Its Monday evening, and yes I know I've already posted about X Factor, and yes I may be SLIGHTLY obsessed with the programme, but after two days of thinking about the results of Saturday's show I just can't get over the fact that certain people are still in the competition (ahem, Cher Lloyd and Katie Waissel). Anyway, it made me think.
All I have seen in the newspaper's in the past week is BAD press about both Cher and Katie. "X Factor: Fury as Katie Waissel upsets Rivals", Cher and Katie "have been heard bitching behind each other's backs" (The Daily Mirror, October 17th 2010). 90 percent of my friends that I have spoken to about the show have agreed with me when I say that Cher and Katie are awful (be it their voices or personality). Although I must say that I prefer Katie as she can actually sing unlike Cher. So I ask myself this: If these girls are getting such negative press, and if the public really have such bad opinions on the girls, then why the hell are they still in the competition if it really is down to the public vote? Is it because the more that people read about them, the more that people have an opinion on them and therefore will keep them in the competition just because of their interest towards them? Is Simon Cowell right when he said "people reading bad things about you is better than not reading anything about you at all" (The Xtra Factor). Is bad publicity better than no publicity?
I think that the Media control our decisions massively. We are surrounded by the media all day every day, sometimes without even realising it. When we listen to the radio in our cars, watch the t.v, browse the internet, go to the cinema, look at adverts... all of these things are sending out messages to billions of people and half of the time we aren't even aware that these messages are being sent. Whether it is about what song you should buy, what food you should eat, what programme you should watch.. the media does its best to plant bits of influential information into our brains and therefore control the way we think (to a certain extent, obviously).
I know that I'm my own person. I have my own thoughts, my own ideas, and have never been one to "follow the crowd" unless I genuinely agree with whatever the situation may be. But in my 21 years of growing up (apart from when I was a little kid and was generally told what to do by my parents!) I have learned that many people aren't the same as me, and they do things just to "be cool" or because it's what other people are doing at the time. I'm not saying that I don't take ANY notice of the media, because at the end of the day if it wasn't relevant to me I wouldn't be on a PR and Communications degree! But I certainly feel that there are too many people in the world who are "controlled" by the media, rather than influenced (like I am sometimes) by it.
Would you say that the media influences you?
I dont often watch TV I have to admit but I would 100% agree with what your saying about these messages being sent across and that someone somewhere is in control of that, also they only show you what they want to show you in order to make someone look better or worse then they really are.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of editing involved befor we see the final product and even live TV I'm sure isnt completely live for that very reason, as far as I can see its all just a way of making as much money as they can out of people like you and me for something that at the end of the day really doesnt make any differance to our lives !
I couldn't agree more with you Jolene! Especially when you talk about the editing that goes into some of the programs we watch. Have you seen "The Hills"? The amount of editing that is done in that in order to make us feel certain things for different characters is ridiculous! Although I say this, it still doesn't stop me watching it - I even spent the money to go and buy the dvd's! Oh well, at the end of the day I enjoy watching these programs, and I think that as long as we know what is going on behind closed doors then no harm is done! :)
ReplyDeleteThe media def control a lot of what happens in the UK, many people are incapable or thinking for themselves and are very small minded and believe that everything written in the press is true.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to elections I think the press play a huge role in who wins the elections etc.
Sport also has the same problem, the media will attack a sports figure if they do not like them until they are either sacked or they resign due to the pressure.
Not only is that right for sports figures, but any figure at all who is in the public. I guess that's one of the things that you have to take with being in the public eye. You have to accept the fact that everything you do will ultimately be watched, and if you don't like it then you have to deal with not being "famous" and get on with your life privately.
ReplyDeleteI also think it's a shame how many people are influenced by the media. It seems like society is getting more and more narrow minded, how far is it going to go before it's too late?