the era of the British Televisions progress.
The focus on the new technologies such as the 625 lines and UHF bands is closely associated with the reports recommendations; the increased choice of programmes is the direct result of launching the third channel; and the concentration on the social responsibility of the broadcasters is also the direct effect of presenting the Pilkington Report in 1962.
Reference List
Caughie, J 2000, The rush of the real, in J Caughie (ed.), Television drama: Realism, modernism and British culture, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 88-124.
Milland, J 2004, Courting Malvolio: The background to the Pilkington Committee on Broadcasting, 1960-62, Contemporary British History, vol. 18. no. 2, pp. 76-102.
Report of the Committee on Broadcasting, 1960 1962, HMS Office, London.
For companies to create awareness about their products or to persuade the consumers of their products, they use advertisements to reach this target. In most cases, the advertisements target the consumers needs by exploiting their demands and offering solutions. These advertisements always lead to increased consumption.
One major group, that advertisers have targeted, is children (Media Awareness Network 2010). The strategy is based on the fact that children have substantial amounts of money to spend, and they also have an influence on their parents spending. The advertisements targeting children have diversified from sweets and toys in the past to clothes, fast foods, computer accessories, shoes, sports gear and even included some adult-relevant products such as vehicles.
The impact of advertising on children has been a subject of debate with different schools of thought arguing on their suitability. In Australia, children are said to constitute a significant proportion of spenders as well as largely influencing their parents purchasing and, thus, a major target for advertisers (Sharon 1998). This paper will weigh on whether TV advertisements aimed at children in Australia should be banned.
Why TV Advertisements Aimed At Children in Australian Should Be Banned
Australia has one of the highest proportions of children with obesity. Since 1980s, the prevalence has been on the rise. This has been attributed to the time children spend watching television. In addition, to reduce energy expenditure, there is the associated increase in food consumption resulting from the food advertisements on display. Australia has been shown to have one of the highest food advertisements rates per hour.
Unfortunately, most of the advertised foods fall below the recommended standards of healthy diets. Fast food restaurants and foods rich in fats and sugars constitute over half the number of food advertisements on Australian television (Coalition on Food Advertising to Children (CFAC) 2007).
The advertisements have been shown to influence children food consumption trends with a national nutritional survey in 1997 showing that only a small proportion of children consumed fruits. The consumption of fruits and other healthy foods was shown to decrease with increase in age in the children and was replaced gradually by high consumption of fast foods attributable, to increased awareness created by television advertisements.
With such a worrying trend, it would only be wise to ban such advertisements from television or stop airing them during children programs. This would greatly reduce the availability of such information to the children and probably reduce their consumption of such products with deleterious impact on their health (Neville, Thomas & Bauman 2005).
Another reason why TV advertisements targeting children should be banned is due to their capitalization on naivety of children. Young children may not be able to discern the difference between advertisements and normal programming, and become vulnerable to misleading information.
Children lack the ability to know that advertisements are business oriented strategies, and believe in the message fully without questioning its credibility. This has, therefore, left many children purchasing or forcing their parents to purchase commodities they may not necessarily require (India Parenting 2011).
Advertisements on TV have a negative effect on the lifestyles of children as they tend to affect their preferences. This, in turn, has a direct impact on family dynamics. The advertisement may make a child conflict with the parents on particular demands that they make. The product advertised could go against the parents code in reference to health or economic status, and the child ends up making life difficult for the parents who may not be in a position to meet these demands (Peace Pledge Union n.d.).
There is a likelihood of childrens self-image and societal values being affected by the advertisements that may encourage materialism. It is possible that too much advertising targeting children may create a false sense of dissatisfaction or entitlement among the young generation. Psychologists fear that children identities could be negatively influenced by consumerism tendencies developed by exposure to too much advertising or aggressive advertising targeting young children (Media Awareness Network 2010).
Counter-argument
Banning of television advertisements aimed at children may not be the solution to changing their lifestyles. Those opposed to the ban argue that a ban would be futile since apart from being influenced by the advertisements, children would still be influenced by the actual programming content.
The children have other media outlets from which to acquire information from such as computers, magazines, newspapers and radio. The advertisements create the necessary revenue for television companies to air kids programs. Some of the programs are very educative and of a help for the children. Therefore, the advertisements should be aired nevertheless. Advertisement of products such as junk foods associated with poor health and obesity in Australia cannot be pointed as the only factor responsible for this trend.
Obesity prevalence is also contributed to the lifestyles the children adopt such as the lack of physical exercises. Parents have the responsibility of determining what is appropriate for their children. The foods eaten by children, clothes they wear and types of exercises they do are determined by parents and by the society as a whole. Thus, TV advertisements need not be demonized as being responsible for children change in lifestyles (Carter 2006).
The Australian Broadcasting Authority has recently banned TV adverts that encourage unhealthy diets and inactive lifestyles, but the effect of this on the national obesity prevalence in children has continued to increase year after year. Furthermore, a link between fast foods advertised often on television, and obesity is not clear cut. European states such as Sweden that banned fast food adverts on TV have not recorded a linear drop in obesity rates (Lavelle 2004).
Conclusion
From the many studies that have linked lifestyle changes to advertising targeting children, it is evident that the influence of these advertisements should be controlled. Advertisements of junk foods and other fancy lifestyles in Australia targeting children should be banned to avoid further deterioration of a young generation currently crumpling with high rates of obesity and related complications.
It is similarly important that policies are put in place to control access of such products to children in shops and other outlets, as well as adopting educative approaches on the dangers of certain lifestyles such as labeling such products with warning signs.
Embracing healthy lifestyles such as physical exercises and health diets will greatly transform the childrens way of life. On the other hand, advertising is not necessarily bad especially when it aims at educating children. All advertisements targeting children will also be effective if the advertisers take responsibility and offer genuine tips on use of the advertised products instead of solely focusing on unnecessary manipulation of the young minds.
Reference List
Carter, O. B. 2006, The Weighty Issue of Australian Television Food Advertising And Childhood Obesity, Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 17(1).
Coalition on Food Advertising to Children (CFAC), 2007, Childrens health or corporate wealth? The case for banning television food advertising to children. Web.
Lavelle, P. 2004, Ban junk food ads from kids TV? The Pulse.
Media Awareness Network, 2010, Special Issues for Young Children. Web.
Neville, L., Thomas, M. & Bauman, A. 2005, Food advertising on Australian television: the extent of childrens exposure,Oxford Journals, 20 (2). Pp. 105-112.
Peace Pledge Union, Children and Advertising. Web.
Sharon, B. 1998, A Community View, Caring for Children in the Media Age, Papers from a national conference, New College Institute for Values Research, Sydney. pp. 101-111.
The TVs have nowadays become something close to a basic need because they are so cheap for everyone to buy. In fact when you get used to it you become addicted such that when it becomes faulty you feel like something is missing in your life. In early days they were a symbol of wealth because those who owned one were envied by their neighbors.
Today that is history because they are so many in the market and they come with different features and models such as flat screens and LCDs. This paper focuses on how TVs have changed peoples lifestyles.
It did not occur in the minds of TV inventors that what they invented would influence peoples lives. In fact TV was meant to be used for entertainment purposes such as watching movies and etcetera. But today it has been transformed into a multipurpose tool because other than the initial use, it has become an educational material through the programs that are broadcasted.
Additionally, it is also appropriate for marketing goods and services. This has led to the emergence of lucrative businesses in advertising. This kind of marketing is compatible with TV because the media is a tool of communication that reaches millions of people world wide.
In the recent past, communication based on TV platform was one way traffic because the viewers could not express themselves but today most TV channels have established feedback channels that are used to extract opinions from the viewers with the aim of using the complains and compliments to improve their services. This is because there are so many TV channels and thus they are competing for the same customers hence they are opting to outsmart each other in order to win the confidence of their viewers.
A keen analysis on people indicates that TV has gotten into peoples nerves because they do whatever they see being done on TV. This means that the TV has become a tool of verifying our lifestyles even if they are not acceptable by the society. For instance, people dress according to how they see TV models dressed but what they dont know is that what the actors and musicians put on is appropriate for TV purposes only.
Some of the things that are displayed by the media personalities are not real, such as the tattoos that are temporary meaning that they eradicate them as soon as the show or video is over.
Its not only our dressing that is influenced by the TV but also our eating habits because most people feel that what they see others eating on TV is healthy compared to what has not been aired on TV. The ladies are the most affected by these influences because when it comes to relationships they expect their men to be romantic like the stars they see in soap operas. This is wrong and offensive because the behaviors that are portrayed in the soaps are acted and does not reflect the lifestyle of the characters who imitate such personality traits.
Men on the other hand have not been left behind because they have been carried away by the events of football matches such that they are neglecting other important duties in their families in the name of love for the game.
What makes it offending to the ladies in their lives is that they never watch the matches in their houses because they like watching the games in the company of their fellow men and they hardly accommodate their women. Indeed women argue that its not advisable to talk something sensible to a man while he is watching a game on TV because you will mince your words in the end since his mind is fully carried away by the game.
The children have also been influenced by TV because majority of them dont finish their homework. The TV has proved to be a dangerous tool when it is exposed to kids without a limit. Children imitate what they see adults doing on TV hence parents should be careful when they are exposing their children to TV.
This is because some of the channels air programs that have vulgar languages besides having exotic scenes that are almost pornographic material. Thats why children of these days are having sexual intercourse very early in their lives because they are influenced by what they watch. For parents who care about their children there is wide variety of channels that have programs that are suitable for children such as cartoon network which is a dedicated channel for children.
Furthermore, advertising has become a determining factor among consumers when they are choosing the product they want to purchase. Companies are spending millions of money in advertising their products and services such that those who feature in the commercials have transformed it into a lucrative business. Commercials can be very misleading because most of the times what people see on TV is not the truth about the commodity or the service in question. This is because they dont tell the negative side of the product or service.
Some of the latest trends in various fields have been influenced by TV because people believe in TV so much that they dont believe whatever they wear or eat is appropriate unless it has been seen on TV. In fact, in textile industry a fabric is not recognized unless it has been put on by a celebrity in a famous TV show. When it comes to fashion I think newer designs will always emerge from nowhere but what will never grow old is being smart.
In someway the TV has been very effective tool in sensitizing people about important issues. This is why journalists have been pushing for the freedom of press because there are some things that the general public would not know if they were not aired on TV. I think politicians too have embraced TVs because of late they have been using them to sensitize people about their political ambitions.
Religion too has been integrated into TV because some of the most renowned preachers spread the gospel through TV. They are known as televangelists and some include T.D Jakes and Joel Osteen among many others. In ancient days missionaries had to travel beyond borders to spread the word of God but today they have their sermons aired to millions of people in all parts of the world courtesy of Pay TV. This kind of TV uses satellite technology to broadcast programs to many countries all over the world.
Some countries have come up with measures to make sure that the owners of TV channels are responsible for the consequences of the programs they air. For instance, in some countries it is against the law to air uncensored programs. In fact they have time specifications that dictate the time frames for such programs. The TV has been very efficient in terms of being informative because the news we watch update us about the happenings in other parts of the world.
This is one of the rules because there are some countries that were ruined by TV such as Rwanda where the national TV was used to spread ethnic hatred that led to the genocide in 1994 in which thousands of people were killed. Most countries have regulatory bodies that supervise the programs aired on TV.
In fact investors who are interested in establishing TV channels have to obtain licenses from the authorities. Therefore, it is important for people to make their own decisions as long as they are comfortable with those decisions without seeking the understandings that are induced by TV.
British Got Talent Show is a reality TV show that has been instrumental in developing young musicians. The talent search competition is staged with an aim of getting a favorable winner and a talented individual who is worth nurturing through the media. This is evident since the media provides effective semiotic platform that enables fans and judges to make accurate judgment on artists.
Indeed, media platforms such as radio, television and magazines are the credible means of access to thought. They also form credible means of understanding the existing reality into communicable forms and signs that we have.
Evidently, the Got talent show that is a media based show has enabled various individuals to understand Boyle holistically. The show facilitated semiotic understanding of the artist by the audience and judges who later depicted her as a decent proficient singer.
This was because of her comical nature and presentation ability. The video show shows clearly that, passionate musicians should participate in various shows to gain fame and international support. It gives a credible understanding that organized international competitions hold the capacity of elevating the status of musicians in the society.
Such competitions provide a real and effective platform that facilitates confidence building among artists. The competitions also provide them with an excellent opportunity that enhances their capacity of building a strong fan base and semiotic thinking about the media. Indeed, the show has made people to understand Boyles journey in the music industry and the events proceedings.
This paper gives comprehensive information pertaining to real events that took place at the Got Talent Show. It also covers the reaction of the audience and judges during and after Susan Boyles presentation.
The things that took place in the video
As shown in the video, Susan Boyle entered the stage with a lot of passion and determination. This gave her strength despite being skeptical about her performance since she was not used to making presentations on such platforms (Smith, 2012, p, 1). The singer was not a celebrity by then and everyone including the judges had a negative perception as she was walking in.
They thought that she could not deliver quality music that matches the standard of the competition. This was depicted with the look on the faces of the judges and the audience who thought she was just in the competition to make a normal appearance. Indeed, one of the judges asked her if she was sure, she wanted to perform.
The judge also asked her age and where she was all those years without making an appearance in the show. Consequently, the judge asked her whether she had the requisite singing ability and why she has not been active in the music industry (Smith, 2012, p, 1).
Boyle in her response to questions stunned everyone as she started to speak. She became comical at the outset and funny. Her confidence once she got on the stage made the judges and the crowed to be curious in listening to what she had to present. The singer started by giving her names to the judges and the fans.
She gave full details of the town where she was from and her dreams in life. Her comical nature was depicted when she told the judges that she was 47 year however, my age is just one side of me (Smith, 2012, p, 1). Everyone in the show found this amazing and was curios to listen to her since she gave the reply boldly. Boyle also told the judges that she had not been active in the music industry since she had not had a chance to do so.
She narrated that she had been lacking the requisite support and platform that could enable her make several presentations in various shows. This is what prompted her to take the opportunity that life presented to her to perform in the Got Talent Show.
Boyle was given ago ahead by the judges to make her presentation after answering the questions in a prolific manner. From the preamble stages, her vocals and tonal value was very good. This made everyone to notice her ability in singing despite her age (Piper, 2012, p, 1). As she was singing the next stanza of the song the judges were keenly listening to her while some of the fans had started to like her performance.
The judges were amazed as she was singing on and they started to develop appositive mindset about her. Indeed, everyone went on a frenzy mood including the judges who even joined her in singing. This was evident as one female judge who was emotionally touched and moved by her ability stood while clapping for her.
The judge was very happy and could not believe that Boyle could make such a presentation. At the end, she said that this is a wake up call to everyone including the judges. She said that every potential person should be given a chance to display what he or she has in the music industry (Piper, 2012, p, 1).
There should be no discrimination of any nature in the music industry since there is a proof that even the old can make a thrilling display. Other judges who were very skeptical about the womans performance capacity also developed appositive perception. It was amazing to them how such an old woman could manage to make a vibrant and effective performance.
Their skeptical nature could be seen through semiotic understanding. This was evident through analysis and understanding of their body language, signs and gestures. However, they were touched and their fears were no more.
All the judges gave Boyle a yes to proceed to the next level of the competition. They stated that her performance was amazing and that listening to her was a great privilege to them. Indeed, Boyle became one of the few people who have managed to receive a yes from all the judges in the life of that competition.
This was a miracle for a woman who was doubtful of her performance and ability to recording an exemplary performance (Montgomery, 2010, p, 2). In fact, Boyle started walking out of the stage after finishing her performance and was just blocked by the guards.
She did not wait for the judges comments since she thought they could not recommend the quality of her performance. She was equally surprised when she was called back to hear the judges comments that were positive.
The reactions of the audience
Indeed, Boyle had an excellent connection with the audience due to her thrilling presentation. The audience who were skeptical about her singing ability as she was walking at the center stage became her fans at the end of the show. Their fears were first quelled when she answered the judge that she had another side of her despite her old age.
The confidence and boldness at which she gave the answer made the audience to calm down to hear her presentation. They were connected to her as she started her presentation to the end and they were making loud cheers (Jenkins, 2008, p, 3). They gave her emotional support through cheering, clapping and dancing as she was singing. This was evident through semiotic understanding of the show that depicted their pleasure and jovial nature.
Her vocal strength, tonal value, good sound and smart attire were the instrumental elements that made them to develop appositive mindset about her. The audience noticed her singing potential and was all smiles throughout her presentation. They could not believe that the woman could stage such a wonderful and electrifying performance. They affirmed that the woman was the most refreshing and talented singer.
This was because of her singing ability and confidence on stage (Jenkins, 2008, p, 3). As shown, the audience was in a cheering mood all the time. They connected well with the singer and made her to realize that many people could like her songs. This was her motivation in the music industry where she had inferior participation due to lack of confidence on her performance.
Particularly, the audience reacted by singing with her the common phrases of the song and cheering her. They also reacted by supporting her bid in winning the title of the show, buying her albums and attending her shows. Their support has made Boyle an international star and a singer with immense network. The support has also been instrumental in ensuring high sales of Boyles albums.
She has now sold many albums that have been her source of income. This has made a significant contribution in transforming her lifestyle from a poor person to a celebrity lifestyle. She now dresses in nice clothes, live in a posh apartment and drives a decent car. Indeed, the audience reaction has been the key contributor to Boyles good lifestyle in the present day (Boyle, 2011, p, 2).
Reaction of the judges
Indeed, the judges who were managing the show were happy with Boyles performance. They were amazed by the level of her performance despite her age limit (Montgomery, 2010, p, 3). This was because they thought when they saw the contestant that she could not deliver a quality peace of music. In particular, one of the judges took issue with her age citing that she was not fit for the competition.
The judge was curios to know Boyles age and why her presence had not been significant in the music industry since her childhood. He was of the opinion that she had little to offer to the audience and the international community as well.
However, the woman put up a spirited fight and responded to his unfair judgment and perception effectively. She said that her other side is to pursue a career in singing and that she had immense capacity to be a coveted musician (Boyle, 2011, p, 2).
Evidently, the womans thrilling performance was depicted from the start to the end of her presentation. The exemplary performance made all the judges to give her a resounding yes that is hard for a contestant to achieve. The judges reacted positively to her performance and they delivered strengthening remarks to Boyle.
In particular, one judge reacted by crediting Boyle for her determination, hard work and for staging an excellent performance. He said that her vocals were remarkable, she was looking smart and her tonal value resembled that of a professional singer. He surprised the judge by her performance and the judge said, this is the biggest surprise I have had so far in this show (Smith, 2012, p, 1).
He further said that everyone was laughing when you started, no one is laughing now. That was indeed, a stunning performance that no one could imagine could come from you . From the sentiments, the judge was happy and full of joy since Boyle was able to prove her singing prowess.
The second judge was also thrilled by the womans singing capacity that was characterized with excellent musical elements. The judge who was a woman was touched emotionally by her performance. She was in great joy and showed immense support to Boyle, as she was singing. She was cheering her, clapping for her and making nice body moves as the woman was singing.
This showed how well their connection was as she was singing. She noted that Boyles performance was a wake up call to everyone in the music industry. The stakeholders should know that everyone can sing and has the potential of staging a charming performance.
That is any form of discrimination based on gender or age should not arise. She was saying that in consideration of how Boyle had made a wonderful presentation despite her age. She noted that what is important is the passion and determination that one has but not age.
The judge said in her remarks I am thrilled by your performance and this is awake up call to all (Smith, 2012, p, 1). She also said that she had an absolute privilege listening to her. This showed her level of happiness and joy that was motivating through media platform.
The third judge also commended Boyle for her good performance despite being the most skeptical person about her capacity to singing from the initial stages. He said that Boyle staged an extraordinary performance that no one could expect. This was because everyone felt her stage presence. She also sang with high quality pitch and excellent vocal range that was extraordinary.
The judge referred to her as a little tiger that have the capacity of pulling a surprise when list expected. He said Susan yon are a little tiger who will go far in music. You have the talent and your performance has shown that in a big way (Smith, 2012, p, 1). This has taught us a lesson that everyone have the potential to sing irrespective of age. The judge whose fears were answered was very happy and he granted Boyle best wishes in her career.
The way Susan Boyle is in the video
The semiotic understanding of Susan Boyle as shown in the video depicts her as a passionate old woman who was keen to pursue her dream. Boyle entered the stage with a poor reception from the fans and the judges. However, this did not prevent her from gaining the much needed confidence in such a show. She started by eroding the negative perception that she could not sing by explaining her other side of personality (Burns, 2009, p, 12).
She looked confident at the time although with a little nervousness if keenly observed. She was simple and cutely dressed in brown attire that accentuated her body structure. She also had a nice hairstyle with a simple make up on the face. Her simple nature that is depicted through semiotic understanding is what made the judges and the audience to doubt her ability from the outset.
They were doubting her ability since the show had been hosting musicians with expensive attires and make ups. Despite this, Boyle effectively used her language power, signs and strong vocal capacity to deliver a thrilling song that drove everyone in the talent show to a frenzy mood.
The things that build up emotions in the video
As shown in the video, key things or elements that build up emotions include Boyles story, the hostile reception that she received, questions from the judges and the passion with which she sang. These elements were instrumental in building emotional touch between Boyle and the audience including the judges (Burns, 2009, p, 12).
Firstly, the crowed were turned emotional when she was telling her story. They had a lot of sympathy and empathy for her due to her long-suffering. She said in her story as she was answering the judges questions that she was a less fortunate member of the society who had passion in music. She said that her passion and dream had not been realized due to lack of support. She was also lacking opportunity and a platform through which she could display her talent.
Consequently, the questions that she was receiving from the judges were also emotional. This could be seen by the way she was giving her answers and her body language. Although, she gave credible answers, she was getting unstable emotionally when explaining various issues touching on her career and life in general.
The passion with which she sang also presented an emotional touch between her and the audience. This was evident by the overwhelming reaction by the audience who later became her fans. The audience loved the fact that she was down to earth and the quality of her voice that was electrifying (Burns, 2009, p, 16).
How the show is staged according to the video
According to the video, the show that attracts many participants and fans was staged professionally. The design of the showroom was exclusive, it was built magnificently and decorated with quality lighting systems that give it a high profile. Indeed, the show remains a high profile event in the UK and its organizers are always keen to ensure its success (Montgomery, 2010, p, 5).
It is also fitted with quality sound system that ensures effective transmission of sound to every part of the room. This enables everyone to listen effectively and enjoy the participants presentations with limited complications. Consequently, the stage or the platform where artists perform from is also well structured, wide and colorful that makes it scary for new artists. Its scary nature has made several artists to loose confidence on stage thereby affecting the quality of their performance.
According to Boyle, one needs to overcome the scary nature of media platforms and assume that he or she is performing in a normal stage. This is essential since the scary nature that television realism brings may make one to loose confidence and fail to deliver effectively (Piper, 2012, p, 1). Boyle stated when she was being interviewed in 2012 that, the shining lights and several colored decorations that characterized the reality TV show nearly cost her.
This was because she was not used to performing on such a stage with strong lighting systems and pulsating sound. Reality shows also contribute in building real stars with the capacity to withstand pressure from fans and deliver quality music. It enables contestants to build confidence and understand the dynamics of making a presentation before an enthusiastic crowed.
Theory on semiotics and realism in television and what is real in talent show
According to Bignell (2002, p, 2) semiotic is a powerful and a very influential way of thinking about the media as shown in Boyles case. The word that means sign is away of analyzing the meaning of various phenomenons or presentations by studying or looking at the signs such as words, symbols and pictures.
These signs are important since they communicate meanings to various individuals pertaining to presentations and events. Semiotic is a realism concept that can contribute effectively in understanding artists than the media Bignell (2002, p, 3). This is evident since it adopts the way that language works. That is it aids the understanding of how language works and how it can be used to convey noble massages that are transformative in nature.
According to scholars, semiotic and realism television shows are significant in human life. They are the central communication channels that enable people to know ones potentials. This has been evident with Got Talent TV Reality Show that remains a credible media driven show in Britain. The show has been instrumental in developing musicians and enabling fans to understand their diverse potentials.
This is apparent since the show provides a high profile platform for displaying ones musical prowess. Boyle affirmed in her story that, she entered the talent show competition with a lot of skepticism especially about the media.
This was because she new that the media could dent her music passion since she was not confident of her performance capacity (Drew, 2012, p, 1). This was due to her inferior record of exemplary performance from her childhood. Despite that, the womans determination made her successful. This was evident as the audience and the judges emotionally loved her performance through semiotic understanding.
This makes her a living example for most poor artist who thinks that opportunities are no more for them in the industry (Smith, 2012, p 1). They should realize that every individual is capable of attaining his or her dream with determination and hard work.
Conclusion
It is proper to conclude that, the British talent TV show was critical in transforming Boyles life by giving her a platform where she had effective display of her talent. The display made many individuals to identify her as a refreshing and talented singer who could transform individuals social actions through her educative massages.
The show also made people to be aware of her existence and the relevance of her songs in the contemporary society. This has been essential for her growth since the songs adopted social and love themes that most individuals like.
List of References
Bignell, J 2002, Media Semiotics: an Introduction, Manchester Univ. Press, Manchester.
Boyle, S 2011, The Woman I was Born to Be, Corgi Press, London.
Burns, K. 2009, Celeb 2.0: How Social Media Foster Our Fascination with Popular Culture, Praeger/ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, CA.
Television helps in building child cognition. Several studies have assessed childrens programs such as Sesame Street. All these studies find that young children who view Sesame Street often have more developed cognition in identifying shapes, numbers and letter than those who do not view the program (Fisch 2004). Besides, these children do extremely well in academics when they join high school.
Conversely, watching television may impair cognition in children. Williams (1986) evaluated cognition in children using a test called alternate uses. He found that the scores of the test dropped after children watched television. Although these findings might have been true, some factors that had no relationship with watching television could have influenced the findings of this study.
Some of these factors could have been tiredness or boredom due to repeating the same test. The work of Williams (1986) is also disputable because children, who like watching, usually follow scenes keenly so that they can recall all the events that crop from week to week. Rather than impairing a childs cognitive ability, such an activity should help in developing a childs cognitive ability.
This point can also be supported by the work of McLuhan (1964), who argues that television requires high levels of audience participation. Hence, watching television builds cognition as a child takes part by thinking actively in the entire program.
Television acts as a valuable resource through providing viewers with the latest information about what is happening around them. For instance, a person gets to know when calamities such as Hurricanes strike some parts of the world, or when Iraq is fighting with America.
Such information helps people to understand themselves more as they are able to tell why some leaders of the world may concentrate so much on some issues that other leaders, in other parts, may not consider. For instance, people can get to understand why the American government has to budget for so much money in security and disaster management as opposed to other governments.
However, television does not act as a valuable resource in all topics. Essential topics such as employment openings receive little address from televisions despite the fact that most people are jobless. Hence, we can argue that televisions allow people to understand others, but it offers little when it comes to economic and personal development.
Television helps people to understand and appreciate their gender roles. Men dominate most programs on television because few women have jobs. In efforts to investigate the role that television has on making people understand gender, Williams (1986) conducted a study on how children classified men and women after watching some television shows.
All children received a list of traits, and they had to classify these traits depending on whether they were common in boys or girls. After the study, Williams (1986) concluded that television influenced the understanding of men and women roles among children. Understanding gender roles is essential, but it can lead to gender stereotyping.
For instance, girls may refuse to take up subjects that will develop them into media workers because they associate such jobs with men. Also, dividing jobs according to gender orientation promotes gender inequality as organizations place men on leadership positions that pay well while women work as their subordinates with little pay.
Some television programs have made people realize that they can find pleasure in reading books as well as using different methods of instruction in learning. Most people move from one bookshop to the other searching for books that have life stories of characters that they admire in television shows. Also, some television programs like Discovery and History Channels contain lots of educational content.
These channels show some events that took place long ago including wars, as well as evolution of human beings. People get to understand where they came from and why they relate with some societies in certain ways, through watching historical events.
For instance, through watching about Germany armament on history channels, people can understand the roots of the tension between European and American countries. On the other hand, television shows may hamper the habit of reading books in children.
Most children tend to concentrate on watching cartoons and other fun shows, rather than educational programs. Thus, televisions can influence reading and performance in schools, unless parents check what they watch.
Television shows enhance interaction among different people, thus enabling them to understand each other better. This is because television shows offer a platform from where office mates, who have little in common, can start a dialogue. People commonly watch television series like the Sopranos and sport channels and thus, they always have much to talk about them.
Cartoon shows, also, form a ground for interaction as people from all demographic groups, including children watch them (Datta 2007). In fact, most grownups refer to cartoons when they want to start a dialogue with children, or when they want to cheer up sickly children. Some cartoon channels, which people watch commonly, are Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and Toon Disney.
Television shows, which have characters with admirable values, may impact the relationship between children and other people positively. On the other hand, some television shows may have negative impacts on society. Some examples of such shows are violent games and pornographic shows (Williams 1986). Both violent games and pornographic shows may have an effect on the moral values of children (Datta 2007).
However, the issue of children watching unsuitable content is solvable through screening. For instance, parents can use technology to watch and control programs and content watched by their children (Hobart & Schiffman 2000). Some programs that parents should restrict children from viewing are those that have rapid scenes, or those that show violent behavior.
Monitoring what a child watches enables him to build a healthy relationship with the television (Hobart & Schiffman 2000). Parents can as well choose shows that are rich in educational content, or children to view. Some shows for young children have no educational value, and parents should restrict such programs for school going children (Datta, A 2007).
Weather channels make people understand the needs of their bodies since they offer guidance on what to wear. Most people watch television channels that forecast weather before deciding on what to wear. On the other hand, watching television often may harm the body through causing eye sight problems and malnutrition, in children who are frequent television viewers.
Lastly, television helps people in a certain part of the world to understand how people in other countries live. There are people who like to know about others in oversea countries, but they cannot afford the money for travel. Television programs that focus on other countries help to bridge this gap.
Such programs focus on people from different cultures and through watching them a person can realize how others behave. However, television shows may exaggerate, or give false information about lifestyles of people in other countries, thus creating false images among viewers.
References
Datta, A 2007, Effects of television and the viewers, Mittal Publications, New Delhi.
Fisch, S 2004, Childrens learning from educational television: sesame street and beyond, Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah.
Hobart, M & Schiffman, Z 2000, Information ages: literacy, numeracy, and the computer revolution, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
McLuhan, M 1964, Television the timid giant : understanding media, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London.
Williams, TM 1986, The impact of television: a natural experiment in three communities, Academic Press, Orlando.
The Tidusville population associates television with violence according to the statistics results. The KTDS management had earlier on received complaints over the high level of violence in the programs aired.
Nevertheless, they associated this claims with political influence, however, they did not seem genuine. Moreover, according to the statistic test results, the number of hours one spends watching the television contribute to their perception on violence.
The respondents, who watched television for about 23hours considered the programs as not very violent ; however, from those who watched television for less than 13 hours in general, they gauged television programs from too violent to violent. In this case, violence tendencies are aroused by the time spent watching programs with violence, but 1 to 2 hours per day are ideal (Centerwall Para. 2).
However, Cline, Croft, and Courier (363) claim that children with less exposure to television programs tend to get more aroused to violence than those with high exposure.
From this claim, it can be concluded that although everybody is likely to get violent, the length that such arousal to violence lasts depends on the level of exposure to television programs. The results further showed that marital status and age had nothing to do with ones perception on violence in television.
Therefore, it is clear that violence in the programs aired has increased, and it has little to do with political influence, despite the fact that politicians will use this factor to lure people into voting for them.
The KTDS management should react to the problem, not for the benefit of the politicians but for the whole population, since a successful business caters for the needs of all customers. The Tidusville population should be enlightened on the importance of some programs aired. Such programs may involve violence but have valuable lessons towards the end.
Recommendation
Having viewed the statistical results, it is clear that the level of violence has increased in relation to television programs. Additionally, prior Chriss assumption that these complaints could be politically mobilized is also a fact. However, for the sake of customers, the management should act fast.
First, they should reduce the programs that are related to violence during the day, since most children are present especially when schools close. These programs should be aired at night when children are asleep, since most adults understand that programs are only fictional and they can be hardly influenced by them.
The main aim of starting a business is to make profits and attract customers; therefore, the KTDS management should ensure that all its customers needs are catered for. Therefore, they should consider reallocating the programs to different timelines to fit the viewers.
Another strategy that the management should put in place is advertising the upcoming programs before they are aired, and insert the suitable age recommended for viewing.
The management would go an extra step by airing such programs after 9pm, as most people are asleep, and only the a few interested people will watch the programs. Since the results showed that women considered television programs more violent than men did, the management can lure women with soap operas before they air other programs.
Limitation
The Pearsons chi-square technique that was used in determining ones perception of violence in regards to gender is favorable, as it concluded that women viewed television program more violent that men. This techniques tests goodness of fit and independence. The wilcoson rank test provides assumptions such as independence; this technique can be used as an alternative when population cannot be assumed.
However, this technique is not effective when an assumption violated. The CI on a proportion technique works well, as it indicates that a degree of confidence cannot be less than 92%, hence containing an exact proportion. In spite of working with a small number of respondents than expected, the study proved fruitful. The above techniques used vary; however, they have provided a quality rationale for this study.
Works Cited
Centerwall, Brandon. Television and Violence: The Scale of the Problem and Where to Go From Here. JAMA, 267(22). 1992. 09 August 2011. https://www.cursor.org/
Cline, Victor, Croft, Roger and Courier, Steven. Desensitization of Children to Television Violence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 27(3); 360-365. 1973. 09 August 2011. https://psych.utah.edu/
Films and television series, just like all other ways of expression of creative thought, are recognized as forms of art. In turn, similarly to other works of art, they have two major manifestations as the representation of the ideas included in them by their creators and as the perspectives of their audiences. It often happens that the two manifestations differ significantly. As a result, exploring and discussing any kinds of art pieces, it is important to take into account both the authors ideas underlying the work and the way it is perceived by viewers. In this paper, the discussion will focus on a popular television series Prison Break. It is known as one of the shows that gained a large audience starting from its first season. However, over time, Prison Break lost views as its later seasons were perceived as boring, underwhelming, and illogical. In that way, the metatextuality of this series can be explored from the perspective of the public in general, as well as from my point of view as a fan.
Prison Break: Series Overview
History
Television drama is widely known as Prison Break first saw the world in 2005. The show started during the so-called golden age of TV series when many famous franchises were launched. Some of them still air regularly and continue to gain new fans. Prison Break, however, was not as lucky. It ended after season four that aired in 2009 (Goodman). The short life of the TV show under discussion was accompanied by a gradual decline in views. At the same time, it is important to note that the first two seasons of the show were massively popular and gained a huge audience over a very short time. The popularity of Prison Break was so significant that the show remains on the lists of the most commonly binge-watched series. Moreover, seeking to bring back the success of the past, Fox, the channel that used host Prison Break, decided to revive the show in the form of a short sequel (Ryan). This announcement was made back in 2015, and just one year later, the fifth season of the show appeared as promised (Patten). This was not an attempt to relaunch the franchise that had fallen flat in the past but a chance to profit from the formerly successful show one more time. Analyzing that action of Fox, one could conclude that the authorities of the channel see Prison Break as a show with much potential that, unfortunately, was wasted and lost.
Social Perception and Criticism
In the light of Prison Breaks revival, the old discussions about its failure to keep its fans attention started all over again. In particular, the show was criticized for revolving around a rather narrow idea an escape from prison. For that, the series is regarded as a one-trick pony whose capacity to impress ran out after the end of the second season (Goodman). In reality, the narrow range of the show might have served as a reason for its quick loss of popularity. As perceived by many fans, during the third and fourth seasons, the series became repetitive, unreasonable, and less believable as if its characters and storylines became hopelessly entangled in the spider web of conspiracies included in the plot.
Plot
The show began as a captivating story of two brothers one of whom, Lincoln, was unfairly sentenced for the crime he never committed and put on a death row. The second, younger brother, Michael, used all his resources and risked his life to save Lincoln by helping him escape from prison. The first two seasons of this show had many unexpected turns and fascinating stories. However, the concept of breaking someone out of prison became old very fast, and the series started to lose fans due to the lack of interesting development.
Discourse Analysis Using Course Concepts
Prison Break focused on a variety of topical themes and issues. The major one was the theme of brotherhood. Another vital issue overviewed on the show focused on the American prison as a community and a social phenomenon. By providing a closer look at the inner dynamics of the American prison and raising various related subjects through the presentation of the main characters experiences in jail, the creators of the series managed to draw their viewers attention to topics that are rarely discussed.
Dominant Discourse
The dominant discourse is a type of narrative that has the heaviest presence within a society or a community and can influence social perceptions and trends by directing public opinion towards a particular way of thinking (Cole).
In that way, when it comes to the American prison as a community and a social phenomenon, there is a definite dominant discourse that stimulates a negative attitude towards people serving a sentence and ex-convicts. Showing prisoners from up close, the creators of Prison Break made them look more relatable and human so that viewers could change their perception and see them as regular people and not as cruel monsters.
Aberrant Decoding
Aberrant decoding is another concept that applies to the history of Prison Break and how it was perceived by its fans. Aberrant decoding happens when a message intended by the sender is interpreted differently by the receiver ( Aberrant Decoding ). Knowing the development of Prison Break as a franchise and taking into account its rapid loss of popularity after the second season, it is possible to suppose that the intention of the series creators was misunderstood somehow. One of the main problems that drove the viewers away from the show was the lack of believable content. Practically, the show that started as a very down-to-earth story, over time, transformed into a confusing fusion of realistic and unrealistic twists. It is possible that doing their consumer base research, the managers of this show misinterpreted their fans interests and needs. As a result, the stories and plotlines that appeared in the series were perceived as underwhelming and impractical.
Personal Perception
As a fan of Prison Break, I used to be a part of a small community of people who liked this show. Also, as the show developed, I read many articles about it, exchanged information with other fans, discussed plotlines, and theorized about potential twists that the plot could take. This is how I became familiar with the opinions that were the most common in the community of Prison Break appreciators. These views were shared by my local group of fans and by the viewers all around the world. Throughout the first season, the fans became familiar with the characters and the overall style of the show. Based on this knowledge, we could form what is known as metatext an interpretation of a series based on its history and content (Peterson 151). For me, the first two seasons were so exciting and captivating that I continued to expect the same level of tension in the next seasons. Possibly, because, alongside other fans, I was so focused on trying to predict what was going to happen next on the show, I spoiled it for myself.
The contemporary TV series that manages to remain relevant and interesting for many years usually have a very strong connection with their fan base. Learning about the most common fan theories and prominent speculations regarding plot development, the creators of a show can keep their storylines unpredictable and interesting for the viewers. At the time when Prison Break was first aired, the social media were not as well-developed, online-based fan communities not as large, and the entire concept of the connection between the creators and the audience not so well-explored. These reasons could be the causes of the shows failure.
However, I have to admit that I am one of the fans who stayed devoted to the show even after it became boring and underwhelming. This happened because I had my metatext. Specifically, I had a special emotional connection to the show because I could relate to the theme of brotherhood that was one of its main subjects of focus. I associated myself with the younger brothers, Michael, because I have an older brother as well. We had to separate when I was about five or six years old as my brother went to the United States to become a student. When I turned eighteen, it was my time to follow my brothers footsteps and come to America to study. I felt like Michael Scofield who took time to get ready and prepare properly so he could reunite with his brother with whom he was separated. Due to this unique interpretation of Prison Break, I had a deeper attachment to the show and its characters than just fascination about new plot twists. As a result, when the quality of the plot became lower, I continued to enjoy the relationship between the two brothers.
Conclusion
This report was dedicated to the exploration of the history, content, and social perception of a well-known television series Prison Break. This media artifact gained much attention due to its massive popularity throughout its first two seasons and its fast decline in views during seasons three and four. As a result, the show is now perceived as a failure and the wasted potential for a great franchise. Partly, the failure is explained by the narrow focus on the show that limited the range of its story development. Also, some other causes of the loss of views could be the creators misinterpretation of the metatext created by the fans or aberrant decoding of the creators message by the fans. Either way, the show remains an outstanding media artifact for me personally because apart from the metatext that I shared with the fans of Prison Break on a global scale, I had my unique perception of the show. I related to the close relationship between the main characters and their brotherhood ties as I have a brother as well, and we are very close even though we spent many years in separation.
Television sets are some of the most popular household gadgets in the US today. This article discusses TVs and in particular examines TV usage, brand preferences, and purchase trends.
Product Usage
According to statistics, a third of the American households have four or more TV sets. Those who own at least one set are approximated to be 290 million. In every ten Americans, eight are reported to spend a good amount of time viewing television programs.
Specifically, it has been shown that people spend averagely 35 hours watching using TV screens on a weekly basis. On a daily basis, averagely 5 hours are dedicated to TV programs. More than three fifths of those owning Philips Smart TVs spend some time everyday watching something on their screens (Price, 2012).
The table below shows finer details on the amount of time spent daily watching TV programs by people of different races.
Table 1 (Statistic Brain, 2012)
Race
Time
Caucasian
5 hours daily
Black
7 hours daily
White
5 hours daily
Hispanic
4 hours daily
Asian
3 hours daily
Brand Preferences
It has been shown that most consumers prefer the 32-inch TV sets. These particular sets are said to be of the most appropriate size for most homes. Larger sets are said to fit inappropriately as they require bigger spaces. Among the top ten ranked 32-inch TVs is the Phillips 32PFL6007T.
This set is gorgeous in appearance. Among its fascinating features are a unique ambilight system, a passive 3D playback, two-player full screen gaming, multimedia playback via USB, and connection to both networked PCs and Phillipss Smart TV service via LAN or built in Wi-Fi (Rivington, 2012, p. 1).
Purchase Intention
Basically, consumers buy TVs for the purpose of being entertained. By being entertained, they also get educated through the programs that they watch. As already noted above, a number of US households have more than one TV set. The different sets serve different purposes.
The main set and the most significant is the one that serves the general needs of the family members and is located in the living room. In most cases, this is usually the best set. Another set is likely to be in the main bedroom. This may be used for late night viewing by the couple of the house. Another set may be in the kids room for the purpose of playing video games and finally, another one may be placed in the guest room. In affluent homes, some TV sets may be placed by the swimming pool side for outside entertainment.
Purchase Experience
Consumers consider a number of factors in choosing which set to buy. The biggest of these factors is their budget. The amount of money one has will almost be the ultimate determinant of which TV set to buy. TVs costs are in the range of hundreds to thousands of dollars. Another factor mostly considered is whether a TV is a plasma or LCD. LCD and plasma have some advantages over each other.
For instance, plasmas give the best quality of pictures but are not the best for brightly lit rooms. On the other hand, LCDs are more effective in brightly lit rooms. Plasmas are available in large screen sizes while LCDs are available in small screen sizes. The distance from the watching point to the where the TV screen is also determines the size of screen to be bought.
To determine the correct screen size for use, this formula is used: Screen size = Distance * 0.535. Lastly, the screen resolution also matters as most consumers prefer 1080p so that they can get the best quality of images (Tech Radar, 2013). Among the best places to buy a TV set is Best Buy.
Conclusion
TVs are popular household items. Most households have more than one set of TV and most of the TVs bought are 32-inch sets. There are many factors considered when buying a TV but the most significant is the price of the TV.
This media analysis will focus on two LGBTQ+ centered TV shows: currently airing Transcendent and 2003 Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. As it concerns Transcendent, the set consists of five transgender women working in the AsiaSF nightclub. Xristina is a social rights activist of Dominican descent who appears to be both resilient and vulnerable. Nye is an Asian transgender woman who takes over the management role; she is caring, supportive, and introverted. LA is another Asian female who can be characterized as a loving, shy, yet rising personality. Bianka is an African-American, and her three defining characteristics are race, volunteering, and ambition. Lastly, Bambiana is coming from a supportive family and seeks the spotlight in the nightclub; she is ambitious, cautious, and family-oriented.
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, in its turn, presents the audience with another set of LGBTQs+ characters. Carson fulfilled the role of fashion and style expert, with his defining characteristics being critical, sarcastic, and flirty. Ted was a food and wine specialist and appeared to be intelligent, distant, and guiding. Kyan helped shows guests to tackle their hair, grooming, and hygiene and was humorous, supportive, and compassionate. Thom covered the interior design and often expressed his criticism, disapproval, yet willingness to help. Jai was the only person of color who tackled popular culture, and his defining characteristics are his race, gentleness, and honesty. While Transcendent represents almost all the racial and cultural groups focusing on transgender people, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy cast dominantly white actors, with Jai serving as a diversity token.
Interpretation
As for the current Transcendent, the characters appear to be three-dimensional since the show dedicates significant time to explore their background, upbringing, and motivation. For instance, the ambitious personality of Bombiana is not limited by her nightclub aspirations; on the contrary, the show investigates her passion for animal rights, veganism, and supportive mother. These details expand her individuality and show the audience that there is more to her than her transition, gender, and career. However, Queer Eye for the Straight Guys cast appears to be shallow and one-dimensional, given that most of the shows time is dedicated to a makeover of the straight person. The five helpers act as foils for the guests revelation and represent stereotypes that people associate with the LGBTQ+ community overt fixation of style and appearance, constant flirting with straight actors, and oversexualized conversation topics. As Campbell et al. (2020) note, Although bias is traditionally regarded as an intentional distortion of the facts, another form of bias results from unwitting ignorance (p. 607). Although it was not the shows intention to stigmatize the community, unconscious bias is present.
Evaluation
Generally, both shows support the notion of society and TV becoming more inclusive. For Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, it was a novelty to introduce a primarily gay cast with a narrative centered around their dynamic with a straight man. While it was revolutionary at the time in terms of LGBTQ+ representation, the modern look on the show unravels that it lacked racial, cultural, and gender representation. Jai, the only person of color, was interchangeable with another Black character throughout the episodes, making it seem like he was there only as a diversity token. As Campbell et al. (2020) claim, news programming is what it means for the information industry to be dominated by straight white males (p. 606). By the early 2000s, they were not necessarily straight but still dominantly white. Furthermore, females are visible on the show only as secondary characters.
However, the current show Transcendent proves that the inclusion progresses over time. The reality show focuses on a widely underrepresented group of people, transgender women, and does not stereotypically portray them. Conversely, all actors have a comprehensive backstory, making it easier to relate to them. In addition to racial and cultural diversity, the show tackles the male gender by showcasing the protagonists partners respectfully and honestly. Thus, it can be argued that both shows indicate that inclusion of TV increases over time.
Reference
Campbell, R., Martin, C., Fabos, B., & Harmsen, S. (2020). Media Essentials: A Brief Introduction. Macmillan Learning.