Majed Binkhunein

03/22/2013

Lorena Fuentes

ENGLISH 101

Profanity of Media: Where Does it Go?

The magic of the powerful imagery of media has been widely available and easily accessible due the boom in the field of technology. The media exposure has been spread in a fast-pace process that created an audience attracted this outlet, which is filled with information bombarding audience’s minds in a constant course. This led to representing some ideas that might not be appropriate for the some audience such as kids and teenagers. For that, the US government took a stand to monitor and regulate media when the congress approved The Communications Act of 1934 that led to the creatition of Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is an agency that takes care of communication outlets in the US (FCC.gov).

However, the agency goals were not fulfilled to the expectation of some families. With this big flaw of information in media, it is not an easy task to control the messages in the media outlets and for that, some misrepresentation of certain ideas can be noticed such as the picture of women in media. Furthermore, the women image in media has been changed and became materialistic to an extend that shows females as sexual objects who aim to please men and pitch a message that can orient the minds of the masses, especially teenagers who are exposed to media on a daily basis. Moreover, this kind of images can encourage teenagers to be more sexually active (Bloomberg 2006). For that, the Federal Communications Commission might look into consideration the idea of regulating the deception of women being sex objects.

Since the US is considered to be a free country that represents the model of free media and free enterprise, some might argue that the so-called misrepresentation of women and showing them as sex object lays in a the notion of living in free market ecosystem that allows marketing a product and showing it without enforcing people to accept it. In other words, if this misrepresentation were wrong and unaccepted by the community, it would not be successful but because the audience is “OK” or even “LOVING IT” it still shows a constant process. Yet, the argument shows an immature understanding of the structure of the society.

By looking at societies, the family is considered an essential component for the development of civilization and surviving. The family consists of parents and kids and unlike animals, the role of parents is to guarantee a better future for their kids and secure their minds with an awareness that will guarantee for them a better understanding of the world around them. But, the role of parenting can be more difficult nowadays due to the openness of information resulted by globalization and supported by the concept of free market, which might lead to representing subliminal messages the conscious mind of teenagers can recognize. So, with the image of pleasurable women in the media is represented constantly, would that add up to the importance of having a family or it would trigger teenagers’ instinct to be more active to the opposite sex in a animalistic manner? . Also, the FCC is a part of society and maybe some members in the agency have kids so how does it feel for the members of the agency to see their kids hyperactive sexually without taking a moral stand to stop this madness? By not showing any act toward what is presented in media from FCC in a free market environment, this might lead to not only showing humans as animals without morals but also it treats humans as products which can be summed up in the concept of reification.

Most of the time in a capitalistic system, the power of money direct the messages in the media where the some cold-blooded breed of businessmen only cares about their pockets. However, absolute free market is not realistic and laws regulate it. When the US government lunched FCC, it gives the agency the power to monitor media. So with this authority in the hands of FCC, is not the agency afraid of victimizing the audience to the parasitic businessmen? When someone does not care about the society and only cares about his wealth, the result would be horrific when sex is displayed on TV Programs by 64% without listening to the demands of 78% of families in the US who wants TV shows cleared of sexual images and bad language (parents television council). The responsibility of mentoring sexual content is given to FCC, and it should listen to the voice of the society. By regulating sexual messages in media, the FCC can paly a crucial role in displaying better quality of media to the audience and be in the side of community.

In addition, teenagers need some sort of guidance since is this period of human life when young adults’ instinct tends to catapults actively to the opposite sex emotionally and physiologically. Being hyperactive in this period, teenagers tend to depend on their active instinct more than rational thought and to reach a level of appropriate awareness; it takes time till they get it .For them, media represent the main source for knowledge about sex (Great schools). For that, one hand cannot clap alone; the FCC should give their hands to parents by regulating the context of sex on media since the power of law and authority is being given to them. This power does not mean leaving the power with any help but instead it means a responsibility that FCC should take care of like Peter Parker’s uncle used to say to him “with great power comes great responsibility” (Spider-Man 2002).

Similarly, by protecting society from media pornifcation, FCC has to start the purification of sexual context by taking into consideration the moral aspects of American culture. The US media is universal and effective in the world were many American shows are seen in all continent in this this planet. These inflect the power of American media and by showing sexual context in indirectly represent a misconception to other cultures about American life style.

For instance, shows like Sex in the City, desperate housewives, and Gossip Girls shows lots of sexual representations these shows are shown internationally which means shown not only to different audiences, but also different place there might not be any sets of regulation on what is shown in the media. Also, with the easy access to the Internet, censorship would not be a powerful tool to block sexual material. With that, the message here in the American media is not to the local audience, but it is also a universal medium exposed to the world. Showing these image reflect a downfall landscape from the prospective of other culture on the moral values of American society. What would a teenager from Saudi Arabia who lives in a conservative society and has never seen the other world reacts to a wife having an affair in a TV show in constant bases? Or even a girl in high school trying to gain the most handsome boy to her arms by flirting with him and acting like a prostitute, what would be the reaction? Would he/she see that Americans life is only centered on sex and that they live like animals which women are viewed as an object for man’s pleasure? This possibility would be seen in the prospective of Saudi teenagers. Furthermore, taking into consideration the universality of American media should be taken into granted by FCC to assure a good understand to the other audience in the world who is watching the same shows represented in American media.

To conclude, the justification of sexual context in media would be seen by a group of people, and it is their right to speak up and say their voice, however, taking into the consideration the importance of moral aspects of the society and seeing the real role of an instruction like FCC that has the power to represent a better context to the American society and protecting their minds from being the victims of the big media companies army. The government established FCC to present an appropriate show and programs that reflect on the reality of American life style and culture. The misrepresentation of reality led to the misunderstanding from other societies creating misconceptions about the US. It more than local issues were it passes the oceans. It is an issue of nation that is symbolizes the great values of family and taking care of the community.

The society anticipates a more pragmatic approach from FCC to take on what is shown to the present and future generations. The space of freedom in the US requires responsibility were Eleanor Roosevelt has described in his quote by saying “As Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry is own weight, this is a frightening prospect.“ (Brainy Quotes).

Therefore, the FCC must go into the approach of regulating the sexual context on different media outlets to help into building aware generations for the future and guide the present generation taking into consideration the importance representing the true image of American culture and values as well as protecting the society from the powerful individual whom only care about their bank account.

Sources

1- great schools

(http://www.greatschools.org/students/media-kids/510-sexual-behavior-teens-learn-from-media.gs)

2- Federal Communications Commission (http://transition.fcc.gov/Reports/1934new.pdf)

3- Bloomberg (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=af27.EZ3b2vs)

4- parents television council

(http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/facts/mediafacts.asp)

5- spider man movie

(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0145487/trivia )

6- brainy quote

(http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/eleanorroo166988.html)