Hum 186 - Influences of Entertainment Media

Influences of Entertainment Media

HUM/186

Influences of Entertainment Media

Entertainment media has had a great deal of influence on the American culture. While much of the content in entertainment media is intended for entertainment these influences have been found for many years. One such instance in the past was radio commercials for Ovaltine played during shows like Little Orphan Annie popular with children at the time. Commercials like this or the more current commercials for the new Sketchers shoes influence those watching causing the desire to buy.

Increasing commerce and product sales has not been the only effect from the increase in entertainment media. According to the 2007 survey performed by the Culture and Media Institute “74 percent of American adults believe moral values are weaker than they were 20 years ago” (“The Media Assault on American Values,” 2007, para.). This decline of moral values can be attributed to the increase in entertainment media lacking in positive messages. Turning on a television exposes the average watcher to an almost endless amount of television shows and movies full of violence and sex.

MPAA ratings are much less stringent today than twenty years ago, allowing for more language, violence and adult content to be in lower ratings than before. These changes in what is viewed as unacceptable content over the years leads to increased exposure to inappropriate content for a younger audience. As children become increasingly exposed to content outside of their maturity level the understanding of moral values decreases.

One such prime example is the television show The Vampire Diaries which has several episodes showing characters of the show having sex.