One can argue that the invention of television is one of the greatest of all time and since the 1940’s, television has had a major impact on American culture and society. The content viewed on television influences the way individuals think about race, gender, social classes, and especially politics. Television has allowed society to view world events within the click of a button and has served as major tool, whether it is used purely for entertainment or for politics. By the end of the 1950’s, TVs were present in 90% of homes and watching television was one of the main leisurely activities for many American families. The number of homes with TVs increased from 0.4 percent in 1948 to 55.7 percent in 1954 and to 83.2 percent four years later (Baughman). Before television, people would go to theaters to seek entertainment, but now they were able to be entertained without having to leave the house. Television shows appealed to the middle class and many of the shows that were televised were ones that mirrored the average American family. During this time, it was rare that a television program addressed any serious issues concerning racism, sexism, or politics. Even nightly news programs were fifteen minutes long, which shows how television was mostly used during the …show more content…
The media brought to the forefront the injustices and inequality of basic civil rights that were occurring in the South to the attention of the whole nation. Television delivered powerful images into American living rooms and people were horrified by the beatings and murders that were exposed by the news media. Live coverage of Martin Luther King 's March on Washington brought civil rights issues into sharp focus and stirred political pressure to take action for social and political
Many of the technological advancements in entertainment helped people live a much happier and exciting life. The television was wanted by almost every average American family in this decade and overwhelmed millions of baby-boomer children who’s relationship with TV has influenced the United States’ culture and politics. Television
Presently 98% of the households in the United States have one or more televisions in them. What once was regarded as a luxury item has become a staple appliance of the American household. Gone are the days of the three channel black and white programming of the early years; that has been replaced by digital flat screen televisions connected to satellite programming capable of receiving thousands of channels from around the world. Although televisions and television programming today differ from those of the telescreens in Orwell’s 1984, we are beginning to realize that the effects of television viewing may be the same as those of the telescreens.
U.S. News and World Report. “What TV Is Doing to America.” In Major Problems in American History Since 1945, edited by Robert Griffith and Paula Baker, 90-92. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
A television in the home wasn’t just a family time activity, the radio serials of earlier generations were similar, but with the images and nationwide spectrum brought into the home, it was easier conceptualize the events of the world. The television was becoming a window to the world, sitcom dramas and the nightly news were stark contrasts, seeing your favorite characters live their lives was nice but when the news told of warfare and hidden communist threats. Society began to see that other groups in the nation weren’t like the nuclear family, that many events on the nightly news were real and not rumors and easily dismissed. The influence of advertising and television, gave people the idea of items and status equaling happiness, economic prosperity led to the replacement of family functions. Ind...
Television influenced people’s lives like no other phenomenon of its time in the 1950’s. Culture and politics was effected by the 1950’s through television programming as shows changed how people viewed the world, commercials stimulated the growth of both new and old products and news could be seen and not just read in the newspapers. When television first came on the scene, it was considered a toy for the wealthy but by the 1950’s most homes had a television as their new form of entertainment. Families changed their routines so they could gather together to watch their favorite television program. As television brought information and entertainment into homes, the world became smaller as people watched the same programs at the same time
The television allowed for people around the country to get involved in politics, and while it did just that, it had several negative effects on politics as well. Both what people look for in a candidate and what a candidate’s effort to convince voters changed - imagery had become more important than the subject matter. Celebrities and reporters were able to directly influence the opinions of the American people. Television still has a large impact on politics today and, while improved, still suffers from many of the negative effects it created when it was
Ever since television was first introduced to America, it has changed the culture. It’s affected American families in positive and negative ways. Whether the television is big and bulky or thin and flat, everyone’s eyes seem to be glued to it. Television competes with other human interactions, such as talking to family and friends, school, church, etcetera. It’s shaped many things -- people’s opinions on different topics, people’s choices in an election, and people’s views on things like race and class. It’s changed the who the people in the American population are, and how other countries view us.
News coverage from the CBS Network showed many Americans the awful reality of things going on in the country (Brinkley), and when big things unfolded on TV, the whole nation was affected (McLaughlin). For example, live broadcasts of events for during the civil rights movement really helped Americans see the issues more clearly and put more emphasis on their importance (Ganzel). Also, to bring war into homes, some networks covered the Vietnam War, and when Kennedy was killed, many people’s first instinct was to turn on the TV and check the news (Ganzel). TV became a paramount resource for Americans to stay updated and connected as a
With improvements to broadcasting technologies and greater access by more families, television was now in more homes in the 1960’s, bringing news, advertising, and family comedy shows to the nation. Moreover, the influence on social aspects of people’s live was apparent when it came to depicting women and their gender roles through acting. Consequently, television played another role regarding social dynamics thus, showing the realities of civil rights and the horrors of war. Additionally, television brought the political candidates to the forefront and had a strong influence on the American people’s political ideologies, as the first ever presidential debate aired on television. Finally, television aided the economy by waging advertising campaigns that convinced consumers to purchase their products. Coupled with consumer’s extra income contributing to a strong economy, despite the slightly high unemployment rates. As can be seen, television played a key role in the social, political, and economic culture in the 1950’s and
One of the most influential decades that changed American society is the 1960’s. An important aspect of American society even before the 1960’s was the television; however, the 1960’s changed television and the people watching television drastically. The 1960’s shaped the American public by introducing several new concepts to television, such as the use of television as a political device, the dramatic rise of broadcasting stations such as CBS, NBC, and ABC, the creation of relatable shows that the average person could understand, the introduction of variety shows such as the Ed Sullivan Show, and the use of television to help address issues such as racism.
One of the largest “booms” that this country has witnessed is in the area of the ultimate “entertainment” source, the television. The growth in popularity of the use of the television is harming Americans in every aspect of their lives,
Throughout television’s existence, it has had an extensive impact on American society. It was considered a form of family entertainment when families would converge around the television after dinner and watch shows together. Television would help shape the population, including society’s relationship with race and ethnicity. This form of media changed the way individuals viewed important and controversial social issues such as race.
Television is a vital source from which most Americans receive information. News and media delegates on television have abused theirs powers over society through the airing of appealing news shows that misinform the public. Through literary research and experimentation, it has been proven that people's perception of reality has been altered by the information they receive from such programs. Manipulation, misinterpretation, word arrangement, picture placement and timing are all factors and tricks that play a major role in the case. Research, experimentation, and actual media coverage has pinpointed actual methods used for deceptive advertising. Television influences society in many ways. People are easily swayed to accept a belief that they may not normally have unless expressed on television, since many people think that everything they hear on television is true. This, however, is not always the case. It has been observed that over the past twenty to thirty years, normal social behavior, even actual life roles of men and women and media, regulatory policies have all been altered (Browne 1998). Media has changed with time, along with quality and respectability. Many Americans receive and accept false information that is merely used as an attention grabber that better the show's ratings and popularity. Many magazines and Journal reviews have periodically discussed the "muckraking" that many tabloid shows rely on to draw in their viewers. This involves sensationalizing a story to make it more interesting, therefore increasing the interest of the audience. "Along the way, all sorts of scandalous substance and goofy tricks appear, but not much mystery in the logic," (Garnson 1997). People often know that these shows aim to deceive them, but still accept the information as truth. Many times, people have strong opinions on certain topics. Yet, when they are exposed to the other side of the argument, they may be likely to agree with the opposite view. As Leon Festinger said, "If I chose to do it (or say it), I must believe in it," (Myers 1997). This is an example of Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory, which pertains to acting contrary to our beliefs. Television influences many people to change their original beliefs. It has the viewers think that the majority of other people hold the contrary idea. Once these views are presented, people have the option to hol...
As Americans we take pride in our liberating government. But, it is essential to ask how much we, the general public, know about our democracy. Because of the representative structure of our government, it is in our best interest to remain as knowledgeable as possible about political affairs so that we can play an active role in our democracy by voting for candidates and issues. The media, which includes print, television, and the internet, is our primary link to political events and issues. (For the purposes of this essay only print and television will be considered.) Therefore, in order to assess the success of our democracy it is necessary to assess the soundness of our media. We are lucky enough to have a media, in theory, free from government influences because of our rights to freedom of press and freedom of speech, but we are still subject to the media’s interpretation and presentation of politics, as is the danger when depending on any source for information. So, we must address how the media informs us; how successful it is at doing so; and how we should respond to it.
The 60's brought along many new changes in the way media is produced. The use of the television in the 60's played a very important role in the media for these times dealt with not only political changes but also social, cultural, and psychological changes. From civil rights issues to cult movements and student protests, Americans were faced with many different situations that affected everyday life. Television news broadcasts kept Americans informed as to the many situations going on in the world. Furthermore, there is no doubt mass media has progressively modernized throughout the years and has effectively helped many of us reach out to our lo...