Today, I had the opportunity to participate in a lively chat on Twitter about #mediamessages sponsored by Miss Representation and Common Sense Media.
Both organizations are advocates in the campaign to change the images we see everywhere in media that influence our youth. We blogged about the Miss Representation documentary last year and continued to observe and join in with their Not Buying It stance of women being miss represented in advertisements.
I am new to Common Sense Media and what I like about their efforts most are their ten beliefs which are cornerstone to their mission about what we see in the media. Whether you are a teacher, parent or individual, there is plenty to learn from their website and an enormous amount of information relative to Cyberbullying.
Can you remember a time that we have not been advertised to? Research the history of the television being invented and how it made its way into our homes, there has been a subtle seduction in existence for a long time. What about radio? Media shapes and forms our values. Sometimes, we say life imitates art but does it really? Is it the other way around, art imitates life?
As you prepare for back to school, look at the shorts for our girls. Why are they so short? Now, look at the shorts worn in advertisements and music videos. Do you see a pattern? Which came first? Until and unless we affect the dollars of advertisers collectively, we will see a small amount of change. Rather, a slower pace of change. There is an entity making money off of our families and keeping the advertisement wheel spinning. Do you know a family who chooses not to have a television in their home? I don't. Would we be able to give up our addiction to TV for a twenty-four hour period or longer? Would you?
The main takeaway of the chat, and there were many, was to determine how we as individuals can change media images on a daily basis. It may be a small action but powerful enough to recognize and call out. For example, an advertiser who may be showing a young lady draped across their product. Please visit each of their web site and support their campaigns. Together, we can do so much.
~TCPS
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