Model for Tv Analysis

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Media Analysis Media is pervasive in American culture today. Many Americans spend their entire day with one form of media or another. It is easy to believe that by living in an environment saturated by media we become immune to its effects and messages. However, this is often not true. Without becoming self-aware, media literate consumers, messages and values often slip by our defenses unaware. Julie T. Wood points out that “almost everyone thinks media affect others but not themselves” (Wood, 2011, p. 257). Scholars point out that media does affect “opinions, identities, choices and lives” and our “understandings and expectations of gender” ( Wood, 2011, p. 257). The episode that I saw of Syfy's reality show Collection Intervention played into certain traditional gender expectations, though perhaps not as strongly as other reality shows. Collection Intervention shows the attempts of obsessive collectors to cull their collection with the help of a professional auctioneer and appraiser. There were two collectors featured on the show. The first collector was a laconic middle-aged male. He collected traditionally masculine toys such as G.I. Joes and Hot Wheels. He also worked as a mechanic who enjoyed working on “muscle cars.” His collection was spread all over the house without regard to neatness. This provides support to Wood's assertion that “reality tv thrives on portraying men in the most traditional, stereotyped ways imaginable” ( Wood, 2011, p. 263). The second collector was a soft-spoken, middle-aged woman. She collected Barbie dolls and accessories. She was also a stay at home mother. Her home was as neat as a pin with most of her collection stuffed into her son's closets. All of this was offset somewhat, however, by the host and appraiser. She was shown as glamorous and fashionably dressed, but also portrayed as a competent professional in her

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