Each form of communication has unique characteristics. Violence on television news is different from violence described in newspapers, and the impact of violent music lyrics is different from the violence in popular film. Individuals make unique interpretations of media messages. A violent scene on television will mean different things to each individual, depending on the age, race, religion, ethnicity, personal experiences, attitudes and background of the viewer. Messages are representations of the world.
Messages have economic purposes.
The purpose of mass media is to sell audiences to advertisers, and violence is a predictable way to guarantee a large audience. In analyzing media messages, it is important to create a classroom climate where students are encouraged to carefully examine media messages and to take note of the language, images, and sequence of elements which were used in their construction. Identifying Violence on Television Learning Goal Students will become more aware of the pervasiveness and variety of violence in television programming. Skill Development Observation, critical viewing, writing, data analysis, hypothesis formation, collaborative problem solving. Video Segment Professor George Gerbner explores the variety of violence which can be found in commercials, sitcoms, music videos, films, cartoons and other programming.