The ‘Masked’ Media and Young Minds

How the Mass Media Affects Children

Northern Caribbean University

College of Human, Behavioural and Social Sciences

Department of Mass Communication

The Impact of the Mass Media on Children ages 8-14

Completed in partial fullfilment of the course

Comm100: Introduction to Mass Communication

By: members of group 8

To:Miss Lawrie Henry

Introduction

The impact that the media has had on our children ages 8-14 years over the years has been greatly underestimated. The

programmes which seem to be designed for entertainment are in fact doing more than that. The members of group eight

have therefore made it their duty to research the mass media’s impact on our young minds locally, regionally and

internationally and deemed the mass media as ‘masked’ as it seems to be harmless on the surface, therefore deceptive. Its

effects are widespread and significant and therefore, the consumption by children must be controlled. Group eight has

also designed a Facebook page and a blog to get more information from a world audience on the topic, Masked Media

and Young Minds.

What is the Mass Media?

The mass media is any form of media which communicates information from the sender or senders to a large number of

receivers. Forms of mass media are the radio, television, internet and the print media- books news paper etc., CD’s, video

games.

A Chinese proverb states, “A child's life is like a piece of paper on which everyone who passes by leaves an impression.”

We believe this proverb and hence have applied this proverb to the impact that the mass media has on children. The media

have made and are making their own impression on the lives of our children.

The Print Media

The Magazine industry is a profitable one in the US. A vast number of teenagers indulge in the reading of magazines

such as ‘Seventeen’ and others. Most teenagers have an interest in fashion. This effect is not limited to teens in the United

States because in Jamaica, teens also indulge in reading American magazines and local news paper mainly for the

entertainment sections like about celebrities, music, sports or even the comic strip. The morale of the gatekeepers seem to

have deteriorated tremendously and almost everything is released by the press which will create a sensation. Most children

are not interested in reading for cognitive gains outside of their school work, but rather diversion. Books like Harry Potter

and Twilight which explores the mysterious world of magic and the supernatural are two of the best-selling books in the

world. Disintermediation makes it easier for writers to get their books directly to their readers via the internet and they have

access to various reading materials.

Books and Children

Most children are bombarded with books at an early age. By age eight a child is expected to be able to read. Children are exposed to material that are expected to improve their reading ability and their cognitive skills.

It is believed by many that reading stimulates the mind and promotes imagination. This is in fact true, children learn a lot from reading books and they are able to build on ideas and create new ones. This is the same reason, however that children should be exposed to appropriate materials.

Children should be taught the difference!

Reality vs. Illusion

Things that are real

Thins that are unreal

Television and Children

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Nielson Media Research data has shown that on average, a child

watches television at least three hour a day, excluding time spent watching videos or playing video games.

‘Although there are potential benefits from viewing some television shows, such as the promotion of positive

aspects of social behavior (e.g., sharing, manners, and cooperation), many negative health effects also can

result. Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the messages conveyed through television,

which influence their perceptions and behaviors. Many younger children cannot discriminate between what

they see and what is real. Research has shown primary negative health effects on violence and aggressive

behavior; sexuality; academic performance; body concept and self-image; nutrition, dieting, and obesity; and

substance use and abuse patterns.(PEDIATRICS Vol. 107 No. 2 February 2001)

TV shows have been designed specifically for child education, but there are also the ones that are designed

for child entertainment which are not necessarily healthy for children to watch. Shows designed for eight and

nine year olds, such as ‘Hey Arnold’ and ‘Rocket Power’ are less mature than the cartoons for ten, eleven and

twelve year olds, such as ‘Doug’. ‘Teen Titans’ and ‘Naruto’ were designed for teenagers.

Children and the Internet

Television Jamaica has been airing for some time now that the most at risk group for HIV and AIDs is the group from ages

10-19. The internet is a major contributor to this problem. The great Facebook has captured the attention of many children

and sexual predators may be on this social network trying to allure children into their traps. The age group we are focusing

on, ages 8-14 are all members on Facebook. Many parents fail to see the possible dangers and hence do not monitor their

children’s profile or keep them off this kind of networking until they are old and mature enough.

One of the biggest concerns of many parents across the world is the risk of their child becoming involved in internet

pornography. More and more children are being drawn into the pornographic world, not only as viewers and endorsers, but as

the actual participants. Videos are being posted everyday involving children engaging in sexual activity.

Despite the many negative effects, however, the internet can be one of the most helpful tools to students in their growth

and learning process. Researches can be done on the internet for school or personal reasons. Children also use the email to

communicate with friends and family members across the world.

Children and the Radio

Though less that watching television or surfing the internet, many children listen to the radio. There are quite a few programmes

on the radio stations in Jamaica and across the world designed for children. One of the more famous children’s programme in

Jamaica is Kids’ Praise on Love 101, cheered by Colleen Beckford. Many children listen to the radio for the music. The music that

are air played may not be suitable for them, but they listen to them anyway. With the advancement in technology however, they

don’t need to rely on the radio for music but carry their own music libraries around in their ipods, mp3 players or cell-phones.

The Film Industry

The film industry is one of the richest industries in the world. Movies have potential of making millions of dollars each. People love

entertainment and children and people seem especially indulgent in this industry. Many teenagers and younger children enjoy going

to the movie theatre where many new movies of various types such as, comedy, tragedy, drama, farce, action or romance are shown

for a period. There are many movies made specially for children and Disney produced movies are usually for teenagers and even

younger children. They have the ability to alter people’s emotions and have various ratings such as MA, PG and R. parents should

pay attention to these ratings in order to protect their children.

Government, Private Enterprises and the Mass Media

Ray Eldon Hiebert has written a book called The Growing Power of the Mass Media from which the following excerpt was taken.

THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

‘Government plays a unique role in American mass media. Unlike that in most other countries, the U.S. government does not own

or operate any mass media that are readily available for public consumption within the country. (One exception is Voice of

America, the federal government's international radio station, which is broadcast only in shortwave and aimed at foreign countries.

Another exception is Stars and Stripes, a daily newspaper published with government funds for personnel on military bases who

theoretically might not have access to privately published newspapers.) Also unlike that in many other countries, the American

government rarely provides financial subsidy to mass media. (One exception has been government support for public

broadcasting, to ensure that some educational programming will get on the air-waves.)

The American philosophy about government's relationship to mass media comes primarily from the tradition that government

should not compete with private industry, and that citizens should get their information from private sources, to help ensure that

government cannot manipulate information to suit its own purposes or to increase its own power. The philosophy about

government control of mass media comes from the First Amendment to the Constitution, which says that "Congress shall make no

laws abridging freedom of speech or of the press." (The primary exception are regulations governing broadcasting, but even these

restrictions say relatively little about broadcast content.)

Thus, American government plays a minor role in legal control of the media. There are few laws and few institutional supports.

THE ROLE OF ADVERTISING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

In any discussion of mass media, we must include advertising, which isn't a medium itself but is so inextricably woven into the

fabric of most mass media that it cannot be ignored. By advertising we mean the purchase of time or space in print and electronic

media to present a specific message. Advertisers are not employed by any medium, but since they provide critical financial

support, they play a key role in the mass communication process.

Increasingly, public relations has become an essential part of mass media as well. Public relations people also are not employees

of any medium; rather, they serve the special interests of those outside the mass media. They seek to influence the content of

mass media by packaging news and information, by shaping personalities to fit media formats, and by creating or staging events

to capture the attention of the media. Their goal is to achieve a particular mass message and (the public relations people would

hope) a particular audience response. It is no longer possible to understand mass media without understanding public relations.

MASS MEDIA AS PRIVATE ENTERPRISES

We must understand that mass media in the United States are market-driven. They are private businesses, usually established to

make a profit; to do so, they must provide a commodity that people want. To sell advertising time or space, any medium must

have an audience that advertisers want to reach. If the medium does not attract a large enough audience to bring in enough money

from subscriptions or advertising sales to cover its costs and make a profit, it will most likely go out of business unless its owners

can cover its losses with profits from other businesses.’(Hiebert, Ray, The Growing Power of the Mass Media)

Cellular Phones and Children

Almost every child has a cell-phone, not only in Jamaica, but in many countries around the world. This mobile media is the

most popular device. A lot of phones are multi-purpose devices. Due to technological advances, music, movies, videos and

games can now be stored and played on phones. The amount of time spent on cell phones by children could be spent on

their school work and the fact that the internet can be accessed easily and some phones makes it harder for parents to

monitor contents that their children view.

What is the Main Intention of the Mass Media?

‘The answer to this question is very clear ‘to make money’. Advertisements are designed to influence its

audience and get them to indulge and spend their money on whatever they promote, good or bad. ‘Several

researches show that the advertisements play an important role on customers choosing goods or services and

especially are more effective on children as consumer. Advertising is to offer advertisements affects consumers’

(OPPAPERS.com). This statement is true as children want to follow the latest trends that re being advertised,

hence it increases consumption, whether toys for the eight year olds or fashionable items by the fourteen year

olds.

The Mass Media and Parental Control

The following recommendations are given for pediatricians and other health care professionals:

1.Remain knowledgeable about the effects of television, including violent and aggressive behavior, obesity, poor body

concept and self-image, substance use, and early sexual activity, by becoming involved in the AAP Media Matters

campaign. Educate patients and their parents about these effects.

2.Use the AAP Media History form to help parents recognize the extent of their children's media consumption.

3.Work with local schools to implement comprehensive media-education programs that deal with important public

health issues.

4. Serve as good role models by using television appropriately and by implementing reading programs using volunteer readers in

waiting rooms and hospital inpatient units.

5. Become involved in the AAP's Media Resource Team (contact the Division of Public Education), and learn how to work

effectively with writers, directors, and producers to make media more appropriate for children and adolescents. Contact networks and

producers of television programs with concerns about the content of specific shows and episodes.

6. Ensure that appropriate entertainment options are available for hospitalized children and adolescents. Work with child life staff to

assemble a screening committee that selects programs for closed circuit broadcast or a video library. Develop institution-specific,

formal guidelines based on the established ratings system (which takes profanity, sex, and violence into account), and screen for

content containing ethnic and sex role stereotyping. Considerations should also be made to avoid themes hospitalized children might

find upsetting, and efforts should be made to enforce the ratings system in the hospital setting.

7. Support the Children's Television Act of 1990 and its 1996 rules by working to ensure that local television stations are in

compliance with the act and by urging local newspapers to list ratings and E/I denotations of programs.

8. Monitor the television ratings system for appropriateness and advocate for substantive, content-based ratings in the future.

(PEDIATRICS Vol. 107 No. 2 February 2001, pp. 423-426 )

How Does the Mass Media Affect Children?

Sexual behaviours- Although early sexual activity may be caused by a variety of factors,12,13 the media are believed to play

a significant role. The media also represent the most easily remediable influence on young people and their sexual attitudes

and behaviors.(PEDIATRICS Vol. 107 No. 1 January 2001, pp. 191-194)

Manners- It is very important that children watch programmes that will teach them to behave prople and not the opposite.

They should be taught respect and decency.

Morals- Parents should teach their children good morals and not leave it up to the mass media to teach them. The will learn

things that are good, but also things that are morally repugnant. The mass media does transmit values, but may not

necessarily be the ones that parents want to teach their children.

Testimonial

As a child, which is more that forty years ago, things were very different. Technology was not advanced in Jamaica and

the lower class was not exposed to video games. Some people had radios and an even lesser number had television. The

internet to my knowledge was non-existent and I had not even seen a computer. Now, however, technology has increased so

much that my grandson is looked down upon if he still uses his Nintendo. This great advance in technology means that our

children has more access to valuable information, but it also means that they are exposed to destructive information too.

Jean Anderson.

Conclusion and a Thought

May we live our lives as how we wish to be remembered as though the beliefs we claim to possess are real and are not simply figments of our imagination- Claude Emmanuel.

The media can be very useful to children as well as adults. Its consumption should however be controlled by parents and guardians. There are elements in the media that children should not be exposed to. It is also very hard at an early age to distinguish between reality and illusion.