Children and Violence: An American Media Controversy

Children and Violence: An American Media Controversy

As censorship of the American media has broken down over the years, the amount of violence allowed to be shown in movies, on television, and in video games has skyrocketed. From coast to coast in our nation, this saturation of hostility in our media has caused many contentious debates between scholars, parents, students and government officials alike. In this controversy, the central argument revolves around the effects violent media has on our society. The question that most researchers strive to answer is this: does watching or participating in violent media cause violent or other harmful behaviors? There are those who would say yes, it does promote destructive behavior in real life. On the other hand, there are those who argue no, violent media is simply a reflection of what is already occurring in our society.

One paramount debate that truly highlights the two sides of this controversy occurred in July of 1997. As George Gerbner, the former dean of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Communications, argued that, “Formula-driven media violence is not an expression of crime statistics, popularity, or freedom. It is de facto censorship driven by global marketing, imposed on creative people, foisted on the children of the world” (“Is Media” 1). Critic Todd Gitlin responded to that argument by stating, “Television violence is mainly redundant, stupid, and ugly,” it does not cause violence in its viewers, and the biggest problem is that the profiteers of television have to produce this “formulaic stuff” (1). Personally, I agree with George Gerbner’s view on this subject. In my opinion, the overabundance of violence in American media has caused adverse effe...

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... the major media corporations. Those with the money and other means to produce violent media need to wake up and see all the damage they are doing to our future American adult citizens.

Works Cited

“Is Media Violence Free Speech?” HotWired: Synapse—Brian Tennis. 9 July 1997. <http://hotwired.wired.com/synapse/braintennis/97/27/index2a.html>. 13 Dec 2003.

“Psychiatric Effects of Media Violence. American Psychiatric Association. <http://www.psych. org/public_info/media_violence.cfm>. 13 Dec 2003.

“Some Things You Should Know About Media Violence and Media Literacy.” American Academy of Pediatrics. <http://www.aap.org/advocacy/childhealthmonth/media.htm>. 13 Dec 2003.

Tepperman, Jean. “Toxic Lessons What Do Children Learn from Media Violence?” Action Alliance for Children. <http://www.4children.org/news/1-97toxl.htm>. 13 Dec 2003.