Influence of Visual Media
Uploaded by whitegirlweez on Oct 17, 2012
Visual Media has shaped the American culture in a variety of ways. From the way we portray violence in our society, to the strong sexual situations included in most of the movies and TV shows today. Visual media influences the spread of various cultural traits, including food habits, music, and entertainment. Different forms of visual media, such as television and films, provide materials from which we establish a sense of style, class, and even sexuality. Furthermore, visual media has shaped the way we view the world by influencing what we consider right, or wrong, positive or negative, and moral or immoral in a huge way.Television, in comparison to film, has often been seen as the poorer relation in terms of cultural significance and quality, yet TV continues to influence the daily lives of the millions who watch it. Despite threats from new media and the Internet to make film and television redundant forms of entertainment, movies and TV shows still dominate Internet content. Without these two forms of media, the Internet would arguably not hold the attention of the audiences it does.Celebrity figures in visual entertainment media also influence our lifestyles, including the music we listen to and the way we dress. The advertising and marketing industry rely heavily on visual media to help spread and sell their products by airing commercial ads on TV and using big name, popular celebrities to endorse their product.
Visual media also has its downside or negative side because of the way it exposes our society and children to senseless violence, sexual situations, criminal behavior, nudity, racism, and other antisocial elements. These elements of visual media entertainment constantly are dividing our nation between what is morally right and what is right Amendment wise, all the while shaping various aspects of our American culture.Watching violence on TV or in movies can desensitize a teen and make him or her more likely to view violence in real life as a normal thing. Some teens frequently exposed to media violence may become victims of domestic violence or bullying and not report it because they view the situation as normal based on what they have seen in the media. Most ofthe negative influence on childrentoday comes from the music industry, especially through music videos. Here is an example, an ad for jeans in Elle Magazine, shows three men physically attacking a woman, or an Italian edition of Vogue shows...