Pregnancy in the media

Question: Does the media glorify teen pregnancy?
Thesis: The media portrays pregnancy unrealistically, thus negatively affecting teenagers and their likelihood to engage in unprotected sex, putting their sexual health at risk and becoming more likely to get pregnant at a young age.

On one side of the argument, I looked at how the media glorifies teen pregnancy. Movies such as Juno, Knocked Up, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High were movies that I looked at that portrayed pregnancy unrealistically and didn't address appropriate consequences of sex. In Juno, the assumption is that teen parents have a supportive family, and finding a solution (a family to hand that baby off too) is easy. In Knocked Up, it portrays casual sex leading to pregnancy as a happy circumstance, making it seem "cool" in popular culture. Fast Times at Ridgemont High just barely addresses an abortion, which the character is least concerned with as she has more important things to worry about (like boy troubles). All of these movies are examples of how sex and pregnancy is being portrayed in the media unrealistically.



Media theories such as the social learning theory and cultivation theory helped to explain how these portrayals in the media can affect teens. With the media becoming so apparent in our everyday lives, it seems that it is also acting as an important role in shaping our society.

On the other side, I found arguments that Juno portrayed a positive role model that took responsibility and resisted social pressure, traits that could impact teens positively as they make the change into adulthood. I looked at individual differences theory and uses and gratifications theory to help explain how the media having sexual content may not have a negative influence on society. I also argued that teens are capable of dividing entertainment from reality.

This article addresses the Gloucester teen incident as the "Juno effect". 17 teens were said to have all gotten pregnant at the same time at Gloucester High. I found conflicting information about the Gloucester High incident, so I decided not to use it in my research. However, this article gives a good basis for what my paper is about.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91906103

Another article I used in my paper:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-03-09-juno-pregnancy-main_N.htm

The Role of Media: "Buying the War"

The movie we watched in class on Wednesday portrayed the controversy of what the role of media is and should be as the "Fourth estate" or "watchdog". We depend on the news to keep us informed with the truth and to keep us informed with news that we don't personally have access to (the war). One role in journalism is to act as a public service by being a watchdog of the government. However, journalists are torn with the role of public service and the role of business, maintaining readership and creating a profit.
In my J204 class, Visual Communications, we talked about the decisions that journalists have to make when given access to powerful images, such as those of civilian casualties. Do we show this to the public? Journalists are given the responsibility to inform the public, yet they are also given the responsibility to respect their readers from offensive images. This is a huge dilemma and a difficult decision to make for many journalists. If printed, controversial images or articles may result in upsetting feedback and loss of readers. Yet, if not printed, it is in a way a form of censorship. It is likely that images won't be printed as newspaper staff don't want to take the risks that go along with running a controversial image. In the movie, "Buying the War", people became upset with anything that seemed unpatriotic, causing newspapers to alter their content to keep readers happy.
When it comes down to it, news is a business. Decisions made by newspapers will likely be made from a business perspective, rather than a public service perspective. Is there really any way that journalists can keep all readers/viewers happy while simultaneously informing the public of the truth?

Is it necessary for everyone to have the Internet?

I believe that it is necessary for everyone to at least have access to the Internet, and to be computer/Internet literate. Almost everything is on the web now and it has become a learning tool. Without the Internet, the development of our country by technology would slow. You can use the Internet to look for a job, apply for a job, plan a vacation, look for a house, obtain news, run or advertise for a business, and much more. Without it, or without knowing how to use the Internet, one would be at a great disadvantage and fall behind as newer technology develops. Certain aspects of the Internet could be considered a luxury, such as Facebook or other social networking sites. It is a great way to keep in contact with friends and family, especially if that person is overseas and would result in long-distance fees for a telephone.

Being computer and Internet literate is often something that employers look for. Knowing how to navigate the web and use certain programs will increase marketability, putting a person at a higher advantage than others.

I don't believer that activities such as blogging or instant messaging are necessary, but more of a luxury. The web can be a powerful tool to keep the world connected. Rodman describes this as a "global village," a way to stay updated with other countries around the world via the Internet. Rodman describes that countries such as Saudi Arabia, Syria, China, North Korea, and Myammar allow citizens limited Internet access. This is a form of censorship, as people in this country are not being allowed to access certain information. 

It is not necessary for every person to have their own computer, rather to have access to a computer and to the Internet. We can see this in Internet cafes where the Internet is available and sometimes there are computers available for customers to use. It is nearly impossible for underdeveloped countries to thrive without access to the rest of the world. In the United States, not having or knowing how to use the Internet would put a person at a great disadvantage.

Body Image

It has been a long standing issue whether or not the media can be blamed for having a negative impact on young girls' perception of body image, self-esteem, and the development of eating disorders. I took interest in this topic awhile back in a class at Portland State, so I have done a little bit of research. I don't have access to that information right now as I am in Hawaii, but I believe that studies have shown that the average model is 20% or more underweight. The models that are portrayed in the media are far from a healthy body type, yet the extremely thin body type has become a standard of beauty in America.

Rodman describes the extreme increase in thinness of models through the 1960s to the 1990s. For an adult woman to measure up to the thin models depicted in magazines, she would have to undergo extremely unhealthy eating behaviors and excessive exercise. It's not realistic for women to try and attain this body type. Not only are the models thin, but with today's technology, they are digitally manipulated to look thinner, taller, leaner, with flawless skin and unnatural hip to waist ratio. The women depicted in the media are anything but realistic or attainable for the average woman today.

In recent years, increased awareness about body image issues have been apparent as in the Dove Campaign for Beauty. Despite efforts, I believe that this issue is much to big for anyone to tackle. We use social comparison as a way to gauge or worth in comparison to others around us. The average person today is probably exposed to more images in the media than they are of "real" people. Because these models and celebrities are so prominent in our lives, they create a standard of beauty that the average person can never realistically attain. From a young age, girls read magazines with articles stressing the importance of physical appearance, teaching them to focus on their appearance as a way to measure their self worth.

Rodman also describes the increase that women have in unhappiness with their body. He also points out the increase in cosmetic surgery and breast augmentation. He doesn't mention the increase in eating disorders. It leaves us to wonder whether the media can be to blame for this increasing problem, or if it is just a strange coincidence. 

First blog

Welcome to my blog! I am a transfer student from Portland State University and this will be my second term here. I am pursuing a major in Journalism and love Eugene so far. I'm looking forward to this class.