American Television as a Model of Emulation - Essay Example

Running Header: Media Your name: Course name: Professors’ name: Date Introduction The TV is the most popular means of information dissemination primarily because of its ability to combine audio and visual images to the targeted audience. Unlike other traditional forms of information dissemination like the radio, the TV is the most popular information dissemination resource because of this quality. In the US, the TV is also the most popular news resource despite the development of the internet. Most homes will still watch the TV for the latest news and also their popular programs. This is basically because the TV is cheap to acquire and it provides all the information about the US and the world every hour. It is almost impossible to live without a TV in the modern world; almost the entire population depends on the TV for live news and other information as well as entertainment. This analysis focuses on the rationale behind the reason why the TV in the US should be a model for emulation as opposed to being a target for derision for other countries. The positives of TV broadcasting in the US will therefore form the basis of the argument in this case. The analysis will also focus on technological aspect of the modern TV as well as the nature, content and coverage of the TV in the US. All these and historical considerations will form the theoretical basis for supporting the TV as a model for emulation in the United States. American television should be a model of emulation and not a target for derision American TV history and role Television broadcasting in the US has been in existence since 1920s, the five major TV broadcasting in the US are CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC and the CW. The primary role of the media in the US has been to inform the citizens about the current events and other stories that affect their day to day activities. Fundamentally, the TV is the most common and watched means of media as compared to other forms of media because of a number of reasons. The TV is an audio-visual medium, the visual nature of the TV makes it a powerful source of information transfer because of the impression that it creates in our minds and hence leading to emotional connection. Audio-visual quality of the makes it a more attractive and the best medium of information transfer because of its ability to link with our emotions and hence making TV images more memorable as compare to other forms of information dissemination (McQuail 2010). The TV is a domestic medium; this is because one does not need to leave the comfort of the family leaving room in order to view favorite programs, in fact the TV has changed the way in which a family lives and even the schedule of meals based on favorite TV programs. As compared to a newspaper which has an impersonal tone, the TV has a personal tone as it directly addresses the viewer and hence making it an even intimate medium. The TV is also a live medium; this is basically because it presents current and live information that is relevant to the target audience (McQuail 2010). Mores so, issues that takes place in other countries such as earthquakes, stock markets are also presented in real time. This is important is both as a means of getting new information and knowing what is going on in different areas as well as making decisions on future or immediate investments in international share markets. Another notable role of the TV is its role as a mass medium, considering that there is a large population with a problem in reading or writing, the TV is the only form for them to get the latest news and hence making it the a mass medium. As noted, the TV plays an important role in the transmission or dissemination of information from one place to another. In America, the TV transmission started in 1930s with the moon landing event getting the most coverage, 94 % of the population watched the event live from their TV (Bennett & Strange 2011). The other event that received a large audience is the assassination of JF Kennedy in 1963. These two historical events demonstrate the important of mass medium and the role of the TV in live news dissemination. In essence, the TV broadcasting started as a means of broadcasting to be emulated by other countries, global television has therefore grown in the past five decades. More so, the growth of the internet and WAN communication has also integrated TV in its transmission means such as media streaming channels like YouTube (Mittell 2010). This shows the relevance of TV broadcasting even in the technological 21st century. Majority of the population in the US and all over the world still depend on the TV to get information about different events taking place in the world. The recent presidential race received wide coverage both locally and internationally with CNN leading in its international coverage of the event, the technological integration of broadcasting techniques enhanced the TV broadcasting as reliable and best means of information dissemination (Moran 2009). Issues in American television Despite the excellence of American television throughout the world, there are many issues related to American broadcasting especially in countries with negative perception about the US. According to Thussu (2007) the TV broadcasting in America tends to present more positive news about the US and its allies while portraying other countries perceived to be American enemies negatively. The recent and the past wars reveal the role that the media played in supporting the American invasion outside. Historical invasion of other countries especially the Arabic countries like Iran and Iraq (the gulf) was broadcasted in the media with somewhat different agenda other than the real agenda. In 1950, Iran was attacked and the prime minister ousted despite the fact that the prime minister was legally and democratically elected by the people of Iran (Thussu 2007). The underlying issue was the changes on national policies which affected the management of oil. This could have been the main reason for the attack, the US has been known to spread the need for democracy and democratically elected leaders, and history shows its actions on the contrary. Contrary to what the media disseminates, the real agendas for US attacks could be blocked out of the public media and the people watching the news for information may actually not get the real story. More so, the current news dissemination about Iran and its nuclear ambitions could have been blown out of proportion in order to prepare the US for a military strike in Iran. Just like in Iraq, no evidence of biological weapons were found, Sadam Hussein was ousted and later executed because his misuse of power and the perceived creation of biological weapons. Despite that fact that US is perceived to have been fighting in order to bring justice to the people of Iraq, the issues affecting Iraq could have been solved by Iraqis themselves without any need for external invasion or assistance. US invasion seemed to have brought more negatives as compared to the perceived positives of bringing justice. The examples from US invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan are examples of how the media and the TV specifically negatively presented these countries and hence making the US public and the world a whole ready for US invasion. At the end of the war, most of the perceived reasons for invasion did not amount to the need for the war Iran (Thussu 2007). According to Moran (2009) the media, not only in the US but globally has a tendency of creating false perception of some events. The TV broadcasting for instance only focuses of places with negative happenings, such as crimes, hunger and derailed habits or abnormal human behavior. By focusing on such events which in real life could be on small scale and insignificance, the population perceives are derailed to perceive that the world they are living in is full of negative events. This is one of the major shortcomings of the media since such information gets into our living room and negatively shapes the perception of its viewers including young children. The American media has been in the forefront of highlighting of undesired behaviors such as homosexuals and lesbianism, it is now perceived as normal behavior and even accepted in our societies, in the past four decades such practices were shun, the dominant religious practices such as Christianity did not accept such practices (Napoli 2011). It is now part of the human rights to openly practice these undesired habits and the same is shaping the modern child upbringing, the modern children perceive these habits as normal and part of the society. The media has contributed to the adaptation of these habits and thus derailing the accepted and fundamental natural human habits. The TV has also played a vital role in escalating the same practices to other nations (Thussu 2007). Why American television should be a model to emulate and not a target for derision Despite the negatives of the TV as a medium for mass communication, the TV in the US ought to be a model to emulate. The TV in the US is the pioneer of the concept of mass communication; it is through the early development in the US that the TV as a form of information disseminations has been adopted by many nations in the world. There is no any single nation without TV transmission in the world (Lotz 2007). TV integration in many nations was basically inspired by the US. The media in the US is free, it is not guided or restricted by the state, this is not the case in many countries in the world and especially the Arabic countries and other nations still under dictatorship like North Korea where TV information is broadcasted based on the directions of the state and the president specifically (Hardy 2008). Many other countries like China are still under restrictions on what to broadcast, this is not the case in the US information dissemination is not restricted as long as it is credible and not meant to cause unnecessary security issue or provocative. The rationale for the fair regulation of media content in the US is basically because of the legal system that prevails in the country. This should be emulated by other countries especially developing countries that are still in infancy stage in political maturity and still have volatile political environment that can be quickly altered by information that may seem to be provocative (Hitchens 2006). As noted by Mittell (2010) in the US, information dissemination is major TV stations is not based on the unfolding in the US alone but also other countries. This makes most of the US stations most watched in the world, in fact other countries television broadcasting is based on US stations such as the Fox and CNN. This elaborates the level of development and trust that US TV stations have acquired in the world. The rationale for the information borrowing from these US stations is basically because of their accuracy in reporting and the fact that the information being disseminated by these stations are accurate (Lotz 2007). In the recent US presidential elections, CNN was watched worldwide as events unfolded, most local TVs in different countries borrowed information and statistical data from US stations in order to report locally. Mores so, majority if not all of the US TV stations have adopted technology, either online transmission or satellite communication (Mittell 2010). In fact, CNN a US popular TV station was the first to integrate cable TV in its broadcasting. This is not the case in other countries especially developing countries where the internet and satellite TV has not developed. The integration of technology by most of the US TV stations contribute to its popularity in the world stage and hence a model for emulation by other countries. Accurate and informative content from most US based TVs such Discovery channel, CNN and National geographic have also improved our understanding about the world that we live in. Information acquired through these channels is especially a model to emulate. The creativity and professionalism evident in these TV channels are unparalleled; their level of information cannot be overemphasized (Moran 2009). More so, besides the useful information that is being disseminated by these leading US based TV station, the TV media in the US respect their boundaries and have with time demonstrated professional, unbiased, free and responsible content dissemination. Conclusion As noted, the TV in the US should be a model for emulation because of the mentioned reasons including its world coverage, accuracy of its content, the free and non government regulated information dissemination. More so, the TV in the US has adopted and integrated technology as compared to other nations especially the developing countries where internet access is still a major issue. Despite the evident issues related to US based TV broadcast such as biasness and dissemination or promotion of content such as homosexuality that are undesired in other nations do not put down US based stations are a model to emulate. The quality of information transfer in US TV broadcasting stations are is notable. They all integrate professionalism and accuracy in reporting, they also have a wide coverage of information about other places in the world. They also provide useful and informative content; this is particularly evident in Discovery and National geographic. Based on these reasons, the US television broadcasting should therefore be emulated because they have created a benchmark for best practice in information dissemination and responsible media. References Bennett, J & Strange, N 2011, (eds.) Television as Digital Media,Duke University Press, Durham. Hardy, J 2008, Western Media Systems, Routledge, London. Hitchens, L 2006, Broadcasting Pluralism and Diversity: A Comparative Study of Policy and Regulation, Hart Publishing, Oxford. Lotz, A 2007, The Television will be Revolutionized, New York University Press, New York. McQuail, D 2010, McQuail's Mass Communication Theory, 6th edition, Sage, London. Mittell, J 2010, Television and American Culture, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Moran, A 2009, New Flows in Global TV, Intellect, Bristol. Napoli, PM 2011, Audience Evolution: New Technologies and the Transformation of Media Audiences,: Columbia University Press , New York. Thussu, D 2007, Media on the Move: Global Flow and Contra-Flow, Routledge, London. Read More

Audio-visual quality of the makes it a more attractive and the best medium of information transfer because of its ability to link with our emotions and hence making TV images more memorable as compare to other forms of information dissemination (McQuail 2010). The TV is a domestic medium; this is because one does not need to leave the comfort of the family leaving room in order to view favorite programs, in fact the TV has changed the way in which a family lives and even the schedule of meals based on favorite TV programs.

As compared to a newspaper which has an impersonal tone, the TV has a personal tone as it directly addresses the viewer and hence making it an even intimate medium. The TV is also a live medium; this is basically because it presents current and live information that is relevant to the target audience (McQuail 2010). Mores so, issues that takes place in other countries such as earthquakes, stock markets are also presented in real time. This is important is both as a means of getting new information and knowing what is going on in different areas as well as making decisions on future or immediate investments in international share markets.

Another notable role of the TV is its role as a mass medium, considering that there is a large population with a problem in reading or writing, the TV is the only form for them to get the latest news and hence making it the a mass medium. As noted, the TV plays an important role in the transmission or dissemination of information from one place to another. In America, the TV transmission started in 1930s with the moon landing event getting the most coverage, 94 % of the population watched the event live from their TV (Bennett & Strange 2011).

The other event that received a large audience is the assassination of JF Kennedy in 1963. These two historical events demonstrate the important of mass medium and the role of the TV in live news dissemination. In essence, the TV broadcasting started as a means of broadcasting to be emulated by other countries, global television has therefore grown in the past five decades. More so, the growth of the internet and WAN communication has also integrated TV in its transmission means such as media streaming channels like YouTube (Mittell 2010).

This shows the relevance of TV broadcasting even in the technological 21st century. Majority of the population in the US and all over the world still depend on the TV to get information about different events taking place in the world. The recent presidential race received wide coverage both locally and internationally with CNN leading in its international coverage of the event, the technological integration of broadcasting techniques enhanced the TV broadcasting as reliable and best means of information dissemination (Moran 2009).

Issues in American television Despite the excellence of American television throughout the world, there are many issues related to American broadcasting especially in countries with negative perception about the US. According to Thussu (2007) the TV broadcasting in America tends to present more positive news about the US and its allies while portraying other countries perceived to be American enemies negatively. The recent and the past wars reveal the role that the media played in supporting the American invasion outside.

Historical invasion of other countries especially the Arabic countries like Iran and Iraq (the gulf) was broadcasted in the media with somewhat different agenda other than the real agenda. In 1950, Iran was attacked and the prime minister ousted despite the fact that the prime minister was legally and democratically elected by the people of Iran (Thussu 2007). The underlying issue was the changes on national policies which affected the management of oil. This could have been the main reason for the attack, the US has been known to spread the need for democracy and democratically elected leaders, and history shows its actions on the contrary.

Contrary to what the media disseminates, the real agendas for US attacks could be blocked out of the public media and the people watching the news for information may actually not get the real story.

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