Discussion Assignment

Part 1:Violence, like aggression, is a subjective term that requires an operational definition in order to be studied. Viewing violent acts, like those on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, or playing first-person shooter video games on a regular basis may affect an individual’s perspective toward violence. Violence in the media permeates through all forms. Animated programs like Looney Tunes (e.g. Bugs Bunny) are significantly violent but in a cartoonish (unrealistic) way. Japanese style animation called anime is more eclectic providing animation geared for children and adults. Some anime have adult themed plots and graphic violence.

• If you were to study violence in the media, how would you operationally define the term? Use specific examples from the media to explain your operational definition. What are some of the challenges of studying the violence in the media, especially violence regarding specific groups such as children and adolescents?
• Explain the difference between classic cartoons like Looney Tunes and the now-popular Japanese anime features, both of which contain violence? Does the American mind-set regarding cartoon animations as children programming have something to do with it?

Justify your answers with appropriate reasoning and research. Part 2:In some ways, it seems that the general public participates passively when it comes to the media. Some individuals accept news-oriented opinion programs in the same way as the nightly news of the past decades. Many have become more civically involved in politics and social and economic issues, probably as a result of their viewing preferences. There are ways the public can influence the print media, radio, television, and Internet programming, for example, through purchasing. Social activism—or the intent to bring about social change—has also become part of consumer response to media actions.

• Explain the relationship between the consumer’s level of media literacy and his or her ability to critically analyze the news and other television programming.
• Explain how media literacy can be improved and what the impact of such improvements would be on television viewing, especially viewership of news-oriented programming.
• Explain the ramifications of social activism for media programming.