World Studies - Mr. Rosentel's Website



World Studies Name:

The Television Project

So after griping all year about the “boring” nature of writing papers, reading books and taking tests, here’s an assignment you can finally be excited about. You have to watch TV. (Can I get a witness?) In continuing with our study of global issues we have turned to the goliath known as “mass media”. This information age we live in has spurred tremendous growth in the methods through which information is delivered to us. In fact in today’s high-tech society we may be so caught up in the fancy new tools of mass media that we may be missing the messages that are being told to us.

One of the main outlets for mass media has been the television. The average American household is nearing 3 television sets per home. And on those televisions there are so many channels and so many different ideas being shown, who knows what messages are being sent to you. Is television directing what is “in” and what is “out” in our society? In the hope of gaining a better understanding of how information is being presented, and how ideas, images, and messages are being fed to us, we will embark on a focused case study of television. Ideally, we will be able to determine what is really being shown on TV and how it impacts you and the world around you.

Your Assignment: Between now and our next class (Mon-Tues) you must watch at least

5 hours of television. In that 5 hours you must cover each of the following:

1. A half-hour of news and/or TV Journalism (Dateline, 60 Minutes)

2. A half-hour of comedy sitcom (Family Guy, Everybody Hates Chris)

3. A half-hour of drama (NCIS, Law and Order)

4. A half-hour of reality television (American Idol, Cheaters)

5. A half-hour of commercials

6. A half-hour of music videos

Beyond those 3 hours, whatever you decide to watch for this project is up to you.

Just be sure to record the show you watched on the attached TV Log.

2. As you watch the shows chart violence and moral issues on the attached

charts. Each time you see one of the chartable occurrences (shooting, racism)

happen make a mark in the column for the show you are watching.

3. Commercial Assessment Chart – As you watch commercials answer the 5

Questions on the chart for each commercial.

4. Write a 2-page analysis of your television watching experience.

- Compose a written assessment, based on what you saw, of what

Television is “selling” to the average American viewer. Be sure to

Discuss issues of fashion, physical shape, music, family values, violence

And global issues. What images are presented most often? Why do you

Think this is so? How is mass media used by various businesses (via

Advertising), governments (news), the entertainment industry (dramas,

Comedies) and individuals (videos, movies)? Hypothesize why

Americans are so easily influenced by television, and how that influence

Effects the way we interact with others.

- This paper can be hand-written, but you will get 5 e.c. points if typed.

TV Log – Use this chart to track the shows you watch.

Show I Watched Date Watched Time

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

MORAL VALUES CHART

|Name of Show – | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Religious | | | | | | |

|References | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Hugs, Touching | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Kissing | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Sex or Sex | | | | | | |

|Related Talk | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Swearing | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Racism | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Teenage Drama/Woe | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Family Trouble | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Abuse of Women | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Criminal Activity/ | | | | | | |

|Drug Abuse | | | | | | |

VIOLENCE ON TV CHART

|Name of Show – | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Shootings | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Stabbings | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Slaps, | | | | | | |

|Punches | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Kicks | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Bombs, | | | | | | |

|Explosions | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Car Chases | | | | | | |

|or Crashes | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Violent Theft or | | | | | | |

|Robbery | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Yelling, Abusive | | | | | | |

|Language | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Child Abuse, | | | | | | |

|Kidnapping | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Violence Towards Women| | | | | | |

COMMERCIALS ON TV LOG

| |What is the Product |Describe the |What show were you |What messages are |What audience is the |

| |being sold? |Commercial |watching when the ad |being shown? (beauty,|ad targeting? |

| | |Briefly: |came on? |love) | |

| | | | | | |

|1. | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|2. | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|3. | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|4. | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|5. | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|6. | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|7. | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|8. | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|9. | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|10. | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download