In class and your readings we discussed Kingwell's "8 Myths of Television". In your answer 1) explain what Kingwell means by "Television is Controlled by Individuals", then 2) discuss how it has been changed due to technological convergence. (For example, has it been enhanced or demystified).

 

ANSWER:

Credits : Valentina

The Fear and self-loathing in couchland: eight myths about television

Mark Kingwell was not against television, but he understood an eager to cut it out from people's

lives. He thought TV did not deteriorate human's intelligence, however he knew all drawbacks

of watching it. Television is good-for-nothing and distracting as there are lots of advertisement,

also very addicting. Nevertheless it is the main medium of information and amusement.

Depending on who you are a critic, a viewer, or even a contestant how you feel about a TV show

will differ.

Myth #1: Television is a neutral medium. Big people of broadcasting sphere claimed people

should not accuse television, but accuse who are responsible for the content of the shows.

According to McLuhan media is never impartial, it changes people's senses, their world. Every

technology seems to be a pair of colored glasses though which we look at the world, it shapes

and filters the reality. It is not obvious at the first glance, but TV is time-based medium

controlled by power of advertising.

Myth#2: Television is controlled by individuals. As television is based on time managing is

essential. This department is pre-structured by biased media and money of advertisement and

in hands of whoever has influence. Authorities of this field make decisions according to the

present situation effected by numerous things. "Every field of human endeavour has its internal

norms of rationality, the things that determine what "makes sense" there. There are the rules of

the game, and they are what run the field, not the individuals who put the rules into play. "

( Mark Kingwell,2000) Anyone can become a player, but cannot set the rules.

Myth #3: Television is democratic. People claim that TV is

representative, but actually ratings

percentages establis

h laws here which mean that viewers are the law. Simply, people just

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Valentina Shin

ID:SHIVD1503

Fear and self-loathing in couchland: eight myths about television

Mark Kingwell was not against television, but he understood an eager to cut it out from people's

lives. He thought TV did not deteriorate human's intelligence, however he knew all drawbacks

of watching it. Television is good-for-nothing and distracting as there are lots of advertisement,

also very addicting. Nevertheless it is the main medium of information and amusement.

Depending on who you are a critic, a viewer, or even a contestant how you feel about a TV show

will differ.

Myth #1: Television is a neutral medium. Big people of broadcasting sphere claimed people

should not accuse television, but accuse who are responsible for the content of the shows.

According to McLuhan media is never impartial, it changes people's senses, their world. Every

technology seems to be a pair of colored glasses though which we look at the world, it shapes

and filters the reality. It is not obvious at the first glance, but TV is time-based medium

controlled by power of advertising.

Myth#2: Television is controlled by individuals. As television is based on time managing is

essential. This department is pre-structured by biased media and money of advertisement and

in hands of whoever has influence. Authorities of this field make decisions according to the

present situation effected by numerous things. "Every field of human endeavour has its internal

norms of rationality, the things that determine what "makes sense" there. There are the rules of

the game, and they are what run the field, not the individuals who put the rules into play. "

( Mark Kingwell,2000) Anyone can become a player, but cannot set the rules.

Myth #3: Television is democratic. People claim that TV is

representative, but actually ratings

percentages establis

h laws here which mean that viewers are the law. Simply, people just get

 

what they want. For instance, if producers notice ratings are high during violent tv shows , they

will broadcast more this type of programs.

Myth #4: Television is all junk. It is a very common stereotype among intelligentsias. TV indeed

contains a lot junk, adds, soap operas, silly show. However it also provides with useful

information, brilliance and knowledge. Majority considers it as "entertainment box" and rarely

as a source of information preferring something less challenging .

Myth #5: Television is responsible for the worlds evil. People instinctly reach to what is more

familiar to them. So this means that they are evil deep inside and media just visualized it.

Myth #

6: You can talk about television on television. Kingwell mentions Bourdieu's book "Sur la

television" and talks about his personal up and down experience being on TV. "Doing talk TV is

a bit like dating somebody psychotic: nothing you do is ever taken at face value, all behaviour is

entirely unpredictable, and you are always (apparently by definition) in the wrong."(

Mark

Kingwell,2000

) It is very easy to receive mass hatred. What is more, producers don't like over-

exposure and people being a highbrow, so they are tend to put them down.

Myth #7: Intellectuals are right to antipathy television. Most of the print media looks down on

TV as there was always bitterness between academic and mainstream culture.

Myth #8: Television is beyond saving. At first people need to learn how they made the present

marketplace the way it is, why there is a shortage of scholarly discussions about television. Also

attempt to build a more proficient and socially responsible medium all together."Go more

slowly. Judge less quickly. Reserve your blame. Challenge what seems to make sense. Question

your instincts. Never underestimate yourself or your audience. Embrace complexity. Consider

the structure, not simply what the structure supports. Think more.

"(Mark Kingwell,2000)