Violence in the Media

A topic often discussed in media literacy is violence in the media.
Here are some facts provided by the National Institute on Media and the Family:

• By the time a child is eighteen years old, he or she will witness on television (with average viewing time) 200,000 acts of violence including 40,000 murders (Huston, et al, 1992).

• Children, ages 8 to 18, spend more time (44.5 hours per week- 61/2 hours daily) in front of computer, television, and game screens than any other activity in their lives except sleeping (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005).

• Since the 1950s, more than 1,000 studies have been done on the effects of violence in television and movies. The majority of these studies conclude that: children who watch significant amounts of television and movie violence are more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior, attitudes and values (Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 1999).

• Children are affected at any age, but young children are most vulnerable to the effects of media violence (Bushman, 2001). Young children
  • are more easily impressionable.
  • have a harder time distinguishing between fantasy and reality.
  • cannot easily discern motives for violence.
  • learn by observing and imitating.
  
  
• Violence (homicide, suicide, and trauma) is a leading cause of death for children, adolescents and young adults, more prevalent than disease, cancer or congenital disorders (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2001).

The Media Channel is a media group that addresses violence in the media, as well as other media literacy issues.

"Around the world, coalitions continue to express concern about the frequency and degree of violence in the mass media, especially in children's media. But while some scholars see real danger in violent media messages, others are concerned that focusing attention on media violence obscures more important political, social and economic issues.

How can we moderate violence in entertainment media without infringing on freedom of expression? How can reporters cover crime stories without being accused of "body-bag journalism"? And if popular culture is so "toxic," and we're so dissatisfied with media offerings, why is the TV on in the average American home for over 7 hours a day in the average American home? Why did we spend $6.88 billion dollars at the box office in 1998? Do we need to eliminate violence in media because we can't control our own lust for savagery?"

Here's a good site that looks at what experts have to say about the topic.

New Mexico Media Literacy Project

We have a local media literacy jewel in Albuquerque. The New Mexico Media Literacy Project operates out of Academy High School. But don't let the location fool you, the Project is mostly independent from the school. The staff at the Project are experienced media literacy activists. Many have traveled the country doing literacy events. Most of the funding for the Project comes from the State Health Department. So most of the topics covered are things like liquor and tobacco advertising, all very youth based.

"The New Mexico Media Literacy Project, founded in 1993, is one of the largest and most successful media literacy organizations in the United States.

Our mission is to cultivate critical thinking and activism in our media culture to build healthy and just communities.

NMMLP delivers dynamic multimedia presentations at conferences, workshops and classrooms across the country. Our media literacy curricula and action guides, including DVD-ROMs, CD-ROMs and videos, are used in countless classrooms and communities in all 50 states and abroad. NMMLP’s Catalyst Institute and other training programs have empowered thousands of people to be advocates and activists for a media literate society."

What the New Mexico Media Literacy Project does:

	Inspiring, educational media literacy presentations for youth and adults.
	A variety of training opportunities, including the acclaimed Catalyst Institute.
	Innovative media literacy curricula delivered on CD-ROMs and DVDs.
	Collaborative projects on media and health.
	The Bad Ad Contest for students and youth.

Here are some of the BASIC CONCEPTS of media literacy the Project suggests:

Media construct our culture
Media messages affect our thoughts and actions
Media effects are subtle
Media effects are complex
Media use "the language of persuasion"
Media construct fantasy worlds
No one tells the whole story
Media messages contain "texts" and "subtexts"
Individuals construct their own meanings from media
Media convey ideological and value messages
The human brain processes images differently than words
Media are most powerful when they operate on an emotional level
Media messages can be manipulated to enhance emotional impact
Media messages reflect the values and viewpoints of media makers
Media messages can be decoded
We all create media
Our media system reflects the power dynamics in our society
We can reform our media system
Media literate youth and adults are media activists

budding journalists

It has been suggested that C&J should require print journalism majors to take courses such as photography, Web publishing, desktop publishing, or introduction to broadcast instead of some of the courses now required on the communication side, such as media theory and visual communication. Then journalism students would be better trained for multimedia journalism demands. But this isn't such a simple solution.
Its important to remember UNM is a university and not a trade school. Although it is vital for us to learn our journalism trade through practice, it is also essential for us to have a firm grounding of media theory -especially in these rapidly changing times. Without knowledge of journalism's history, we can not carve a new future for journalism. I think UNM has done its best to keep up with new technology and news demands. I also believe UNM will continue to work with local news organizations to keep their graduates current.
Experience in the field is very valuable to college students. I realize not all students are able to obtain internships while in school, and this puts more pressure on classes to provide hands-on training. I've been taking a lot of Service Learning Classes, which provide specific services to the community while teaching students how to work in their field. I wonder if there is not some way to learn journalism while serving a community in need? I realize I need to know how to design web sites to be applicable for most of my prospective jobs. Although the web design class was full, I have the chance to create a site for the non-profit organization I’m interning with. Internships should be required, but should also be accompanied by more sophisticated in-class training.