BBG Communications: MEDIA INFLUENCE ON ME

In the past century, we have seen the mass introduction of television and the internet. This greatly augmented the media base of print and radio advertisements. With a rapid decrease in the expenses associated with media production, media has saturated our society. As a result, my decisions, and those of many in our society, are being influenced by the media. Though a variety of methods are used, the three most effective involve targeting our self-image, creating social stereotypes, and exploiting our sexual fantasies.

We can see the first of these three when we look at the media surrounding personal organization devices, such as a PDA. If we look at the website for the products produced by the PalmOne company, we will notice that this is a predominant method used in their media to market the products. That is, many products are represented as improving our efficiency and our capacity to complete work. In this way, the PalmOne media has affected my decisions by convincing me that a PDA will improve my work habits and increase my success at university.

Moving on to the second one, social stereotypes, we can see this working most effectively in the context of gender biases. Even to this day, despite the advancement we claim to have made as a species, there is a social perception that women are inferior to men. The work of Dr. Valian of the City University of New York illustrates this. It demonstrates how women still earn less than men in many professions, despite having equal qualifications. Further, it demonstrates how women are not perceived to be leaders in a group situation. After reviewing the section on common explanations, I believe that this is a problem generated by television media, as television sitcoms will often give the idea that all women are traditionally mothers and have different priorities. In this way, the media creates a stereotype regarding women.

Third, the media influences decisions by exploiting our sexual fantasies. Although common in many situations, we can see this most frequently in clothing line media. If we visit the homepage of the American company Abercrombie & Fitch, we will see that this company uses images with strong sexual content to promote their product. The company even has a “Lifestyle” section on their website where they house photos and videos of physically attractive men and women wearing their product. This sends us the message that we will be equally as attractive if we simply purchase and wear the product. In summary, it is clear that media penetrates every aspect of our lives. From when we rise in the morning and read the paper to when we watch a late night sitcom before going to bed, media is present in our society, and the messages it gives, either intentionally or unintentionally, influence our decisions.