Media and Ideology by: Croteau


Reflection:

In Chapter 5 of “Media and Ideology” David Croteau explains how media has its own ideology, such as a belief system that help justify those in power by distorting reality through messages portrayed to viewers. Since “reality” may have multiple meanings to people, those in control of the media are able to portray fabrications of reality for purposes of entertainment. These distorted messages are examined through Ideological analysis that asks what these messages tell us about society and ourselves. Ideology has influence on cultural and social norms as well as views in the society that we live in. Although many will not admit, the media has an influence on an individual in one way or another. Ideology in the media has a strong influence where it can normalize certain behaviors that one may know is false. It may also normalize attitudes that people feel towards another. I agree with Croteau and I believe that media is becoming readily available more than ever, allowing these perceptions of “reality” to only maximize. Instead of having desktop computers, we have cell phones that are like mini computers. Instead of watching the news on television, I read newspapers daily on my cell phone. Although I know the news is considered media, and the same tactics that are used to spread fabricated information exist, I automatically believe what I see on the news is true. This made me think about In the case of television shows, how ideas and beliefs for example, are portrayed about teenagers as having attitudes and being rebellious. The media also portrays middle school and high school as scary places where a teenager is continuously bullied by upperclassmen. Although I know in only extreme cases this may happen, younger children for example may become scared of attending school assuming these conditions exist. My younger brother for example will be graduating Elementary school this June; he is extremely terrified of Middle school due to the messages commonly portrayed by the media he consumes.
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To talk about in class:
- How the media percieves Middle school and High school to teenagers.

Comments

  1. Emily TwitchellMay 16, 2017 at 7:55 PM

    Hello this is Emily Twitchell,

    I completely agree with what you wrote about Croteau's article. I feel like when I was in school I never had a phone in elementary school, I just had to remember the different numbers I had to contact people. Also I feel like I wanted to understand what was going on through a newspaper in middle school or even when I was little because I thought it was the coolest thing to do. But now kids want to look things up on there phones, that look like mini computers. Also I feel like the reality is more so on the media nowadays than how it use to be. Croteau's wants us to know that "messages are examined through Ideological analysis that asks what these messages tell us about society and ourselves". Like you said in your post, on how messages can be distorted and also how reality can be too through messages.


    From Emily

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  2. UnknownMay 21, 2017 at 8:22 AM

    Your post made me think back to middle/high school TV shows like Ned's Declassified and how teens are seen as aliens. Many movies and tv shows portray school as an unknown place. I remember going into middle school and my mom had bought me a book about surviving in middle school; thinking of it now it scared me more than helping me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownMay 22, 2017 at 6:41 PM

    I liked how you brought it all back to how the media affects middle schools and high schools. I know as a middle school wrestling coach social media has a tremendous influence on the students. Also, the school has to keep updating the handbook to make new rules regarding social media. I think one of the biggest problems is something you said, about many people assuming what they see or read in the media is true. This can be very dangerous put happens all too often.

    ReplyDelete

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