What effect does the media (TV and movies) have on society?

Question

Positive or negative influence.

Answer 1

For those who watch them, a lot, for those who watch them all the time, more than they know. The media like the news only shows us the things they want us to see and hides most of the things that we should/need to know. TV itself and movies make our society want things, and changes and molds our thoughts, opinions, and desires. They Make women think they have to be skinny and show skin to get a man, make men think they have to have money and be buff to get a women. They pretty much just brainwash us, everyone is. Think, how many commercials do you know the music or the number because of the tune they've built in your head (call 866 for felco). Its all to have us under their control in my opinion, to buy what they're seeling, they chose what we know, lie to us with answers to our questions so we don't seek more. It's all about controlling us, what we do, what we think, what we want, ect. And, with the countless advertising, it can even manipulate us into who we'll vote for president.

There are positives, knowing local news is good since it is where we live, there are the medical commercials which have probably helped people who never knew they had a problem, and the truth commercials show people the risk of smoking cigarettes and pot, even though i find some of those pot ones meaningless.

There's so much more on both counts, and I could go on and on but I think I've made my point =)

oh, and also violence and drugs, people tend to copy what they see on tv

Answer 2

I don't have tv or any kind of cable. I'm glad. Even if you're sifting through the media and being as picky as possible, it still has an effect on you.

The media seems to have won its battle on President Bush, who has managed to keep terrorists out since 911, and they are seeking to win the battle on homesexual marriages. Notice also that the media highly promotes evolution, which not all people believe, and it is also trying to promote the "yinyang". It is brainwashing children into believing that all things are "gods".
Basically it is leading people by their noses into looptyloops. Enough negativity will eventually make a person a pessimist....
Imagine if the media decided to diss Israel. Would the masses be fooled first hand? No. But eventually a little lie will become a big problem if it spreads long enough. Didn't Hitler say something like that?
Fewer people are reading history and something worth its substance. History will be repeated because people won't read it...they're getting a wealth of lies from the media.

HE WHO CONTROLS THE MEDIA CONTROLS THE MASSES.

Answer 3

After taking several college courses that have revolved around this very question... sometimes the media can have a negative effect especially on women. Girls see celebrities and models everyday on tv looking so skinny and beautiful and they end up thinking they're fat which in turn, causes girls to have an eating disorder. But the same could be said for fashion magazines.

On the other hand, tv can be a very good influence on society. Depending on what shows you watch you can learn tons of stuff from channels like FOOD tv, the home and garden channel, the history channel, etc. From these channels you can expand your knowledge base.

Answer 4

I feel it's more negative. There is so much there that causes people to feel bad about themselves, such as "I'm not thin enough," "I don't have a six pack like that, so I must be ugly." It goes both ways. The media portrays something that is not real. Most of it has been edited and doesn't show that these people also have imperfections. Also, it reduces family time and exercise, causing more issues. Most people watch TV, play video games, and while doing so, they snack. The power of the media is unreal, but society feeds off of it, so we can only have ourselves to blame. Of course, if it wasn't there, it wouldn't be this way, so it is not all the fault of the people watching, but in a way, we do have a choice.

Answer 5

There are both positive and negative influences based upon what you are watching.

Positive influences include the opportunity to see real live events for yourself in the news that we can judge and the ability for one to reflect upon how we see ourselves in real life.

Negative would be the fact that we often get misinformation, opinions constructed to appear as facts, too much time and planning around TV and less time enjoying the world around us.

Answer 6

I would say both. TV and movies can inspire people to do things they never thought they could, but at the same time, it can also give false hope. "Hairspray", for instance (don't get me wrong, I love it and I just watched it) gives teenage girls the impression that they can get "the guy" no matter what size they are. We know that this isn't the case, since just not all guys will dance and sing if you know how to "shake", so I would say it has both influences.

Answer 7

"The Media" of our time is the same as when gutenberg invented the press. Its the speed of the information that makes our society move so fast. Media influences every facet of our lives. Both + and -. It

Answer 8

I think neither. I think the influence comes more from a parent than a TV. I was always allowed to watch violent movies and play violent games, but my mother made sure I knew the differnce. I have now grown up to be a person the does not shy away from a confontation, but I don't go looking for them either. This was my mother's teaching, fight if you have too, but if you do you've have lost.

Answer 9

I believe it can have both positive and negative affects, but it depends upon how an individual reacts to what they see and hear. In today's world, it's important to have sensitive filters and be able to rely on your own conscience and intuition as to how you let the Media and other mediums affect you.

Answer 10

The media has the power to drop the presidents approval rating 50%