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Media Violence

Jennifer Wilkes
April 15, 2008
Media Law & Ethics
Lowenstein
Media Violence
Violent content in media has increased over the years. However, not only has media violence increased, it has become more graphic, sexual, and sadistic. Because of the increase of violence in the media, it has been questioned as to whether media violence is to blame for crimes motivated by high aggression.
Media violence has existed as far back as the time of the ancient Egyptians. They would “entertain themselves with plays re-enacting the murder of their god Osiris” (“Media Issues: Media Violence”). According to the Media Awareness Network, these re-enactments led to many imitating killings. The ancient Romans also enjoyed this type of terminal spectacle.
The globalization of media has played a significant role in the effects of media violence. Not only can one be entertained with a book, magazine, newspaper, or radio; but entertainment is easily available through cable television, records, video games, and the internet. Advances in technology have allowed media to be exposed to more than just the local masses. Media can be positive and negative, and because it is naked to the world, people experience both sides.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) conducted a global media violence survey in 1996 and 1997, which highlighted the impact that violence in the media has on children (“Media Issues…”). The UNESCO “study found that 93 percent of students who live in electrified urban or rural areas have regular access to television and watch it for an average of three hours a day” (“Sheet 15- Children and Violence in the Media”). In its 1998 survey, it found that 91 percent of the children surveyed had a television at home (“Media Issues…”). It can be concluded that the increase of television in homes leaves children susceptible to media violence. “More than half of boys living in war zones and high-crime areas chose action...