Get The News

TV news: Television news is quick, but superficial.  The visual image of the story, not the deeper substance, is TV's main concern.  Television news conveys impressions and images through brief video clips and sound bytes, but how much thoughtful, deep analysis can you expect from a two-minute report?  Not much.  And television news tends to focus most of its efforts on one or two main stories that it continually follows and bombards viewers with, ignoring most everything else.  It is easy to get the wrong impression, to only get part of the story, and to miss out on all but a few sensational stories, if you just get your news from TV.

Newspaper: Reading through a newspaper can take a few minutes, but it is worth the time and will make you much better informed.  Scan the pages quickly to get a general overview of what's going on, then read the articles you're interested in.  Pay careful attention to who or what the author cites as sources, and whether it claims to be an "unbiased" news article or an opinion/editorial piece.  Ask questions about what the author says, and also about what he doesn't say; the questions or issues that an author avoids are often just as important as the ones that get dealt with.  Remember that every author has a point of view, even if he/she is supposedly just "reporting" the news and not officially trying to push a particular opinion.  Ask yourself if there's a message or an argument in the piece, and what it is. 

Internet: More and more people are turning to online sources for news.  Using the Internet to find news and analysis raises the same problems that come from using it to get any other kind of information: there is so much info on the Web, and it can be difficult to find what you want, and to determine if it is from a credible source.  Most of the major television networks have news websites, and many major newspapers put each day's entire paper online for free, and update it throughout the day.  The Internet has also opened up new opportunities for "alternative" news organizations.  Many people complain that the traditional newspapers and TV networks are biased in certain ways, either towards certain political or corporate agendas or certain kinds of stories.  There are a host of media "watchdog" groups on the Internet that seek to keep an eye on the news media and expose these biases, and give the public a more informed and balanced view of the news.

The best way to be informed and educated about what's going on in your area and in your world is to take some time to read and listen critically to a number of different sources.  That way, you will be able to decide for yourself whom to believe and what to think.

Avoid being brainwashed. 
One of the criticisms of the media is that messages they convey have become so powerful and overwhelming that they can change the way people think and act.  It is commonly argued that the media send people, especially young people who are more likely to listen and change, distorting messages in these and other areas:  

Body image: Women and girls need to be super-thin, with perfect "everything."  This image is unattainable for most people who just don't have the genetic makeup to be a supermodel.  Even worse, the models themselves don't look in real life like they do in pictures, because of lighting tricks, computer enhancement of images, and other artificial aids.  Not only females, but males too face pressures about their bodies.  No matter how much most men work out, they will never have Arnold Schwarzenegger's physique.  It's just not in their genes. 

Violence:  The world of TV, movies, and music is not the real world.  In the real world, violence has consequences, while in the imagined worlds of the media it often does not.  When you see and hear about consequence-free violence in the media over and over again, you can easily develop the misconception that violence can be consequence-free in the real world.  You can get "desensitized," so that viewing violent acts that should be disturbing are no longer so.  You can come to be irrationally distrustful of others, believing that everyone could be a killer.  And some people even engage in "copycat" violence, mimicking what they see on the screen.  Remember that the media convey made-up stories that are meant to entertain.  What often makes them entertaining is the very fact that these stories are not like the real world.  On the screen, violence is often a problem-solver; in the real world, violence creates much bigger problems.

Sex:  What is true of violence in the media is also true of sex.  Sex is exciting, and it is used to make entertainment and advertising more inviting and effective.  But sex, like violence, has consequences in the real world that it usually doesn't in the world of the media.  It may seem like everybody is doing it with everybody else in the world of the media, but that doesn't mean the real world is, ought to be, or even could be like that.

Drugs and alcohol:  Many of the same messages about sex and violence apply to drugs in the media.  Remember that in the real world, everybody is not drinking and doing drugs, drunk driving is not safe, and selling drugs will not lead you to live a rich, lavish life free of penalty. Drugs and alcohol have major negative consequences. 

Consumerism:  The media often portray and endorse a "consumerist" lifestyle, meaning one that is obsessed with possessions, money, glitz, and greed.  More broadly, the media and the advertising that accompany them tend to expose people to more products, more things. They tell you, explicitly or subtly, that you need them, when in reality you don't need them and can't afford them, like most other people in the real world. 
The way to avoid being brainwashed by these and other messages is to ask questions.  The media and the advertisers can influence your thoughts and behavior if you just sit there and passively accept all their messages without question.  Ask yourself what messages are being conveyed in what you see and hear. Are these messages  realistic, possible and desirable to live up to in the real world? Do they agree or conflict with your own experience and values? Ask yourself why these messages were deliberately conveyed by the producers of the media and by the advertisers.  Is it intended to excite and entertain you, or to sell you something, or to present a "real" picture of the world?  So be critical, ask questions, and don't be brainwashed.

Cope with Advertising
Advertising is everywhere in today's society.  Pick up a magazine and count how many  pages are ads; is it more than half?  In a half-hour television program, you may see nearly ten minutes of commercials.  Sports stadiums and college bowl games sell their naming rights.  And seemingly everything is "sponsored by…" or "brought to you by…" some company or another.  Most ads are obvious and in your face, but some ads are so subtle that you may barely be aware of them.  Try looking in the background of a movie or TV show – do you see a recognizable label on a soda can, or a familiar logo on a sign in the background? Do you recognize the style or brand of clothing that one of the characters is wearing or the car they're driving?  Companies pay big money for such "product placements" in movies and on TV.  It's just another sign of how determined and resourceful advertisers can be. 

Remember this: you are a target.  Teenagers spend over $150 billion a year in the U.S. Every company wants a piece of it, and will go to great lengths to try and get you to spend more on their products.  It's up to you to be a critical and careful consumer, and not let someone convince you that you need whatever they're selling.  Don't be brainwashed into buying what you don't need.  After all, it's your money.

Know what’s Real on “Reality TV.” 
The people on reality TV shows are not professional actors, but that doesn't mean that what you are seeing is real life.  They are carefully selected "cast members," chosen by the producers of the show because they fit the criteria that they are looking for (usually looks above all else).  There is no script, but what happens on the show is still under the control and direction of the producers.  Many "reality" shows have detailed rules and fixed situations. They are set up in ways that ensure that the cast will do what the producers want them to. Unless the show is broadcast live, which is rare, what you see on TV is only what the producers want you to see.  Hours of careful editing and trimming down from the raw video that is filmed determine the final product.  When you think critically about reality TV, it is actually not much different from a regular TV show.Actors are cast and paid because they look and act a certain way, and you are shown only what you are supposed to see.  Reality TV can be entertaining, but it isn’t real life.  It's still TV.