preparation for seminar 1

Television viewing habits around the world


1.How much TV people watch?

About 100 TV .some of them are free ,others are need to pay. In China ,if you want to add channels ,it is very cheap, which is 25 yuan per month.


2.The kinds of programmes people watch


For examples: soap opera , a current affairs , sports, news, a nature programmes, a game show, documentary, science and educational programmes ,music programmes, a series of stories.


3.How television viewing habits changed in the last 20 years


the types of programmes are simple and boring. people waited in front of television for those several programmes. it only took only a few hours .with the development of media,different kinds of types are pouring out.people have more choices to choose attractive programmes. a of people who like to sit on sofa with crisp change more fat. In the current critical climate，people aren't just watching TV, they also make any commentary on media .




4.The positive/negative effects that these television viewing habits may have on our lives.


f.g news media


Recently the negative impacts of the news media have aroused some people’s concern. On one hand, some people contend that the news media are distorting people’s real thought, and impose unrealistic descriptions on people’s minds. In other words, the over-commercialized news media tend to provide people with false or exaggerated stories. On the other hand, still others believe that news media sometimes have an unsatisfying occupational discipline and undesirable professional morality. The editors of newspapers and TV stations sometimes even invent false stories to attract more attention and audience, regardless what the real situation is. That is the simple reason why millions of people are losing their faith in news media.

However, if we take a close look at the functions of news media more objectively, we can easily find out its advantages. First and foremost, with the popularization of the news media, we are able to acquire first-hand knowledge and information on what is happening all over the world. I believe that the majority of the journalists and reporters are professionally well-trained, therefore can perform their duties with justice. In addition, news media can play the role of an educator. Not only could people get to know all the details from the news reportage, which will indirectly enrich viewers’ social and life experience, but more importantly, most news media also have colourful educational columns, which will enable viewers to receive education in specialized fields.

In my view, although news media are never without their demerits such as cheating information, overstatement of product’s functions and so on, it is still a driving force of modern civilization. Their demerits can be removed step by step when some feasible measures are adopted. If we take an objective view of the news media, we can easily recognize that it is not only informative but also educational.




Television images


1. How real are the images we see on TV?Does reality TV show reality? Who controls the images we see on TV?Can they influence the way we think and behave,for example making us want to be thin,to buy products or commit violence?


It's hard to say how real it is.I think reality TV show doesn't reality.Because it supported by sponsors,they want to make someone win,so they maybe control something.If the government participate in ,we won't have the power of decision.


Nothing has received more praise and abuse than the news media. The 21st century has witnessed the development of mass media, from the popularity of the newspaper to the prosperity of the Internet.
prevailing is the news media that nobody can avoid being influenced by it. When it comes to the functions of the news media, people hold divergent views. In this essay, I will analyze the functions of the news media and then present my personal viewpoint.sometimes when some advertisements are shown,we should judge them whether is effective like that .


2. Do you think that television images reinforce or challenge stereotypes? in your group,try to list any stereotypes which you think are common on TV and any specific examples of each from programmes you know.Can stereotypes on TV be avoided?


Media stereotypes are inevitable, especially in the advertising, entertainment and news industries, which need as wide an audience as possible to quickly understand information. Stereotypes act like codes that give audiences a quick, common understanding of a person or group of people—usually relating to their class, ethnicity or race, gender, sexual orientation, social role or occupation.


But stereotypes can be problematic. They can:


reduce a wide range of differences in people to simplistic categorizations


transform assumptions about particular groups of people into "realities"


be used to justify the position of those in power


perpetuate social prejudice and inequality



the future for television and television viewers


1.How important is media literacy?Should it be taught in schools?


In today’s multi-media society, media competence is increasingly important. A media literate society knows where to find the information it needs and how to identify the economic, political, social, commercial and cultural interests that generated it. This section of the site defines media literacy and its key principles and lists other useful sources of information.


Yes, it should be taught in schools.
Children
The need to increase media competence and understanding among young people has never been greater. Not only is the amount of information vast, the way information is presented is changing constantly. If children are to understand the world in which they live, it is essential that they are able to think critically about what they see and hear.
All children develop differently. When viewing television, different children extract varied meanings based on background, culture and maturity.
At each of these individual stages, children’s understanding of what they watch, hear, see or compute will change along with their physical, emotional and developmental characteristics.
so it should be taught in school.


2. What should the main purpose of TV be?To entertain?To inform? To educate? To sell?To show reality?or to help people escape reality?


The purpose is to spread informations.It includes entertainment,education,advertisement,showing the difference between reality and fantasy world.


3.How do you think TV will develop over the next twenty years?
I think it will contract with internet more closely. Now ,digital television begin to be popular,programmes from every areas have widely developed.In the next twenty years ,the TV must follow with the varying society,it should avoid to eliminated .