Television violence and sexuality is an ever-growing epidemic in our society today. With violent shows on in the middle of the afternoon, while kids are at home and parents are at work, the media has its way with today's children. Shows such as Jerry Springer, South Park, and believe it or not the evening news, display constant footage of violence and sexually loaded content. The question stands; Does this perpetual barrage of media related sex and violence have an effect on children and teens today? Sam Greenspan answers that question in his recent article, Media Effects on Children: Television. Mr. Greenspan's article is a prime example of cumulative effects theory, magic bullet theory, and a touch of proximity play.
Greenspan begins by talking about the ever so popular Jerry Springer Show. He interviews a man (Bruce Spolansky) who spent over two hours on the phone just to get seats to the show. The man said this after the disappointing experience he had, .
"I was looking forward to some fights, or strippers or Ku Klux Klan wars or something. Instead there was nothing ." *.
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Due to the hype and complaints by thousands of concerned parents and the city council of Chicago Mr. Spolansky had attended the first "tame" taping of The Jerry Springer Show. It is obvious that Americans have an unhealthy addiction to sex and violence when a man gets upset because he doesn't get to see strippers or Klan members on a talk show. .
After the airing of that particular show furious phone calls rang into the office. The fans were upset because the new "not-so-violent" show had disappointed them. They threatened to stop watching the show completely and that they did. Jerry's ratings dropped tremendously within the following weeks. It is interesting that before the new "tame" version of The Springer Show aired a couple hundred phone calls were received daily opposing the violence, but after a non-violent show aired there were thousands screaming for its return.
