Negativity in the Media

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Negativity in the Media: Paving the Way to a Violent Future Anywhere and everywhere one looks, there are messages posted on billboards, posters, signs, and flyers. “Children are the Future!” they proclaim, broadcasting their message to the masses. While no one can refute this message, one has to wonder about it. If children are the future, what will the future be like? The media that is seen everywhere in today’s society plays a large role in childhood development, and lately, the media has been displaying a lot of negative and violent content. This media has a negative effect on children and their behavior. “Today, all members of our society are influenced both directly and indirectly by the powerful media, including the television, sound recordings, and the Internet. Publicists, promoters, and sales personnel have at some point used all of these media to advocate what people should wear, what they should eat, and what values they should hold. Vivid colors and language tell us what is happening in the world and how to react to the events shown. Although much of our society’s media seems dominated by superficial chitchat, hyped news events, and depictions of violence, it is also a source of education, humor, and nonviolent entertainment. Just remember that the effect of media will vary with a child’s age and stage of development”. (Marshall). Throughout the years, the media has begun to appear in more and more places in many forms. From newspapers and billboards to televisions and video games, technology has made the media more accessible to today’s youth. Today, the average American child watches about 4 hours of television per day (“Facts and TV Statistics”), and in recent years, more and more realistically violent and profane things have been aired on television. The debate on whether or not showing questionable content on mainstream television is a long and
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