The television is one of the most widely used forms of communication technology. With nearly a 97 percent market saturation, it is hard to find a home in the United States that is without one, and even harder to find a person in the United States without some sort of access to one. With such a large rate of market saturation, TV is the ideal medium for information sharing, product marketing and entertainment.
Like any new technology, when TVs first came out they were expensive, and therefore only the wealthy classes could afford the luxury of having them, primarily white households. Consequently, programming was directed towards the wealthier, white audience that had direct access to a television. Now, TVs are very affordable, so the middle and lower class households own at least one. Since the spectrum of viewers has broadened so has the target audiences for broadcasters. On TV now, racial minorities are represented almost equally with the white population in news, reality shows and sitcoms.
The representation of racial minorities has both pros and cons.Of course one of the main pros is the implication that minority representation mirrors an evolving society, with less tolerance for racism. Another positive aspect includes exposure for young children to different types of people and ways of life. Also, with a broader range of people represented, there are more sitcom characters and media personalities for people to identify with.
Along with the positive aspects of racial representation, the growth also has negative effects. The number racial minorities being represented on television, just like with their white counterparts. directly influence the society of viewers to whom they market themselves. The ideas about about suitable behavior come across in their actions, and can effect young minds. In 2002, as study done on teen girls showed that the more television exposure a young girl had, the larger her unhappiness with her own body. (Groesz, 2002) In a 2004 study about eating disorders among racial groups (Nicholls, 2004) and a study showing a direct correlation between minority based media consumption and body dissatisfaction (Ruiz, 2004) a sharp spike in eating disorders among racial minorities has become apparent. What used to be once a problem primarily among white teenage girls has become a notable problem for hispanic and black girls as well.
The “thin ideal” has crossed racial boarders and now targets all females. (Moriarty, 2008) Since ideas about beauty are typically defined by society, and a common societal mode of information and communication is television, it is obvious that this epidemic is spreading across races because TV programming and ads includes a broader racial spectrum. (Moriarty, 2008)
In conclusion, TV has made many things possible in our society. We have a steady source of information and entertainment twenty-four hours a day. This technology has mirrored our society by representing minorities in a positive manor and broadening its target audience. But with a constant source of information, we must be wary of what information we are putting out into society, because the negative effects are becoming more and more apparent.
Groesz, L. M., Levine, M. P., & Murnen, S. K. (2002). The effect of experimental presentation
of thin media images on body satisfaction: A meta-analytic review. International Journal of
Eating Disorders, 31, 1–16.
Ruiz, S. Y., Pepper, A., & Wilfley, D. E. (2004). Obesity and body image among ethnically
diverse children and adolescents. In J. K. Thompson (Ed.), Handbook of eating disorders
and obesity (pp. 656–678). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
