Rudhra Mathiarasan MLA

Rudhra Mathiarasan
Ashely Eakes
ESL 111
October 27, 2014
Reality Television and its effects on the teens of our society The social changes that have followed the shift from traditional to modern society have given the family a great deal of “leisure” time to be filled in the home (Alexander 51).Reality TV is a huge part of our television viewing culture. On average, a teen will watch 28 hours of television per week, adding up to almost 15,000 hours a year. Americans spend 1/3 of their free time watching television and of that 67% are reality shows. That 's more hours than they go to school, which is about 11,000 hours a year (Skeen). In watching reality shows teens are more exposed to vulgar language and violence, drugs ( drinking and smoking), early teen pregnancy, etc. Due to this exposure to reality TV has inculcated modern day of teens, and it affects their moral and social values.
Firstly, the use of vulgar languages and violence causes teenagers to have no respect for the elders. The language that they use is abusive, but they consider it as a “Modern Culture”. The Media scope National Television Violence Study found that children are learning aggressive attitudes and behaviors becoming desensitized to real world violence. Many of the programs that children watch send the message that a conflict always involves a winner and a loser.
On television, perpetrators go unpunished 73% of the time. This gives the message that violence is a successful method of resolving conflicts.
47% of all violent interactions on TV depict no harm to victims.
58% show no pain
Only 16% of all broadcast programs show the long-term negative effects of violence. (crisis connection.inc). This activities has been disturbing the cultural values of our society and this sets a bad example for the next generation.
Secondly, the consumption of drugs and alcohol has increased among the teens, which has been influence by the television shows. the American Academy of Pediatrics studies reveal that more than 14 percent of prime-time television shows portray tobacco use without any negative consequences, and more than 11 percent of American movies feature illegal drug abuse that has no detrimental effect on its users. The most influential group are the teenagers, According to Behm-Morawitz, a study by Heatherton and Sargent published in 2010 in Current Directions in Psychological Science demonstrated that viewing movies and reality shows with depictions of cigarette smoking increased adolescents’ likelihood to start smoking. “The risk was higher for teens who lived in nonsmoking homes,” Behm-Morawitz said. This culture of drinking and smoking among the teenager have affected the change in the cultural values, drinking and smoking in social groups is again which is called the “modern culture” among the teenagers. But due to this there have been an increase in health and criminal issues.
Thirdly, “sex” has become a new product to attract the audience and teenagers are the victims of this. Usage of sex has led to early teen parenting, television shows like MTV show and 16 and pregnant shows have really had negative outcomes among the teenagers. In 2012, 29.4 out of every 1,000 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 (2.94 percent) gave birth in the United States (Kearney and Phillip B. Levine, pg no 2). As per the research conducted by Kearney and Phillip shows that exposure to 16 and Pregnant was high and that it had an influence on teens’ thinking regarding birth control and abortion. Large spikes in search activity and tweets about the show are evident exactly at the time a new episode was released. This has drastically changed the cultural values of our society. Abortion rates are also an outcome of the sexual usage in reality shows. Among the girls on the show, ambivalence towards teen childbearing is rampant (Kearney and Phillip B. Levine, pg no 5). Only 18 out of 47 report opposition to their pregnancy when they found out, although none report that they were looking to get pregnant (Kearney and Phillip B. Levine, pg no 5). Since the teen group is the most easily influenced group in our society, these shows are harming them at a very high rate. And due to this the cultural values which were in the society have been changing and these new cultures are been adapted by the next generation.

Works Cited
Alexander, Alison. “The effects on Media on Family Interaction.” Media, Children and the Family.
New Jersey, 2009. Print.
Skeen, Hope. “ Reality TV’s effect on teens.” Reporter Herald.com. Loveland reporter’s herald. 01 December. 2011
S. Kearney, Melissa and B. Levine Phillip “Media Influences on Social Outcomes: The Impact of
MTV’s 16 and Pregnant on Teen Childbearing. Maryland January, 2014.
Alden, Jake “Pop culture portrayal of tobacco, alcohol and drugs influences teens” http://www.bearingnews.org/

Cited: Alexander, Alison. “The effects on Media on Family Interaction.” Media, Children and the Family. New Jersey, 2009. Print. Skeen, Hope. “ Reality TV’s effect on teens.” Reporter Herald.com. Loveland reporter’s herald. 01 December. 2011 S. Kearney, Melissa and B. Levine Phillip “Media Influences on Social Outcomes: The Impact of MTV’s 16 and Pregnant on Teen Childbearing. Maryland January, 2014. Alden, Jake “Pop culture portrayal of tobacco, alcohol and drugs influences teens” http://www.bearingnews.org/