The Inkstained Mind: How TV is programming our children

3 Aug 2011

How TV is programming our children

There is a study by psychologists at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) "to document historical change in the values communicated to 'tween' audiences, age 9-11, who are major media consumers and whose values are still being formed."

Researchers analyzed 16 values projected by the Two Most Popular TV Shows for 9 to 11-year-olds in the U.S. every decade for 50 years, from 1967 through 2007.

Their findings shocked even them. 'To be famous' is the No. 1 value emphasized by popular shows on TV (biggest change from No. 15 in 1967) and 'To make money' is value No. 5 (up from No. 12 in 1967). The distortion becomes even more obvious when we consider that 'being kind / helping others' is No. 12, down from No. 2 in 1967.

How did 'Fame' and 'money' become the most emphasised values on TV programmes for kids?

Well, else what can we expect with the countless 'Reality' shows on virtually every popular TV channel baiting teens (and greedy parents) with million-dollar prizes and instant fame?

Sadly, few bother to understand the warped intentions and cold commercial agenda behind the hyped-up publicity, cheering fans, glittering stages, celebrity judges, and blinding arc-lights...

In reality... Reality Shows - especially 'talent' shows - spawn an assembly line of superfical 'young icons' held on a tight contractual leash by the commercial 'entertainment' machine to be ruthlessly used and sold as advertisement tools. It has little to do with 'talent' - and everything to do with 'marketability'.

Everyone makes a quick buck hawking stuff to fawning 'fans' - before the icon is chewed up and spat out into the real world. While, the phony fans go crazy over the 'next big thing' on TV.

But what really hightens the reach and impact of the new breed of Reality Shows on TV on impressionable children is the spread from the idiot box onto the Internet - especially on social networks.

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WHAT IS ADVERTISING?

It's often called the world's second oldest profession.

But while the scope of the oldest one has changed little over time, the evolution in the way we communicate has had profound impact on Advertising.

In the ancient and medieval world, Advertising meant word-of-mouth. In the 1500s with the development of printing it became a 'paid public notice', disseminating the message to many. And it had Copy & Art.

Then came radio, TV, computer, cable TV, Internet, mobile phones, Internet on mobile, and it's still not done... Even what we perceive as 'change' is changing. Continuously.

So what is Advertising today?

Honestly, I don't know.

But I do know from a dozen years evolving with the business, that Advertising is most valued when it can make a tangible difference for the advertiser.

That has not changed. And probably won't.

UPDATE: Nothing's changed. But in a way, everything has.

As you see, my focus has shifted - evolved in a way - to a larger canvas. The shift or evolution was gradual, and may be have been discernable to the more observant reader.

While I was delving into the influence of media in society to better understand how perceptions are created, evolved and disseminated, I chanced upon a thread of knowledge that I frankly never knew existed.

My conclusion is that a deep pool of awareness and consciouness exists beyond the shallow narcissistic boundaries created by the convention view of social media and the Internet.

My aim is to send my readers down any path that can lead to this quenching pool.