Category: Television

The roles of men and women in society have always been different to a large degree, and it would seem that womens movement would change the way women were treated in society, but television and media brought about new problems that are evident in the modern day and age.

For the longest time, women were treated as subordinate to men and had no rights.

After a long fight, women finally acquired the same rights as men in the civilized world but the technological revolution, media and particularly television, have created another aspect where women can be segregated and mistreated.

The social roles that men and women have been much different. Men are thought to be more masculine and rough. They have an image of the aggressor and the strong dominant character that is meant to rule and wage wars.

This is sometimes, attributed to the biological bases of men as hunters. Women, on the other hand, are treated in a feminine, gentle and caring way.

They are thought of as stay-at-home wives who will raise children, take care of their husband and participate in more sensual and emotional aspects of life.

These views have dominated for much of human history, and television became another outlet where women can be unfairly exploited, but the situation is slowly starting to change for the better.

As humanity evolves, so do its views on sexuality and images permitted on the television screen. Peoples norms became more liberal and things that are shown on TV today would not be even closely appropriate thirty or twenty years ago.

In general terms, women are portrayed as weaker, needing protection from men, especially in the movies. In the context of sexuality, in music videos and films, women are shown sexually free and looking for a quick relationship.

According to Linda Holtzman, women are represented as searching for a close relationship 35 percent of the time, comparing to men at 20 percent (Holtzman, 2000). In commercials, women are shown to advertise makeup with extreme importance to their appearance and thinness.

All these representations and portrayals create an image that women are mere objects, and it sends a drastically wrong message to society and the young generation.

Young girls view these images as the norm which is most desired by men and often, go through hard times in trying to reach a certain non-existent standard of beauty. The way men are shown on television is much different.

Advertisements depict bachelors who are throwing money around, being independent and looking for women. Sexual freedom and absence of a romantic relationship are reinforced, as romantic ties are unwanted.

Very often men are heroes, strong and indestructible types who do not care for how they look or what they say or think. Also, advertisements have been aligning men to their careers and hobbies instead of to their appearance (Ross, 2010).

This also creates a wrong image within the society where children think that men are wild animals who must involve themselves in violence, criminal activity and generally dangerous, rock-star behavior.

The social norms have had a great influence on the way people demand movies and general television to be. No one wants to see muscle-bound women with a cigarette or guns, slapping people around, as this would not be feminine (Casey, 2008). But where do these standards come from?

The most obvious explanation is the historical dominance of men and activities that they were engaged in. People got used to seeing men in such roles and thus, think it is acceptable. For women to behave in a way that people are not used to, would mean to overstep the gender boundaries.

Even though stereotypes are still very popular in human culture, recent times have seen some changes between gender roles and many things have become similar in the representation of men and women.

There are several cosmetic products that are now made for men, such as make-up, skin nourishing crèmes and hair coloring products (Holtzman, 2000). The separation between gender portrayals is becoming more transparent, as women are taking on more professions in society.

Now, in movies, women are shown to be soldiers, steel workers, mechanics, as well as superheroes, criminals, vigilantes, and other women abusers. The public demands are being heard, and the movie producers start to include women in roles previously dominated by men.

At the same time, men are shown as stay-at-home fathers, taking care of children, cooking with an apron on and cleaning the house.

A more sensitive side of men emerges in acting roles, advertisements and social professions. The society is slowly becoming used to the need to change its prejudiced opinions.

The modern world has seen many new social attributes, and the merging of feminine and masculine roles is one of them. It is evident that people are used to seeing things that were considered strange before, but no one can predict how far this change will go.

References

Casey, B. (2008). Television studies: the key concepts. New York, United States: Routledge.

Holtzman, L. (2000). Media messages. Armonk, United States: M.E. Sharpe.

Ross, K. (2010). Gendered media: Women, men, and identity politics. Maryland, United States: Rowman & Littlefield.

Despite the fact that the innovations of the 21^st century have shifted the role of TV in peoples lives into the background, many still find the traditional media appealing. As a result, people are affected by the phenomena of translation and circulation, which are an integral part of television. According to Wagman and Urquhart (2012), there is a rather basic difference between translation and circulation. While the former is typically rendered as the interpretation of a specific message that a certain type of media sends to the target audience (Wagman & Urquhart, 2012), circulation, in its turn, can be identified as a recurrent appearance of the message in question on-air (Wagman & Urquhart, 2012).

When it comes to defining the ways, in which the authors distinguish between the two modes mentioned above, the fact that the circulation mode does not allow for the creation of meaning, which the translation model presupposes, needs to be brought up. Indeed, according to the authors, in most cases with media industries, two key stages of developing media content need to be passed in order to come up with a product aimed at a specific audience.

Particularly, the creation of meaning and its further adaptation towards the needs and demands of the target audience must occur (Wagman & Urquhart, 2012). At this point, the fact that the process of circulation is traditionally referred to as the final step of the media production needs to be mentioned. In other words, translation can be viewed as the process of creating the message that the audience will presumably applaud to or, at the very least, consider worth focusing on. The circulation process, in its turn, is typically rendered as the stage of launching the message and making it a current trend for public discussion (Wagman & Urquhart, 2012).

The contemporary media displays the tendency for the circulation process to be gaining momentum in modern society quite rapidly. The abundance of modern media and social networking platforms for discussions of the contemporary and topical events have contributed to a major boost of the circulation process, allowing more people to join the conversation and, therefore, contribute to the interpretation of the initial message and its significance.

Although the enhancement of circulation may have its problems, it has mostly had a major positive effect on the evolution of social, cultural, economic and political awareness within the society. Therefore, circulation is most likely to address the lack of understanding of a certain complicated social or political issue. As a result, circulation combined with pluralism may lead to peaceful reconciliation between the parties that are currently in different cultural, political or social camps (Youmans & York, 2012).

Unfortunately, circulation cannot be viewed as the silver bullet for addressing every major social or political issue. Particularly, the process of circulation is unlikely to have any tangible effect on promoting the actual plurality of opinions. While certain messages do spark a heated debate, most of them frame the problem in question so that it could be viewed for a specific perspective. Therefore, while the circulation of a message may contribute to raising awareness, it can hardly promote objectivity in regard to the issue under discussion. Thus, additional efforts for suggesting alternative ways of looking at a certain topic need to be made by the state citizens with the help of social networks and the related tools.

Reference List

Wagman, I. & Urquhart, P. (2012). Cultural Industries.ca: Making sense of Canadian media in the Digital Age. Toronto, ON: Lorimer. Web.

Youmans, W. L. & York, J. C. (2012). Social media and the activist toolkit: User agreements, corporate interests, and the information infrastructure of modern social movements. Journal of Communication, 62(2), 315329. Web.

Introduction to the Topic

TV-related popular culture functions on the correlations between the customer appeal to popular shows and revenues of broadcasting networks and companies. The article Free TV: File-Sharing and the Value of Television focuses on the popular culture of sharing television files among peers through various online platforms and new media. In recent years, people have been sharing music and movies through media platforms, and the experience has become very popular.

Different products of the broadcasting industry became available online, thereby limiting the advertising profits of major TV networks, broadcasting companies, and studios. Furthermore, after the second reading of the article, it becomes clearer that the author also refers to the fact that not only such new media represent some limitations of obtaining revenues from advertising, they affect the companies profits from DVD sales and other subsequent sources of income.

However, on the other hand, as the audiences enjoy their shows watching them on traditional TV, they feel forced to watch the disruptive commercials in-between their beloved programs, which might intermediately result in spoiling their experience and reduce the pleasure of watching these programs.

Newman claims that the difference between the users experiences of watching regular TV and using various software programs for sharing TV shows via peer-to-peer services implies the popularity of the latter (Newman, 2012). Thus, using those peer-to-peer services helps users to remove the commercials from their favorite shows and share them through various online platforms.

However, it is also important to find the implications of how the peculiarities of the modern TV show content has changed in order for the users to feel different about programs they see on regular TV and via peer-to-peer platforms. Thus, for example, Rentschler in Witnessing: US Citizenship and the Vicarious Experience of Suffering claims that all human experiences today undergo mass-mediated depictions (Rentschler, 2004, p. 297).

Moreover, different formats of TV programs that gain popularity nowadays also need to be accounted for in terms of the effect they produce on the audiences, the customer appeal, and the presence of interactive element between the viewers and the programs (Gillespie, 2005).

Therefore, after the second reading of Newmans article, it is important to underline the fact that there are numerous factors influencing the relationships between audiences, traditional TV, and peer-to-peer platforms that help people share different content, including TV shows and programs.

Outline of the Authors Thesis

One of Newmans main ideas is that the new concept of sharing television files challenges historical and traditional TV rationale by reinventing it and presenting it in a new format that is more appropriate to the audience.

In particular, TV programs for the entire time of their existence had some limitations in terms of space and time (Newman, 2012). In other words, Newman contends that for a long time, the linkage of TV programs to the time of their broadcast has been a major issue because it meant that shows were targeted at the limited audiences. However, this is changing with the new technology since peer-to-peer platforms undermine the necessity to turn the television on for the time of broadcast.

After reading Rentschlers Witnessing: US Citizenship and the Vicarious Experience of Suffering, however, it is also important for me to emphasize the fact that there is a much broader theme associated with the popularity of peer-to-peer technology. In particular, a growing number of people are committed to watching TV shows that are not original for their country, cultural or geographical region.

It means that using various platforms for sharing the cultural content, such as TV shows, helps to enhance the process of cultural exchange, whereas the very invention of such technological innovation as peer-to-peer software broadens the process of globalization. In other words, such technology was invented because there was an appeal for people not only watch TV shows outside the limits of their scheduled time but also explore the culture of other countries by getting familiar with the cultural products such as TV shows.

Of course, shows are often linguistically adjusted because people translate them into their languages all over the world, but the cultural component remains the same. Thus, although the TV and broadcasting companies may experience difficulties with getting the same level of revenues from advertising, they now appeal to a larger audience at the international level.

Summary of Arguments and Evidence

Newman provided a number of various arguments and evidence concerning the fact that the popularity of using peer-to-peer platforms if not only a technological but also cultural phenomenon (Newman, 2012).

Therefore, one of the main arguments that Newman underlines in his article is that the new concept of repackaging and sharing of television programs is a popular culture that cannot be ignored by the stakeholders in this field. It is not something that is likely to disappear because of the expected legal battles about copyright issues. Of course, in some countries, the introduction of peer-to-peer share resulted in producing new legislation or creating stricter laws concerning copyright infringement, but the use of such technology still gain popularity. Secondly, it is evident that a new mode of watching TV shows has made such experience more private and more adjustable since people do not depend on the broadcasting schedules.

In such a way, Rentschler (2004) claims that, in modern society, people want to watch some major political and life events happening in one country from various locations all over the planet. Such a phenomenon can be called witnessing, and it occurs when a public event is perceived by the audience from a private point of view (Rentschler, 2004, p. 299). Hence, sharing TV content through independent internet software is a part of this broader context.

Also, it is important to point out the fact that in the growing amount of sources of information, editors and broadcasters tend to pick some themes of materials, following the agenda of their broadcasting network (Gershenfeld & Vasseur, 2014). However, if the audience wants to make up their own opinion, they would probably like to watch more than one source of news, but the programs could overlap each other in the broadcasting schedule.

In the same way, entertainment shows on different channels scheduled simultaneously limit the audiences in their opportunities to watch everything they want, both news and entertainment programs (Prior, 2005). Thus, another important global theme is that society has bigger needs for information and entertainment, and peer-to-peer technology is one of the ways to provide for those needs.

Assessment of the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Article

In Free TV: File-Sharing and the Value of Television, Newman (2012) states that the practice of sharing of TV shows and broadcasting content through the Internet in general and peer-to-peer technology, in particular, has not yet been given scholars proper academic attention. The main strength of this article is that the author was able to collect information from a variety of sources despite the scarcity of research in this field.

Moreover, Newman managed to bring the study of peer-to-peer share outside its regular framework by claiming that there is more to this phenomenon than merely copyright issues and technological developments.

From such perspective, the main advantage of Newmans ideas is that peer-to-peer technology was invented because there was a need to share content from the different media, including TV shows and broadcastings, among the people of different cultures and geographical areas. Of course, peer-to-peer technology could not be the only way to provide for the cultural need of people to enjoy TV programs, but, now, it is growing in popularity because it lacks compatible alternatives. Further research would require focusing on changes in particular TV formats that influenced the cultural need for private sharing of TV content through peer-to-peer software.

Conclusion

Overall, after the second reading and consulting additional scholarly sources, some implications of Newmans article became clearer. In particular, there is a broader theme associated with the popularity of peer-to-peer technology.

The fact that a growing number of people are committed to watching TV shows that are not original for their country is a sign of globalization. Thus, using various platforms for sharing the cultural content, such as TV shows, helps to enhance the process of cultural exchange, whereas the very invention of such technological innovation as peer-to-peer software broadens the process of globalization. Researching other scholarly articles confirms that with more content on TV, audiences also have bigger demand, and peer-to-peer technology enhances accessibility.

References

Gershenfeld, N., & Vasseur, J. P. (2014). As Objects Go Online. Foreign Affairs, 93(2), 13-14.

Gillespie, M. (2005). Media Audiences. Maidenhead, United Kingdom: Open University Press.

Newman, M. Z. (2012). Free TV File-Sharing and the Value of Television. Television & New Media, 13(6), 463-479.

Prior, M. (2005). News Vs. Entertainment: How Increasing Media Choice Widens Gaps in Political Knowledge and Turnout. American Journal of Political Science, 49(3), 577-592.

Rentschler, C. A. (2004). Witnessing: US Citizenship and the Vicarious Experience of Suffering. Media Culture and Society, 26(2), 296-304.

Introduction

The goal of this paper is to demonstrate that television producers are successfully engaging viewers in program-related second screen activities. In the past, viewers played a passive role when it came to watching television programs. They had to know the right time for their favorite programs and watch them without having any active input in what was presented. However, this has changed in the modern society where emerging technologies have empowered viewers. Television producers are finding it increasingly important to use second screen activities to engage their viewers as a way of allowing them to participate actively in the programs presented to them (Campbell et al. 245).

It allows them to understand what is presented well by asking relevant question in a social platform that brings together hundreds of thousands of other viewers. Such questions would be answered by fellow viewers or the media company representatives not only to avoid misunderstanding but also inform the viewer that he is valued as a client. Producers are now in a better position to understand specific needs of their viewers when presenting different programs because of this direct engagement.

How Television Producers Engage Viewers

Television producers have struggled for a long time to understand the specific needs of their audience but with limited success (Himanshu 6). The scholar notes that these producers were sometimes forced to go to the streets and interview viewers to understand their views about products delivered to them. The process was as tedious as it was inefficient. The number of people who could be interviewed per given period was limited, and in most of the cases, the clients would be insincere in their responses. Most of them would give positive remarks just to please the interviewer. It meant that the information collected through such tedious and expensive process was inaccurate and unreliable.

This problem has been solved with the emergence of modern communication technologies. The following are some of the strategies that producers are using to engage viewers.

Twitter has become a major phenomenon in the field of mass communication. There has been an argument that social media is a threat to survival of mass media (Rickel 4). However, leading mass media companies are finding ways of integrating social media into their programs for a greater success. Leading news broadcasters such as Cable News Network and British Broadcasting Corporation are currently using Twitter to engage their viewers. Once a program is started, such as primetime news, viewers are invited to a Twitter handle where they can leave their comments about the program.

Viewers are allowed to add their input by shading more light about the program or simply stating their feeling towards information presented to them. The Twitter handle also allows the viewers to engage themselves in the provided platform about the television program. As people give their varied views, television producers get more insights about their program and how their viewers think of it. It enables them to understand areas that may need changes when bringing the program in future.

The emerging technologies have created mobile apps that viewers can now use in second screen activities. These mobile apps can perform numerous tasks based on the interests of the user. For instance, viewers can go online to get further information about a television program as a way of better understanding it. If it is a movie, the viewer may wish to know if it is based on a real-life event in the past and what motivated the producers to develop it. This creates and empowered viewer. He will be interested in understanding how the producer recreated the events in the movie, making him a loyal viewer. These apps also benefit advertisers.

During television programs, adverts are always very common. Viewer who finds such as advert relevant can go online using their tablets or Smartphone to get further information about the product. This has improved the impact of mass media marketing (Proulx and Shepatin 112).

Facebook is another important social media platform through which television producers can engage their viewers as part of second-screen media experience (Hajli 54). Most of the leading television companies have their official Facebook page with millions of followers around the world. When they have a news item, they bring it for a debate on Facebook. Viewers are allowed to make personal contributions about the news item or a television program. This enables television producers to understand their views and how they vary based on demographical factors. The information gathered through this platform is very critical in enhancing the ability of the producers to know the expectations of viewers and how to diversify the products to ensure that the varying needs are successfully met.

Conclusion

The discussion above shows that second screen media experience has become very important not only to the viewers but also to television producers. To the viewers, the experience enables them to use their devices to understand information presented in the television programs in a more comprehensive manner. To the television producers, they get to understand views of their customers and measures that can be taken to improve the content of their message in future.

Works Cited

Campbell, Richard, Christopher Martin, Bettina Fabos, and Jimmie Reeves. Media Essentials: A Brief Introduction. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2013. Print.

Hajli, Nick. Handbook of Research on Integrating Social Media into Strategic Marketing. New York: Cengage, 2015. Print.

Himanshu, Sareen 2014, Why Second-Screen Media Experiences Need to Be Social. 2015. Web.

Proulx, Mike, and Stacey Shepatin. Social TV: How Marketers Can Reach and Engage Audiences by Connecting Television to the Web, Social Media, and Mobile. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Print.

Rickel, Josh 2014, 5 Signs that the Second Screen Enhances TV for Viewers, Producers, and Advertisers. 2015. Web.

Explanation of the Topic of the Article

The article Free TV: File-Sharing and the Value of Television focuses on the popular culture of sharing television files among peers in online platforms. Over the recent past, people have been sharing music and movies through media platforms and the experience has become very popular, a fact that has reduced the number of people going to buy these products from stores. They can now have these products for free as long as they are connected to the internet.

However, the sharing of television files is a relatively new concept that is increasing in popularity. People have come to realize that they can share these files in a way that is different from conventional television experience. The television stations earn their revenues through advertisements made when presenting various popular shows. As the audiences enjoy their shows, they are forced to watch the disruptive commercials that come in between their popular programs, and this reduces the pleasure of watching these programs. Using special software such as BitTorrent, peers are able to remove the commercials from these popular television shows and share it in various online platforms in a way that creates high value to the audience. This topic clearly captures what the entire article is all about.

Outline of the Authors Thesis

The author argues that the new concept of sharing television files challenges historical low-valuation of TV by reinventing it and presenting it in a new approach that is more appropriate to the audience. The author contends that for a long time, television programs have always been confined to a given geographical area, especially within a given state, and the viewers could only watch their shows when they were in front of their television sets at the time of broadcasting.

However, this is changing with the new technology as these programs can now be downloaded and watched at any time and without necessarily tuning in to the television station that broadcasts the show. This new concept has transformed television programs from a local to a global phenomenon. People can now share television files all over the world. Using special software, they can translate the language into other popular languages to increase geographic coverage. The author feels that inasmuch as this new concept is disruptive and may affect the normal revenue stream of television stations, it is an invention that has improved the experience of watching popular television programs among peers.

Summary of the Main Arguments and Evidence Used In Support of the Thesis

This article has a number of arguments that it clearly presents to explain the new phenomenon of sharing television files among peers in online platforms. One of the main arguments that come out clearly in this article is that the new concept of repackaging and sharing of television programs is a popular culture that cannot be ignored by the stakeholders in this field. It is not something that is likely to disappear despite the expected legal battles about copyright issues.

If the sharing of music and movies in the online platforms did not stop, then the scholar feels that this new phenomenon will not stop. The author also argues that the new phenomenon has changed television viewing from being geographically-confined to being a global issue, especially with the new capabilities to translate popular programs from one language to another.

The article also argues that file-sharing has transformed the status of television from public to private status. A person will repackage the program in a given way that he or she considers appropriate to a given segment of the audience, and this gives him or her the ability to determine how to share such material with the audience. To support these arguments, the author has provided a number of scholarly articles and books that also focus on the same topic. These arguments strongly support the thesis of the article. They reaffirm that watching television shows has been transformed and the experience is more enjoyable. The audience can now decide on what to watch at a given time without having to follow the schedules of the broadcasters.

Assessment of the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Article

As the author noted in his arguments, the sharing of television files is an emerging culture that the scholars are yet to give proper academic attention. The main strength of this article is that the author was able to collect information from a variety of sources despite the scarcity of research in this field. The paper is also objective in nature and avoids any wild and unsubstantiated allegations when presenting the arguments. By basing most of the arguments about sharing television files on the existing literature about the sharing of music and movies in the online platform, the author is able to validate most of the claims made. However, the biggest weakness in this paper is the limited collection of primary data. The paper also lacks a clear focus on how validity and reliability were assured during the research process.

Introduction

Stereotyping is an act of generalizing gathered information. As a matter of fact, it contributes significantly to peoples belief in fictional information. Stereotyping is common and traditional for every race and plays a prominent role in generalizing information about some nations in the world. Despite racial stereotyping proving to be the spring for a good deal of satire and hilarity, it substantially contributes to the development of hurting and oppressive conditions for some races in the world. Television representations have tremendously contributed to racial stereotyping. The aim of this study is to enumerate, giving examples, ways in which television media contributes to stereotyping. This is because media mainly gather pieces of negative information about the individuals which are represented to the public.

Egyptian racial stereotype

Media contributes immensely to the rapid spread of racial stereotypes. For instance, due to the lack of ability of individuals to visit all the countries in the world, television media deliver pieces of information via movies and news reports. Without considering the authentic position of Egypt as a country, for long, the Egyptians were stereotypically known as desert residents. This is because of the misappropriation of information fed to the public via television shows and news reports. The media took a photo of some parts of the desert in the region, presenting it as the whole of Egypt. Moreover, television media generalization of illiteracy of the Egyptians contributed immensely to the underrating of its citizens by many people from other races.

Black Americans

In America, African Americans are considered as obtuse and hot-tempered. In addition, they are known as individuals who depend on welfares for survival. Depiction of these marginal individuals via media in childrens movies and announcements on television plays a crucial role in creating and enhancing rising differences among races. As a result, many white children end up growing with a negative attitude towards blacks in America. On the other hand, through announcements and shows, black children develop hatred towards the whites, hence leading to the consistency of racial segregation. (Hine, 2001).

Movie and show characters

Television shows in America enhance the gap between races played by different individuals in a given show or movie. Often, black Americans denied the chances of acting as main characters play the role of poppers or cheap merchants in a show or a movie presented via television. These roles played by the minority individuals in a show or a movie vastly affect the rational thinking of the viewers leading to the emergence of differences among races.

Stereotypes presented on television closely relate to stereotypes depicted in life due to the frequent relation of the scenes viewed on television with real-life situations by many individuals. For example, through movies and television shows, the role played by minority groups leads to the development of communication phobia within some individuals supporting the destruction of equality among races. (Hine, 2001).

Conclusion

In conclusion, despite the diversity of role models provided by television, a generalization of the gathered information by the media results in misappropriation of information among viewers, which leads to cropping of racial differences. Television shows and news reports also contribute appreciably to the differences in conduct portrayed by young children from different races. In addition, the roles played by the minority individuals in shows and movies affect the normal reasoning and understanding of the viewers about some races.

Reference

Hine. D. (2001). The Harvard Guide to African-American History. New York: Harvard University Press

Television is a rather powerful resource that has been having a massive influence on its viewers ever since it first emerged as a social phenomenon. The impact of television in the process of shaping public opinions and moods has been researched for many decades. Today, scholars realize that this media can be used effectively to shape the perceptions and ideas of the population if it is used in a certain manner.

The article called Witnessing: US citizenship and the vicarious experience of suffering by Rentschler (2004) explores the influence of the images showed on TV (those of violence in particular) on the audience as the contributors to the worldviews and mindsets of the viewers. The author discusses how the framing of tragic events may be portrayed from just one angle, thus, shaping the beliefs of the masses and encouraging them to stay biased and ignore the opposing perspectives.

The article Free TV: File-Sharing and the Value of Television by Newman (2012) focuses on the new form of television that has become more popular recently  file-sharing. The free TV ensures much more flexibility for this media and brings in more diversity. Two more readings used in this paper explore the same subject taking into consideration its various aspects and dimensions. All in all, the question this essay attempts to answer is whether or not the additional readings help one to understand the first article.

While Rentschler describes an older model of television with its fixed standards and easy to manipulate views, the reading by Newman that has been published eight years after the first article portrays a newer version of TV, interestingly, the two forms of television as described by the authors can be compared and contrasted. The differences between them illustrate the development of the process of globalization that has made a massive leap over the last decade, removing multiple barriers and making the level of connectivity and information in the world much higher.

The modern viewers no longer follow popular broadcasted channels with fixed schedules and the programs that were selected by the directors. Instead, the contemporary viewers tend to shape their own playlists choosing programs they prefer and sharing files they deem interesting and important with the other individuals. Newman (2012) points out three important features of the modern free TV  the increased cultural reflectivity (since now the viewers shape the content), the change of status of TV from the public to provide good (more customized and organized based on the specific needs of the consumers), and more cosmopolitan and less bound to geographical areas.

Also, one could mention another important aspect of the new TV  its personalization and individualization. Compared to the older model of television that was designed to address the needs and interests of the masses, the contemporary TV can be adjusted for each individual viewer. Due to all of these newly obtained characteristics, modern televisions value is changing rapidly and radically (Newman, 2012).

Rentschlers (2004) criticism of television at the beginning of the 2000s is focused on its ignorant orientation towards the majority of the parts of the society that have more power and influence. As a result of that tendency, the interests and problems of the socially weaker populations were neglected and overlooked. In other words, due to the orientation of television on the majority, the rest of the society had no voice to express their concerns and problems and make their more powerful peers pay attention to them. Only with the help of the article by Newman, a reader can make a clear association of the influence the television has (or used to have) and the model according to which it functions.

That way, the TV designed to attract the masses was biased to represent the majority and leave the depowered part of the population unnoticed or support the negative stereotypes about it. The new model of TV has been impacted by the globalization process. Therefore, it is more diverse, tolerant, and flexible, matching the needs of many different communities and presenting the events for a variety of perspectives. That way, the biases are defeated, and a more open-minded portrayal of the events worldwide is accomplished.

Another reading that is rather helpful in the understanding of the meaning of the article by Rentschler is the book by Morley (1999). This book has been released even before the article by Rentschler; as a result, one may assume that the model of television discussed and explored there is the older one with fixed schedules and the programs selected by the TV channels. The author discusses the problems of the interpretation of the images shown on TV by the audience and the use of television in the daily lives of the families (Morley, 1999).

Moreover, the two phenomena mentioned above are examined in correlation. In fact, the reading is related to both articles discussed above as it also raises a question of the changing use of the television with the addition of such options as recording programs and seeing them later, and renting or buying videotapes. That way, Morley (1999) points out the changes in the role and function of TV as the technological progress enabled the viewers to shape their own content according to their likes. Therefore, the author notes that the first changes in the use of television occurred as soon as the audience was given a chance to choose what they want to watch with the help of more flexible television.

Further, elaborating on the manipulative power of the television designed for masses, Poniewoziks article How Reality TV Fakes It focuses on the specific mechanisms and techniques that are created to appeal to the viewers and make them follow reality shows. Using the reality shows as an example, the author demonstrates how different unfair and untrustworthy techniques help the show makers create a fake story out of nothing manipulating the words, relationships, events, and expressions (Poniewozik, 2006).

The author lists and explains the concepts and mechanisms of Frankenbiting, fake settings, the overdub, and misleading montage, among others. The examples and illustrations of the use of these tricks in the reality TV make it clear that the mere word reality is absolutely out of place in this phrase knowing what it actually stands for. Poniewozik (1999) clearly explains that very often, the reality is not interesting or dull. Therefore, it would be extremely difficult to market in its initial form.

That is why the tricks are added to make it more exciting for the viewers who wish to see scandals, conflicts, clashes, and tense situations. That way, the addition of the misleading techniques benefits both sides  the viewers and the makers. Based on the dynamics of reality TV and its popularity, one may conclude that the audience is interested in being tricked and lied to if the fake stories turn out fascinating and captivating.

Having examined all of the four sources, it is possible to compare the use of the television today and a decade ago. The difference is striking as the form of TV has changed significantly over time, and so did its role to a certain extent. Without being controlled from the side of the makers of the content, the contemporary television is more personalized and flexible. Today, the shows attempt to fulfill the needs of many different groups of the population since the viewers tend to build and choose their own content. In other words, the strategies have changed based on which the programs are designed and marketed targeting certain customer bases.

To sum up, the article by Rentschler makes its point very well, and the authors perspective is clear. However, the additional readings by Poniewozik, Morley, and Newman bring new angles to the perspective of the first author and shed even more light on her topic. That way, to answer the essay question, the research of additional readings concerning the same subjects does not only make it easier for the reader to understand the initial point but also ensures deeper comprehension of the meaning of the issue and enables critical thinking. In other words, instead of seeing just one dimension of a problem, a reader is stripped of biases and able to notice its background, its development, and the factors that contributed to it.

References

Morley, D. (1999). Family Television: Cultural Power and Domestic Leisure. New York, NY: Routlege.

Newman, M. Z. (2012). Free TV: File-Sharing and the Value of Television. Television & New Media, 13(6) 463479. Web.

Poniewozik, J. (2006). How Reality TV Fakes It. TIME Magazine, 167(6), 1-4.

Rentschler, C. A. (2004). Witnessing: US Citizenship and the Vicarious Experience of Suffering. Media Culture Society, 26(2): 296304. Web.

Introduction

The article Free TV: File-Sharing and the Value of Television by Newman (2012) focused on the changing trend in the circulation of television programs. In this article, the researcher notes that since its invention, television has always been free for the audience.

The content has been delivered to the mass through the broadcast method, and traditionally this is what television entails. Inasmuch as the audience believes that television programs are free, they are actually paying in terms of buying products advertised on this platform. A new form of television dissemination is emerging in modern society where all the advertisements are eliminated. Audience can follow their favorite television programs without the unnecessary and sometimes annoying interruptions, which are often common in the traditional model of a television broadcast. The new approach gives more value to the audience.

However, it is important to note that it also comes with a number of challenges that this author has identified. In this paper, the researcher seeks to analyze other scholarly articles which have the same arguments as those presented in this primary article. The following are the questions that will be addressed in this paper.

Do the second reading, and my additional scholarly source provide additional evidence or support for the arguments that the author of the first reading is making?

Discussion

In the article by Newman (2012), the primary aim was to understand TV file-sharing as one term in the negotiation of televisions value during the contemporary period (p. 465). The scholar contends that emerging trends in television technology are shifting the value of television to the audience. The article tries to identify the new value that is created with the use of peer-based television file sharing through the internet.

The additional two scholarly sources also look at this topic, though from different perspectives. It is clear that although these three articles have their distinct way of approaching the issue, they share some fundamental principles about the changing trends in the field of television, and it will be necessary to look at these shared views.

According to Newman (2012), the culture of file sharing is part of a wider development in which TV is shifting its location on the cultural hierarchy from low and disreputable to a more legitimated level (p. 465). This scholar argues that there is a shift in the cultural hierarchy under the new approaches which are becoming popular. In the traditional context, viewers had no option when it comes to the programs they want to watch.

The broadcasters made an effort to ensure that the cultural values of the highly diversified society are adequately covered. Even in modern society, television broadcasters still have to balance their programs to cover the diversified culture in society. Diversity is also experienced in terms of age-appropriate content. Young children love cartoons, teenagers love thriller movies, and women love soap operas, while men love football (Kenyon & Wright, 2006). This is a generalized classification of people of different ages based on their perceived interests in television. Television broadcasters are forced to have programs that are able to meet the needs of these different groups of audiences.

Under the new P2P circulation of television content, this problem is solved. Programs are shared by peers who have similar tastes in terms of their preferences. This idea is supported by Kenyon and Wright (2006), who argue that the content of television has become highly individualized in order to meet the specific needs of the target audience. In the past, one would be forced to change from one television program to another, looking for a program that is very relevant to their needs.

However, that is no longer the case in the modern P2P circulation of the content. One can now watch programs without disruptions of commercials, and unnecessary content meant for a different demographical group. Kenyon and Wright (2006) argue that the user has been given the independence and power to choose what to watch and when to watch it. They no longer have to be bored with programs that target broader socio-cultural settings or other demographical classification.

Although it comes with additional cost in terms of hardware and internet connectivity, it is a technology that many people have come to embrace, especially teenagers and young adults who are sometimes restricted in terms of the content of the programs they can watch in the traditional television programs. It is clear that the arguments put forth by Newman (2012) about highly individualized contents shared in P2P television circulations are shared by Kenyon and Wright (2006) in their article Television as Something Special.

Traditionally, television has been considered a public good that is available for consumption to everyone as long as it is broadcasted by the media stations. However, the new trend of P2P television circulation is taking a whole new dimension that is very different from what used to be the case before. According to Newman (2012), file-sharing is located in the space of transition from televisions status as a public good to a private good (p. 465).

The scholar argues that when one takes a program and modifies it to meet the needs of a specific demographic, the ownership of such contents changes from public to private. The person who has modified such content now takes over the ownership. He or she will have sole discretion about whom, how, and when to disseminate the content. The Article by Kenyon and Wright (2012) talks about the concerns of copyright concerns associated with P2P television content circulation.

In most of the cases, the content that these people modify and share are copyrighted either by the broadcasters or by the producers. The producers intend to make profits from such programs. They allow the media companies to broadcast their programs because they get some royalties. However, the new circulation approach earns them nothing. In fact, sometimes their contents get modified in a manner that may not be in line with the theme they wanted to present. For instance, the modified content may include a song that is popular among a given cultural group that is targeted with the program.

The theme of the song may be relevant to the target group, but it may not have the same message that the producers of the content had in mind. These are some of the legal challenges that arise due to the personalization and modification of these programs. The scholars argue that the legal community is yet to come up with legal measures that can adequately address this problem that is caused by emerging technologies (Kenyon & Wright, 2006).

It is believed that emerging technology is going to promote the dissemination of television content through this approach. Inasmuch as the content is shared for free without the intent of gaining an economic advantage, it still defies the spirit of copyright laws that prohibits sharing such contents without the express permission from the original owner. Kenyon and Wright (2006) also talk about the transfer of ownership of the modified content and the controversies associated with it.

It is still not legally clear whether the original owner of the modified file has any legal claims on the content once he or she shares it with friends. However, the two articles have the same view about the privatization of television programs under the current internet-based approach that has become very popular among the teenagers and young adults.

In this article, Newman (2012) talks about the geographical coverage of the traditional and modern communication technologies. Television broadcast has often been restricted by factors such as geographical distance, language, and sometimes culture. However, this is changing under the P2P content circulation approach. Newman (2012) also argues that P2P circulation of television content challenges the local and national basis of televisions traditional institutions, replacing it with a new global and cosmopolitan world of media flows (p. 465).

This scholar says that the new system has completely eliminated these barriers. Peers can modify content and make it available to people from diverse languages so that the language barrier is eliminated. The use of internet in circulating the television content means that the geographic barrier that existed before under the traditional approach is eliminated.

Peers can share these programs irrespective of their geographic locations in the world. The freedom to modify the content gives the peers power to make the content appeal to the international community. The content can be adjusted, new information introduced, or the language slightly changed to fit the needs of varying target audience. Sometimes the modification may be offensive to a section of the society that do not ascribe to the beliefs and practices of the group.

This argument is supported by Shaw (2014) who says that that internet has given people power to do more than what they could before. This article laments that internet is full of jerks because of the new ability that people have of creating contents and posting them whenever they feel it is necessary. Shaw (2014) argues that feminism is yet to be appreciated in the modern era of internet even after the numerous programs meant to empower women. The author says that some of the contents shared in the internet are modified to a wrong impression that women are weak beings who must rely on men to achieve any form of success.

Conclusion

The first article that was reviewed critically looks at the new trend of sharing television content through the internet. The article looks at the advantages and challenges associated with it, and how the society is responding to this new platform of sharing television content. The two other articles that were reviewed provide additional support for the arguments that the author of the first reading is making. The three articles contend that the emerging technologies are transforming the platform through which people are receiving television content. They also believe that the trend will not come to a halt soon, and therefore, the society should be ready to deal with this new trend.

References

Kenyon, A., & Wright, R. (2006). Television as Something Special: Content Control Technologies and Free-to-Air TV. Melbourne University Law Review, 30(1) 339-369

Newman, M. (2012). Free TV: File-Sharing and the Value of Television. Television & New Media, 13(6), 463-79.

Shaw, A. (2014). The Internet Is Full of Jerks, Because the World Is Full of Jerks: What Feminist Theory Teaches Us About the Internet. Communication and Critical/ Cultural Studies, 11(3), 273-277.

The Topic of the Article

The article (or essay) Free TV: File-Sharing and the Value of Television by Michael Z. Newman is devoted to the topic of TV file-sharing (for example, with the help of BitTorrent) and its impact on the shifts in the TVs value and status.

Outline of the Authors Thesis

The author describes P2P TV file-sharing as another variant of free TV that, unlike the usual TV service, is much more non-commercial (directly and indirectly) and claims that the development of this new kind of television affects the concept of TV and leads to its change. The article is aimed at considering and understanding the change and its implications with the help of historical analysis of traceable developments and investigation of filesharers opinions on the existence and legitimacy of this new kind of television.

Arguments Summary

The first part of the authors arguments illustrates and defends the point of the TV file exchange influencing the perceived status of television. The author explains that there are differences between the perception of TV and other social media that are caused by the historical development of television. The issue of TV shows piracy does not arise too often since this kind of mass culture is typically perceived as free of charge. Still, the situation is changing, and Newman explains the three aspects of this transition.

TV used to be regarded as a less valued feminized type of mass culture, but the author points out that the existence of TV file-sharing demonstrates the growth of its perceived value. On the other hand, the author admits that by using it for free with the help of P2P sharing, users obliterate its commercial value. This is the reason for the transition of TV to the private goods category: TV file sharing is perceived as a danger by the industry, and it attempts to rectify the situation by providing legal alternatives. This leads to the transfer of the status of TV from the public to private.

Another aspect of cultural change is the end of the feminization of TV: the new type of television targets another audience, one that is technologically-savvy and primarily masculine. The technological advancement and the transition to active usage (instead of passive viewing) serve to raise the level of this kind of culture to a more appreciated and valued one. Finally, the author also points out that traditional TV corporations tend to be restricted locally and temporally while the P2P file sharing destroys these limitations. Thus, the author demonstrates that the status of TV is changing because of file-sharing from the point of view of at least three aspects: the cultural status and value rise, the good turn private (instead of public), and the limitations that used to be imposed on it are removed.

The second part of the essay is devoted to the rationalization of P2P by its users who need to find an explanation for the morally, legally, and politically questionable method of sharing. For that, the author cites and analyzes the messages from users from different countries, including the US, Canada, and Australia. The rationalization techniques are based on typical arguments: the fact that TV is technically free-of-charge or already paid for and the fact that it is more convenient to create ones own TV schedule and avoid the typical limitations (the legal reasons for which may be not understandable from the point of view of the consumer).

Moreover, the contempt for low-quality mass culture is still reflected in another rationalization technique: the process of watching TV shows with the help of downloads is viewed as more acceptable than using the set. Apart from that, it is a common concept that TV sharing is more legal and moral than, for example, music sharing. The author then dwells on the countermeasures of the industry (legal download options) and demonstrates that the changes in the phenomenon of file sharing and its culture (including rationalization), the status of TV culture, and the reaction of the industry exert influence on each other.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Article: An Assessment

The weaknesses of the article are mostly formal. Since the article is termed as an essay, the absence of properly spelled methodology and other aspects of research will not be described as a weakness. Apart from that, an essay is probably not entitled to the same structure as that of an academic article proper. Still, it should be pointed out that the work (especially its second part) would benefit from a more detailed structure (for example, titles for a particular type of evidence). The same can be said about a clearly articulated conclusion. The comprehensiveness of the study complicates the navigation for an essay without such a structure.

A major strength of the article is the development of a relatively underrepresented topic. Newman states that the study of sharing trends has been developing during the past decade, but it tends to neglect the aspect of TV, which makes the research in this area more necessary. Similarly, it can be pointed out that the study is carried out in an emerging and rapidly developing field. The topic is discussed from various angles, and the research is very extensive. The aim of the study is achieved. The analysis of the reasoning of filesharers can be of practical use and support the creation of strategies for elimination or legalization of this new phenomenon, even though the author does not emphasize this fact.

Introduction

The broadcast media, particularly, television and its varied programs, is now considered a big part of everybodys life. Every day, almost every hour, people of all ages, sizes, and/or gender can be seen glued to the TV watching their favorite program. Indeed, TV has become a detrimental part of everybodys life which is why TV producers and/or networks make sure that they will be providing something new or something different to the viewers. However, because of the hype on thinking and creating something new for the viewers, there comes a point that violent programs also increase.

Problems of the Study

This paper is aimed at answering the major thesis problem which is Is there a direct relationship between violent television and the increased aggressive behavior in children? More specifically, this paper will be done to answer the following specific problems:

• What are the impacts that violent television can provide to its audience, particularly the children?
• What are the narrative structures and editorial devices employed in various shows in relation to critical research on violence in TV programs?
• What are the effects of violent television on young viewers especially if they are watching it on a regular or daily basis?

Significance of the Study

As an aspiring media practitioner, the result of this study will help me on gaining a broader knowledge of effective media presentations, particularly in the TV industry. The results will surely enhance my knowledge of various perspectives of TV producers as well as the point of view of the viewers in relation to the programs aired for them. Likewise, I, as a researcher, will be immersed and be acquainted with the different types of TV viewers. My mind will be enlightened on the different viewer behaviors and how it is affected by media or producers strategies in crafting a TV show.

TV program producers and advertisers can all be benefited from his research. They can obtain ideas and tips on how to approach their target viewers to watch and patronize their shows. In the same manner program producers and TV, advertisers can also attain ideas on how to attract performers for the reality shows they are to make.

Moreover, this paper will provide great assistance to other researchers who intend to tackle media, various TV programs, or other reality shows. This paper will serve as their guide on what to do with their papers, and where to start their study.

Hypothesis

This paper hypothesizes that there really is a direct relationship between violent television and the increased aggressive behavior of children. More specifically, this paper hypothesizes that as the number of times children, especially boys, watch violence on TV increases, the more they are prone to committing deviant behaviors.

Methodology

Theoretical framework

The suggested theoretical framework to successfully analyze how violence in TV programs affect the psychological well being of the children viewers is:

Hence, this should then be the focus when analyzing various TV shows with violence in it. In doing so, a depth literature study and review are conducted in this paper. Most updated Websites, journals, and magazines related to the subject of study are gathered and analyzed.

Methods of research analysis

The research gathered then served as guides in conducting the interviews with a particular family who has been recognized as an avid viewer of TV shows with violence. A total number of 5 people (or varying age and gender) will be subjected for interview. These respondents will be chosen strategically and will be asked to answer the following questions:

1. How long have you been watching shows that portray violence?
2. Are you giving enough attention to the way the show is aired: the characterization, the script, and the message it imparts to viewers like you? (Y/N) What do you notice?
3. Have you been affected emotionally, physically, and/or psychologically by what you have seen from such a show? In what ways?
4. Do you pattern your way of living as how youve seen it done characters in the show youre watching? (Y/N)

Summaries and generalizations of the responses to the given questions will be done. Thus, the results and discussion of the study are obtained by analyzing the results of the interview conducted and correlating them with the research.

Possible References

Barwise P., & Ehrenberg, A. S. C. 1988. Television and its audience. London: Sage.

Horgan, K.B. et al. 2001. Television Food Advertising: Targeting Children in a Toxic Environment, The Handbook of Children and the Media.

Lincoln, Y. S. and Guba, E. G. 1985. Naturalistic Inquiry, Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, CA.

McKoon, Gail and Ratcliff, Roger. 1992. Spreading Activation Versus Compound Cue Accounts of Priming: Mediated Priming Revisited. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory; and Cognition, 18, pp. 1155-1172.

Seels, Barbara, Berry, Louis H. and Fullerton Karen. 1996. Research on Learning from Television, in Handbook for Research on Educational Communications and Technology, David H. Jonassen (ed.), pp. 299-377, Simon & Schuster Macmillan, New York.

Webster, J. G., & Lichty, L. W. 1991. Ratings analysis: Theory and practice. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.