The Media and the Contemporary family
Firstly, the way children are viewed in the media is the first issue that is being presented. It is a known fact that by the time a child graduates from high school they have spent more time in front of a television set than in a classroom. During this time in front of a television one of the things children often see is a reflection of themselves. How children see people their age is important, because it helps shape how young people view themselves and their place in the world around them. Most television shows do not portray children accurately. Most children shown on television are motivated most often by peer relationships and romance, and least often by school related or religious issues. Statistics say, " 85% of children shows are about peer relationships, and 15% are about school-related issues." Yes, issues on romance are more entertaining then school-related issues, but romance is not the only issue that real children have to deal with in there live. Many children have a dream of becoming successful when they get older. For example, becoming such jobs as a doctor, or a lawyer. Television makes it seem that those types of jobs just come to people over night, and also without having any hard work and dedication involved. Television shows tend to miss that fact, and only display the things they think that children really care about. Personally, more family sitcoms should have more episodes on children characters tying to get good grades and more of an education, and spend less time on romances issues. This is because if children watch more shows on children working hard to get good grades, it might motivate the young viewers to do the same. Another fact that television does not do is deal with import social issues. Most children in the real world are forced to deal with increasingly difficult family and group problems. Study show that children on television are leading simpler lives. Static say, "Only 10% of television shows featuring child characters deal with major social, or family issues, such as racism, substance abuse, public safety, or homelessness." " Also only 2% of television shows featuring child characters deal with major family issues such as family crises, child abuse, domestic abuse, or family values. In today' s society many children go thought a lot of different experiences while becoming a
teenager. These children are presented with many issues such as substance abuse, and domestic violence that they have not ever been thought. Most children watch family sitcoms to get some advice on growing up and becoming a teenager. These children hope to relate to what the television character is going through. Some shows actually do present issues that teens go though. For example, the producers of the television show Seventh Heaven had an episode of a girl being in a gang. It dealt with the issue of drugs, violence and weapons. The episode was about the girl getting in the gang. In order for the girl to be excepted in the gang the members of the group already beat her to see if she was strong enough to be apart of their violent group. It was part of initiation. When her parents found out they wanted her to get out of it immediately. The girl thought it would be easy to get out because she thought that her fellow gang members were her friends. But she was wrong. When she told the members that she wanted out they flipped, and beat her to the point were she was in the hospital. This episode was very educational because it had to deal with a real issue that many teens have to go though in everyday life.
Secondly the way parents are viewed in the media is the second issue that is being presented. Parents are not actually portrayed in media either. Many parents work and also have a family life also. Many television shows tend to miss that issue. On television whenever an issue comes up at work there is always a babysitter their to take care of the children. This is a problem for real people. Work and family life have a habit of intertwining. You will never see this happening on television because of the nature of the television world. The majority of the prime-time characters are male, and few of them
appear to have family obligations. Parents are insufficient, and working mothers are still quite unusual. Most shows center on either the workplace or the home, without much overlap that would tell us about character's other roles. Family responsibilities rarely come up at work, and when they do, they are easily met. Television has not changed face since the old times. It has some catching up to do when it comes to the issue of gender roles, which play an important part in how work and family issues are portrayed. TV women, unlike TV men, are still mostly defined by their family relationships. When women characters do have work and family conflicts, it is usually because work is affecting their primary role at home.
Thirdly, the way family life is viewed in the media is the third issue that is being presented. Today, popular sitcoms of the day have became the arena for acting out the struggles, fears, aspirations and the contradiction in our lives, and above all, those of our families. But the television producers that make these sitcoms about are family lives have a hard time matching television families to normal real life families. For example, the Fox network capitalized on our collective sarcasm about social background and delivered Married with Children. "A case of a sitcom that is suggestive of the reaction to feminism. The show features a working class, dysfunctional family who is trapped by their narrow lives, long standing complaints and by insults that leave the experiences into self-parody" Yes, many families in society are dysfunctional but not as bad as this show. For a sense of humor the members of this televised family badmouths each other, and instant each other. Also there are no signs of affection used in any of the episodes. Obviously, the question of family life being portrayed accurately is answered. The funny thing about televised families is that it changed face but in a bad way. As time passes situations involved in the show get worse and worse. In the 1950's shows like Leave it to Beaver was on the air. This show was the type of show that we wished are family was like. It was about a family who had no problems involved in their life. Whenever there was a problem there was an answer that immediately was found. In this show the father had the final word, and whatever he agreed on went. The mother stayed home to take care of the house, while the father went to work. Then in the 1960's All in the Family a show that was agonizing over civil rights and anti-war protest. The producers of this show wanted it both ways. "They acknowledged that the audience knew about racism, and feminism attitudes to work and ethnocultural shifts from disturbing news stories, but encouraged viewers to look at Archie's solutions." Television has always been a site of struggle for the family, giving us what we would like to believe but measure against lived experiences. On the Cosby Show the issue of racism was never involved. Also this show give the example of Father knowing best. But not all-family sitcoms are dysfunctional. Sitcoms such as Seventh Heaven, and Full House produce many values of a loving family.
In conclusion, this essay focused on the way children, parents and family issues are presented within a media family, and also if they are being portrayed accurately, if social issues which affect family life dealt with, and if media represents the changing face of the family. As we know TV entertains us, but it also shapes our view of the real world. Views of what is important and what needs to be changed. Showing how families cope with their own problems lets viewers know that they are not alone in their struggles and can offer them hope for solutions.
teenager. These children are presented with many issues such as substance abuse, and domestic violence that they have not ever been thought. Most children watch family sitcoms to get some advice on growing up and becoming a teenager. These children hope to relate to what the television character is going through. Some shows actually do present issues that teens go though. For example, the producers of the television show Seventh Heaven had an episode of a girl being in a gang. It dealt with the issue of drugs, violence and weapons. The episode was about the girl getting in the gang. In order for the girl to be excepted in the gang the members of the group already beat her to see if she was strong enough to be apart of their violent group. It was part of initiation. When her parents found out they wanted her to get out of it immediately. The girl thought it would be easy to get out because she thought that her fellow gang members were her friends. But she was wrong. When she told the members that she wanted out they flipped, and beat her to the point were she was in the hospital. This episode was very educational because it had to deal with a real issue that many teens have to go though in everyday life.
Secondly the way parents are viewed in the media is the second issue that is being presented. Parents are not actually portrayed in media either. Many parents work and also have a family life also. Many television shows tend to miss that issue. On television whenever an issue comes up at work there is always a babysitter their to take care of the children. This is a problem for real people. Work and family life have a habit of intertwining. You will never see this happening on television because of the nature of the television world. The majority of the prime-time characters are male, and few of them
appear to have family obligations. Parents are insufficient, and working mothers are still quite unusual. Most shows center on either the workplace or the home, without much overlap that would tell us about character's other roles. Family responsibilities rarely come up at work, and when they do, they are easily met. Television has not changed face since the old times. It has some catching up to do when it comes to the issue of gender roles, which play an important part in how work and family issues are portrayed. TV women, unlike TV men, are still mostly defined by their family relationships. When women characters do have work and family conflicts, it is usually because work is affecting their primary role at home.
Thirdly, the way family life is viewed in the media is the third issue that is being presented. Today, popular sitcoms of the day have became the arena for acting out the struggles, fears, aspirations and the contradiction in our lives, and above all, those of our families. But the television producers that make these sitcoms about are family lives have a hard time matching television families to normal real life families. For example, the Fox network capitalized on our collective sarcasm about social background and delivered Married with Children. "A case of a sitcom that is suggestive of the reaction to feminism. The show features a working class, dysfunctional family who is trapped by their narrow lives, long standing complaints and by insults that leave the experiences into self-parody" Yes, many families in society are dysfunctional but not as bad as this show. For a sense of humor the members of this televised family badmouths each other, and instant each other. Also there are no signs of affection used in any of the episodes. Obviously, the question of family life being portrayed accurately is answered. The funny thing about televised families is that it changed face but in a bad way. As time passes situations involved in the show get worse and worse. In the 1950's shows like Leave it to Beaver was on the air. This show was the type of show that we wished are family was like. It was about a family who had no problems involved in their life. Whenever there was a problem there was an answer that immediately was found. In this show the father had the final word, and whatever he agreed on went. The mother stayed home to take care of the house, while the father went to work. Then in the 1960's All in the Family a show that was agonizing over civil rights and anti-war protest. The producers of this show wanted it both ways. "They acknowledged that the audience knew about racism, and feminism attitudes to work and ethnocultural shifts from disturbing news stories, but encouraged viewers to look at Archie's solutions." Television has always been a site of struggle for the family, giving us what we would like to believe but measure against lived experiences. On the Cosby Show the issue of racism was never involved. Also this show give the example of Father knowing best. But not all-family sitcoms are dysfunctional. Sitcoms such as Seventh Heaven, and Full House produce many values of a loving family.
In conclusion, this essay focused on the way children, parents and family issues are presented within a media family, and also if they are being portrayed accurately, if social issues which affect family life dealt with, and if media represents the changing face of the family. As we know TV entertains us, but it also shapes our view of the real world. Views of what is important and what needs to be changed. Showing how families cope with their own problems lets viewers know that they are not alone in their struggles and can offer them hope for solutions.
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