What do you think?

1. Does TV/film violence cause people to be more violent?

2. Do TV ads unduly influence children?

3. Do the media affect the way people vote in national elections?

Should….

4. TV/film producers lessen the violence aired?

5. TV/film producers be held accountable for violent behavior?

6. Children’s advertising be lessened or controlled?

7. Political material carried by media be controlled?

MEDIA EFFECTS

Early Theories

Magic Bullet

or

Hypodermic Needle

MEDIA EFFECTS

Early Theories

Magic Bullet Effect

is

or DIRECTSIMPLE

Hypodermic Needle

Payne Fund Studies, 1929

MEDIA EFFECTS

Early Theories

Cantril Study

MEDIA EFFECTS

Early Theories

People

interpret

Cantril Study broadcasts

differently

War of the Worlds Broadcast, 1938

MEDIA EFFECTSEarly Theories

Lasswell Model, 1948

Asked five questions: Who? Says What? On Which Channel? To Whom? With What Effect?

Television’s Effect on Children

Major Studies

TELEVISION IN THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN, 1961

•First report that children spend more time with TV than school

•Different children show different effects

•No serious problems with TV

Television’s Effect on Children

Major Studies

TELEVISION AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 1971

TV violence may lead to aggression in some children

Television’s Effect on Children

Major Studies

TELEVISION ADVERTISING TO CHILDREN 1979

•Called for ban on ads to very young

•Many children don’t distinguish between programs and ads

•By 6th grade children distrust ads

Television’s Effect on Children

Major Studies

TELEVISION AND BEHAVIOR 1982

•Televised violence can contribute to aggression (but can’t tell in whom or why)

•Heavy viewers more fearful, less trusting

Cont.

Television’s Effect on Children

Major Studies

TELEVISION AND BEHAVIOR 1982

Continued

•Children who watch constructive programs more likely to act responsibly

Media’s Effect on Politics

Major Studies

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

1940, Radio, F.D. Roosevelt

Researchers followed 3,000 voters 6 months

•8% converted by media

•53% reinforced by media

•14% activated to vote by media

Cont.

Media’s Effect on Politics

Major Studies

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

1940, Radio, F.D. Roosevelt

Continued

Family and friends had more effect than media

Opinion leaders provide/shape information

Media’s Effect on Politics

Major Studies

THE UNSEEING EYE: THE MYTH OF TELEVISION POWER 1976

•7% were manipulated by ads

•16% were influenced by ads

Similar results to People’s Choice

Media’s Effects on Politics

Widespread belief that media has changed elections and election politics since 1960 televised debates.

vs.

Media’s Effects on Politics

BUTNo evidence exists to show media

has changed voting behavior of large groups.

Media’s Effects on PoliticsDependence on TV – National Elections

Reach large numbers quickly Distances candidates from direct public

contact Expensive

Effects on PoliticsCOST

1984 GOP spent $23.9

million Democrats spent $21.5

million

1996 Both parties spend $40

million apiece.

COSTS HAVE DOUBLED IN 12 YEARS

EFFECTS ON POLITICSSwing Voters

Television effects millions of “swing” voters who have a “mild but open interest in dominant developments.”

Respond to what they see and hear Reach conclusions on widely shared

common experience Wait for critical concern Need ease of participation.

EFFECTS ON POLITICSExclusion

WHO GETS LEFT OUT? Those who can’t raise huge sums of

money (or those who don’t have it to begin with)

Those who don’t look good on TV

EFFECTS ON CULTURE

Spiral

of

silence

EFFECTS ON CULTURE

No Sense of Place — Joshua Meyrowitz, 1985

TV blurs distinction between men and women and children and adults.

More topics enter public dialogue.

EFFECTS ON CULTURE

California Assessment Program, 1981

Correlation between hours spend watching TV and poor reading, math and writing scores

EFFECTS ON CULTURE

Women’s roles Minorities Alternative Lifestyles

MEDIA EFFECTS

Recent Studies

Different people in different environments react to the media differently.

MEDIA AS AGENDA SETTERS:

Media don’t (can’t effectively) tell us what to think, but…

…do tell us what to think about.

1984

1984