Gender and Power in the Media Essay Example for Free

Gender and Power in the Media EssayMedia is the best avenue for companies to advertise their increases, peculiarly if they want to reach a greater scopre of target consumers. Every day, persuasion through the television, internet, and radiocommunication commercials, as well as in printed ads and billboards will make them sell more of their products in an effectual elbow room (Allen). Radio and television argon the two channels where most Ameri pecks get information, especially news, aside from the Internet, magazines, and umteen new(prenominal)s.And because of these two media, they contribute definitely change the fashion audiences perceive things in society, especially the youth, who may be more vulnerable to media influence compared to adults. This may partly be attributed to their inexperience. It affects how they decide on things that matter greatly to them and to others (Reed). The core and obvious difference is that the radio but produces sound, while the telev ision produces both sound and images.The radio was formed from varied judgments coming from Michael Faradays electromagnetism, to James Clark Maxwells treatise on electricity and magnetism, to Heinrich cycles/second Hertzian waves, down to Gugliemo Marconis wireless telegraph and signal comp all (the worlds offset radio factory) and tuned syntonic telegraphy (Parker). The radio was scratch line used as a transmitter of information, especially for the ships who sails pertinacious distances (Parker). This later on became a major require snuff itforcet for ships, especially to go for radio auxiliary spot and two operators with a licensed driver after the Titanic sank in early 1900s (Schoenherr).Previously, the programs in radio were only for musical and talk show purposes. However, starting 1940, the programs in radio alike offered drama and news (Schoenher). In California, KALW San Francisco is one of the mails that operated in FM as it was aired on kinfolk 1. 1941. It was licensed by the Federal Communications Commission on March 10, 1941, to broadcast educational programs. Its first program was Schoolcast. The listeners of this program were mostly soldiers training in tanks as their radio is reached by the signal of the station (Tripod.com). Radio was counterbalance once classified as monopolistic competition, as only few individuals or group of people operate the radio industry in some states. But with the Telecommunications act of 1996, will power was also granted to some groups (Drushel). Nowadays, there are registered and licensed 643 public and private FM and AM radio move available for the listeners in California. One of these is 102. 7 KIIS FM or KISS FM in Spanish located in Los Angeles (SHG Resources State Handbook and Guide). The station was first heard in 1948.Presently, it was owned and managed by Clear Channel Communications. The station is actually a result of change formats, purchasing, and grapple frequencies among defunct radio stations, individuals, and companies. Today it the stations is also k directlyn as LAs 1 Hit practice of medicine Radio Station as it is one of the highest rated Radio station in the join States, and is recognized as 2007s station of the year. The station plays RB, pop, and rock music. They verbalize that their play list is ground on the likes of their listeners. Unlike any other station, they censor the songs before they play it on air.One of the hot personalities in the station is Ryan Seacrest. In society, some topics are beyond common knowledge, for speci custody technical damage that are medical in nature and only medical experts can further explain. By having discussions on the radio or in television or having these based in an article will lay off information for more people, especially if these concern health and safety of the majority. Critical protrudes need to be exposed, analyzed, evaluated, and right addressed, thus the role of media is vital in this stage (R adioIslam.org). Popular media, like FM Radio programs, in particular KIIS FM, in the late capitalist societies became the primary source of knowledge and experience virtually about anything, including gender. It is tell that they are principal(prenominal) in the creation of power relations in society (Hains). draw off for example the social status of women and men. In the construction of gender and sexuality, it is verbalise that the school, particularly the teacher, plays a very important role in this crucial stage. As expected, one can only be masculine and feminine.In some cases, some of the abuses of these children are coming from male teachers, whether this be physical or verbal. nigh experts opine that femininity is al paths shown as sexual appeal, while men are sex seekers. Students would favor a woman teacher rather than a male teacher because they act as mothers and more overtly show concern for their students. To some students, male teachers are impatient. Male stude nts are punished heavily by male teachers as compared to female students. Having verbalise all of these, we can say that both sexes experience worrying and abuse from both sexes, and non just the females (Chege).The media can use their influence to expose these problems and seek assist and justice for this people, who at an early age have been subjected to such trauma. Moreover, it may be worth noting that media may also be partly blamed for reinforcing both the abusive behavior of the teacher and the shame tangle by student over her stigma (Chege). Previously, females were viewed as passive. They are not allowed to work and usually check mark at home, doing the chores of a wife, and only serve as trophies of their husbands.Worse, they are not allowed to go to school as it was believed that only men can seek education since they are the heads of their families. They are always expected to stick with themselves and to act according to the norms of society, especially in the e yes of men as she is the object of mens sight. Her skin must be supple, hairless, and smooth. Her subject must be free of wrinkles, with no signs of stress or whatsoever. Her lips must be kissable, and her eyes mysterious. Women are said to be more restricted with their movements. They must be cross legged when sitting, and toes pointing only in straight or inward directions.Aside from these, they are also trained to show their smiles more than men do. They must stand with stomach in and chest out. If any of these are violated, it means that they violated norms of morals, speech, and movements. Moreover, women tend to invade the lower and marginalized positions in a company, or even in society. Most women are given productive, productive, and community work. Reproductive tasks would include giving birth, feeding and educating her kids, pickings care of her husband and children, and other domestic tasks.Her productive work would mean to produce products and services for others con sumption. association work would entail her to support different activities that will directly benefit society through volunteerism. However, not all women are given the chance to enjoy community work, since they are burdened by her reproductive and productive functions. Men tend to be more powerful in most realms. Needless to say, they occupy most of the highest positions in industrial organizations and society thus the glass ceiling phenomenon (Chege).On the other hand, men are expected to be active, and to make things happen. They go out of their houses to work, and were sent to school whether they like it or not. Men are allowed to sit with legs apart so they can move loosely from one place to another (Employees. oneonta. edu). Nowadays, as media plays a greater role in building society, things have changed. There is equation among men and women. Women are more empowered to do things that men usually do. Media brought the new concept of a woman, someone who is ideal.For most, w hat is beautiful is a woman who is firm, with a narrow hip, with a small breast, and slim, as show by the models in the cover of a magazine. For those who do not posses this kind of body, dieting is an alternative. Another way is to have mathematical operation in order to enhance ones physical attributes. Diet and surgery are some of the popular topics both in print and non-print media (Employees. oneonta. edu). Women are becoming more blanket(a) as evidenced in the paper of Izabel Magalhaes. She said that it the responsibility of media especially radio in introducing the said concept to these women.Media is more open about talking about womens stories that discuss their sex experiences at the expense of entertainment of others (Magalhaes). They say what they feel they enact what they think (Employees. oneonta. edu). Women would go to school and get the job opportunities opened for men, and nowadays, women excel in different fields, almost overtaking men in different positions a nd levels. Some male workers would even be surprised that their boss is a woman In KIIS FM men are not the only DJs in the station. There are also women who work everyday for the station.Even in describing the achievements of a woman, some adjectives that are associated with men are actually used. Those actors line are not anymore exclusive to men. The main reason is that men are usually viewed as individuals with physical strength. Nowadays, physical strength is not the only issue, topics about mens health, fashion, and trips are now being featured by the media. This time, the notion that men only desires for women is not anymore received, since nowadays they are also interested in fashion, health, and many other things like women do (Magalhaes).As what have mentioned a while ago, media, particularly radio is also used to attract possible buyers by different companies. It is said that advertising, such as those in radios, contributes in representing and constructing gender identi ties in urban region which also exists in the past. The interests of large corporations are presented to the people, and whoever has the most interesting advertising skills and features will be favored by the consumers (Magalhaes). Alternatives were provided in front of us everyday, both are competitively packaged.Women are now represented by these advertisements as liberal, yet viewed as a commodity to be used by the society. Men on the other hand, are presented to be not only dominant over women, but with other types of men as well disabled, heterosexual, homosexuals, and many others. At some point, women remains presented as incapable and dependent on men, and that it is sour by the society that their existence is for the purpose of mens pleasure. Some advertisements would use adjectives for a product that is a characteristic of a woman (Magalhaes).The choice of words will trigger our minds to think of different things. But because of these, more women are verbally harassed by m en, whether in public or in private places. This injury is transformed into grievance, and lastly to a dispute. These situations encouraged more women to aspire greater positions in the society like in Congress, in the courtroom, or in media, and to acquire greater power. It is assumed that the media can change an individuals outlook in life, behavior, ethics, and values.The combination of media with law, for example, has goals of transforming the society, using naming, blaming, and claiming. Naming would imply discussing harassment and defining it blaming would mean identifying the suspect for harassment and claiming would demand for the transformation of grievance into a remedy. In this situation, media can be used to educate the people in the different harassments that women acquire. But despite this fact, until now, there are still women who remains marginalized in the society.They still remain powerless and voiceless against the criminals (Laniya). Aside from advertising, media is also influential in the political realm. In every Presidential election, candidates would use the media to reach more people, and to persuade them to voter turnout for him or her, such as in the case of the United States. This scheme started in 1930s and 40s when President Roosevelt used the radio to campaign in such a conversational air with the people. Its success triggered other U. S Presidents to follow him, such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S.Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy. Aside from media photo for these candidates, media can also be a source of funds for the candidates (The University of Texas at Austin). The voters idea of the personality of the speaker either make or break them. However, we should remember that personality and leadershiphip is not really together. There were presidents who are idolized for their great leadership, but not for their personality. There were inefficient leaders who are revered for their personality (The University o f Texas at Austin).Television and radio debates are important especially in educating the voters about who the deserving candidate They scrutinize the past and present of this candidates. But although media affects our decision regarding this matter, studies would show that face to face contact is still the most effective medium to get votes from the people. In election histories, it is said that a well oiled political machine, particularly with good relationship with the media, is more likely to throw out the elections (The University of Texas at Austin).In this juncture, we can say that indeed, media has the power to make a change, but not as much powerful as we do (The University of Texas at Austin). The real problem is that people does not have the power to control the media. It is said that in this setting it is the minority that dictates the people the things that they want others to know, the events that will only be consider for reporting, the facts that will be examined an d evaluated, and many other instances.This minority controls the media, which affects the politics of the country, then way wee live, the way we talk, the way we think, and many others. The discussion on radio and televisions regarding any political issue that directly affects the interest of the people is only limited, as it is restricted to discuss some sensitive issues. Take for example if the discussion on the radio program is anti-Semitism, the station would not actually invite true anti-Semitist. In this case, the discussion is not really a discussion of the topic at all.Investigative journalism on the other hand, plays as a hero in revealing to us the hidden truth, up to some point that they already invade public lives (RadioIslam. org). The music played on the radio affects our moods and our emotions. Music can trigger sad and happy memories, depending on the song played at the program. Radio stations can dictate what kind of music and genres society ought to appreciate, and which singers ought to be popular. It modifies choice of music into something that favors the capitalist. Other artists may not be given the chance to be heard and present their talent (RadioIslam. org).