Media Violence: The Ever Present Controversy

Violence in the media is constantly at the center of public debate. Psychologists, educators, and television executives are incessantly in dialogue regarding the subject which has numerous research studies outlining its effects. This week, I decided to dive into the blogosphere to see what other online writers had to say on the topic. One entry discussed the recent New Yorker article regarding torturing depicted in the television drama 24 and how it is affecting the mentality of troops in Iraq. To the left is a production still from a torture scene in ABC’s hit series Lost, which was also criticized. Military officials and human rights activists went to executives of 24, asking that they portray torture more realistically, saying it is rarely successful and can take weeks or months to complete. You can read my thoughts below, or visit this link to view the whole blog and my comments. Another interesting blog summarized detailed research regarding media violence and its effects on children. My comments on this post can be found here along with the blog or directly after my thoughts on 24 below.

http://rightwingnuthouse.com/archives/2007/02/10/stranger-than-fiction-does-24-inspire-real-life-torture/

Television violence is often a subject of concern, but the notion of one hour dramas like Lost or 24 “trumping military training” (as stated in the New Yorker article) is ridiculous. Imagine a highly educated doctor throwing out all medical knowledge in order to do an operation Grey’s Anatomy style. These programs may inspire and galvanize viewers, but it is those committing the torturous crimes that are responsible for their actions. A lack of knowledge regarding reality reveals a flaw in military training, not a flaw in primetime television. These troops ought to be educated enough on torture tactics to realize that shows like 24 and Lost are not accurately depicting the situations. Television programs often bend the truth for viewing pleasure; do they seriously expect Jack Bauer to spend seven full seasons trying to get information out of one guy? It would seem that military officials are using 24 as a scapegoat for immoral procedures revealed in Iraq, while human rights activists jumped at an opportunity to criticize the controversial show.

http://nitawriter.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/why-some-kids-seem-immune-from-the-bad-effects-of-television-violence-and-violent-video-games/#respond

This blog raises the ever present question of media responsibility in censoring violent content. Germany took one route with its recent legislation hoping to outlaw overly aggressive video games entirely, while some countries prefer a more hands-off approach. With the extensive research conducted on the subject, to ignore the affects of this content on children would be both naive and careless. Yet still, the FCC cannot be expected to ban violence on television completely. The obligation lies once again with good parenting. Guardians are accountable for regulating a child’s media exposure, but how much do they know about the effects of television violence? Perhaps this is where media responsibility comes into play, in educating the public on these harms. Research like this should be more actively publicized. Harmful effects should be outlined in a warning before violent programming, something akin to the Surgeon General’s words on cigarettes. More needs to be done, more than just a TV14 in the corner, but without crossing into censorship.