4. What other conditions may decrease and or increase the receptiveness of an individual to subliminal suggestion?
I asked many questions in my survey that did not pertain to television. There is a connection, though, to TV, with each of the questions that I asked. My first concern was if the respondent had a computer at home. Ninety-four percent answered that they did, and since all of the surveys were filled out online, I knew that 100% of those surveyed had access to a computer and to the Internet in the course of their day. Eighty-eight percent of those with computers at home have Internet access.
Television is evolving into another state of use, another technology in many ways, than it has been for decades (Cringely, 1999; Froomkin, 1996). Digitized images are now being shown on the newer sets, and re-formatted digital images are being shown on the older, non-digital TVs. With this evolution of technological imagery enhancement comes the melding of other, once considered disparate, communication and entertainment formats, into one colossal, all-inclusive, interconnected device (Cringely, 1999). Since my research study in primarily concerned with the homogenization of thought, the potential for society to loose the differences among cultures and perspectives that makes each of us so unique, so individual, it was imperative that I explored the technological advances that are making it increasingly difficult for one to know when one technology begins and one ends. To know when and where reality exists and when fiction is all that there is.
Digitized information is all computer code, and like everything done with a computer, it can be copied, deleted and modified as long as one has the proper tools and the knowledge in how to manipulate the code (Anonymous, 1997; Heller, Roberts, 1999; Ladd, O'Donnell, 1998). Skill and patience are the two primary ingredients for working with digitized information. It can be done by anyone who has the background and the desire (Anonymous, 1997; Lemay, Rogers, 1999). Keeping this in mind, we will now explore the final section of my research, and what I believe is the most critical.
An equal number of those not having a computer at home also did not have an email account, though it was not necessarily the same individual. Ninety-four percent do have an email account so it could be concluded that some of these accounts are made while using a computer that is not at home. Of the students surveyed, 100% said that they could go onto the Internet at school. As Tricia recounts, "Sure, I go onto the Internet all the time at school. During class, in the computer lab, the teacher thinks we are doing our spreadsheets but we are really on the Net…. Its so cool!". With so many having Internet access it was interesting to see what their primary use for it was. Only 12% found that researching information was the most favorite use for the Net, while 76% used it for entertainment purposes, chatting, games, and surfing. Twelve percent stated that their favorite use was accessing their email. Yet, even with these seemingly benign uses of the technology, "When browsing the web your fingerprints are left every place that you stop (Alwang, Mendelson, Rubenking, 2001, pg. 153)
The diversity and number of computerized "gadgets" that an individual uses have a direct bearing on my study. I asked several questions that would provide a clearer picture of how many people utilize what is available to them in either software or hardware options. The level of expertise in using the options available to a computer user could be a good indicator of the degree that these technologies can be used either with or without their understanding the implications involved (Alwang, et al, 2001).
Similar to watching television, yet having a more interactive involvement on the part of the viewer, are the video games that are played using the TV screen to show the visual elements of the game. I have included questions pertaining to video games in my research survey because there are many similarities between viewing TV and viewing a video game (Johnson, 1999). Video games are played by 64% of those whom I surveyed. Of those, 67% do so at least a couple of times per week. This amount of time spent playing video games is in addition to time spent watching TV. Games can also be played on a computer, with 64% of the people saying that they play games on the Net.
Time is being spent in various forms of digitally provided entertainment. I asked if one had digital cable access for their computer or TV and 34% answered yes, which was not surprising since it is becoming more readily available to areas around the country (Alwang, et al, 2001). What I did find of interest, though, was that 15% did not know if they had digital cable or not. This is a pretty important upgrade to computer and television data access, one that would be difficult not to be aware of. Those surveyed were pretty knowledgeable about what their default browser was set to, with only three browser options being chosen from dozens of options available to all Internet users. Internet Explorer has 61% using it as their default, and America Online came in with 21%. Netscape, at 18% was third, though, from experience, I know that America Online has a contract with Netscape that has Netscape intertwined within the AOL format (Rushkoff, 2001), so the choices are actually less than one would first think. Tina and Joe seemed to be the most advanced in how they utilized their browsers, both incorporating 'skins' to give their browser interface a personalize, unique look. When I asked about most preferred Internet search engines, the answers were more varied. Yahoo was the top percent gatherer with 40% naming it, while America Online had 22%. Apple, Excite and MSN all tied with 10% each. Only two other search engines were even mentioned, Google and C4. There are hundreds of search engines available, yet only seven where mentioned, and one, AOL, is actually a web portal, ISP and more all rolled into one. Banner ads, those rectangular, animated mini-billboards that tout some kind of special deal or fabulous offer are seen on many, many pages throughout the Net. I wanted to know if people actually click onto these ads, finding out that 64% of those surveyed do click onto these ads. When I asked Joe if he ever clicked onto a banner ad, he said, "Sure, I do it for fun". "What do you think they are there for?", I asked. "Well, to advertise stuff, and to give you a chance to find out more about the stuff they're showing in the ad." I asked Tricia if she ever clicks onto the banner ads and she remarked, "Yeah, I do, 'cause a lot of them have contests with them." "Do you leave your name and email address for the contest?", I asked. "Sometimes I do, sometimes I leave one of my extra email addresses, and the ones I don't check into often…. I loose track sometimes", she remarked. What is important about this piece of information is that by clicking onto the banner and a person immediately becomes known as a piece of marketing data (Alwang, et al, 2001; Medford, Dreier, Rivkin, Dragan, 2001). Databases easily track web surfers as they click away, site after site (cite), with each click their personal preferences, and interests and more are collected and catalogued for use by whomever. Personalizing a search engine so that specific information will always be available is another way that information can be collected about somebody (Alwang, et al, 2001; Medford, et al, 2001). Forty-nine percent answered that they have already set up a personalized search engine and 15% did not know if they ever did or not. A similar type of personalization is setting ones' search engine to display current news and weather for a certain area. Forty-six percent have entered the necessary information into their search engines database to allow a current readout of local weather reports, effectively letting the world know where they are sitting, accessing the Internet at that moment. The same with news, once it is personalized to show certain stocks and activities then that information is readily available to data gathering programs (Alwang, et al, 2001; Medford, et al, 2001).
The question whether one visits a regularly scheduled chat session on the Net was asked for similar reasons as the previous questions concerning personalization. Forty-three percent do visit regularly scheduled chats, enabling a focused tracking of interests and data gathering, which can provide a wealth of information about someone (Sanders, 2001; Schwartz, 2001). Eighteen percent did not know if they visited one or not.
A television program, in digitized format, is available for viewing on a computer. Forty-six percent already have that option available on their home computers while 19% did not know if they did or not. Ed has digitized TV capability on one of his family computers. "I guess that means we have 2 TVs, not one", he said after we talked about it. "I like having the mini-screen showing the game while I am surfing the Net, I get bored easy and it gives me more to do at once!", said Ed. Sixty-four percent have crossed the marketing bridge of after viewing a TV program they then go to that program's web site. Everyone that I interviewed had visited sites related to TV programs. Ann enjoys going to the sites that feature her favorite daytime soaps to find out what the storyline is. Joe likes to go to fan club web sites and participate in chats and online bulletin boards. Eighteen percent own a PDA, 82% use a portable CD player with headphones and 79% have their own cell phone.
Ed told me that his PDA is really helpful; it helps him keep track of phone numbers and addresses. I asked him if it is Internet capable and he said, "I think it is, I need to read the instructions that came with it, though!" Joe uses his cell phone to check in with his "buddies". "Hey, I can contact anyone, any time, anywhere… sometimes I'm on the Net and talking on the phone to someone that I am chatting with at the same time… its awesome!"
3. Are there certain conditions that may increase or decrease the potential for behavior modification in an individual when using a computer or television?
Of those who answered the survey, 61% normally viewed TV in a darkened environment. What I found to be an interesting twist to this, though, was that the majority, 63%, did not feel that a quiet room was an important factor in TV viewing preferences. Also, being alone seemed to not have much bearing when you consider that 87% did not think it important one way or another if they were alone or not when watching television. Yet, when researching the most influential factors related to alpha-state inducement, it was determined that visual stimulus could most readily place an individual into the alpha state (Johnson, 1999; Mander, 1978) and if one considers that the subliminal beat of the background music does not require a conscious knowledge of it occurring (Sutphen, 2000), then the data makes more sense. Those interviewed had interesting ways to describe how they felt when viewing TV, "I feel like I am in the TV, that I am inside the show, nothing else exists… I don't even hear my wife talking to me…she usually has to tap me on the shoulder to snap me out of it!", said Frank. As Tina put it, "It just grabs you…your eyes just have to pass by a set and that's it, they become glued!". Another question that was asked and that seems to be supportive of thinking of TV as a vehicle for subliminal messaging, was when I asked what physical characteristics best described a person who is watching television, both in facial and whole body characteristics. The overwhelming majority described a typical TV viewer in the same way one would describe someone under hypnosis (Mander, 1978; Sutphen, 2000). Seventy-six percent described a non-moving body, sitting in a relaxed, slightly slumped over position. This typical TV viewer was further described as having passive, relaxed eyes, 52%, and 82% described a non-moving facial expression. Interestingly enough, 30% described the face as being tight, with staring eyes, which is another indicator for a trance-like state (Hunter, 1958; Johnson, 1999; Kocher, 2000). This large percentage of answers relating to a passive, non-moving viewer sitting in a darkened room oblivious to those around him or her seems to support the correlation between the act of watching TV and that of being put into a hypnotic trance-like state (Kocher, 2000; Mander, 1978; Winn, 1985).
Having touched on the subject of subliminal messages just briefly in the last section I would like to present some findings that further support the possibility of such techniques being used on a widespread level (Hunter, 1956; Singer, 1996, Warrebey, 2000). The term subliminal means a hidden suggestion that is only perceived by the subconscious. Subliminal messages can be audio or visual in nature. Any sound or vibration that is timed to 6 to 7 cycles per second can generate an alpha phase in the recipient. A person's two-hemisphere brain will naturally shift back and forth from the more analytical and rational left hemisphere to the right-hemispheric alpha-wave state, the more creative, imaginative side. The alpha state is the targeted state for the hypnotist to reach his or her subjects and the state reached by someone during meditation. It is also the state that we spend most of our time in while watching TV (Johnson, 1999; Mander, 1978;Sutphen, 2000). The hypnotic effect of television was readily discernable in the following observation: When I was involved with interviewing Tricia in the kitchen, the two small children that she was babysitting were watching cartoons in the living room. I could view them through the doorway. The drapes were drawn, the lights off, the flicker of the TV flashing across the young children's faces. The three year old, Jessica, stood in front of the TV, eyes staring straight at the screen, her mouth is slightly open, a bit of drool is on her chin….no smile, no frown….nothing. Tricia calls out her name, no response… again, "Jessie, come here, have a cookie" calls Tricia. Again, no response. Tricia goes into the room and waves her hand in front of Jessica's face…she snaps out of the trance-like state, and with a startled look, stares up at Tricia. At first there is no recognition, then… after hearing the word 'cookie', life seems to return to little Jessica and she skips into the kitchen to eat. The other little girl, Missy, still sits in front of the TV and ignores the activity… a bag of chips on her lap…she is in a world of her own…. Brainwashing, as defined by Britannica.com, could also be called coercive persuasion, or "any technique designed to manipulate human thought or action against the desire, will, or knowledge of the individual (Britannica.com, 2001)". Researchers, studying methods used during the Korean War to brainwash captured soldiers, have found that a very carefully followed sequence of steps needs to be used for the highest rate of success in the indoctrination of the subject. Ed mentioned, though, how, after his family had gone camping for a week, so did not have a TV to watch, "We all realized that we felt different… that the TV wasn't calling out to us in the same way as it did at home. It felt good to get it out of our system for a while…".
I covered the theme of brainwashing in Chapter 2 of this research paper, yet I feel it imperative to repeat some of the more salient points prior to the presentation and analysis of the data gathered from the surveys, interviews and observations.
In the early 1900's, the Russian physiologist, Pavlov, researched methods of implanting suggestions and conditioned responses in animals. He identified three distinct and progressive states of transmarginal inhibition:
"The first is the EQUIVALENT phase, in which the brain gives the same response to both strong and weak stimuli. The second is the PARADOXICAL phase, in which the brain responds more actively to weak stimuli than to strong. And the third is the ULTRA-PARADOXICAL phase, in which conditioned responses and behavior patterns turn from positive to negative or from negative to positive.
With the progression through each phase, the degree of conversion becomes more effective and complete. The way to achieve conversion are many and varied, but the usual first step in religious or political brainwashing is to work on the emotions of an individual or group until they reach an abnormal level of anger, fear, excitement, or nervous tension.
The progressive result of this mental condition is to impair judgment and increase suggestibility. The more this condition can be maintained or intensified, the more it compounds. Once catharsis, or the first brain phase, is reached, the complete mental takeover becomes easier. Existing mental programming can be replaced with new patterns of thinking and behavior.
Other often-used physiological weapons to modify normal brain functions are fasting, radical or high sugar diets, physical discomforts, regulation of breathing, mantra chanting in meditation, the disclosure of awesome mysteries, special lighting and sound effects, programmed response to incense, or intoxicating drugs.
The same results can be obtained in contemporary psychiatric treatment by electric shock treatments and even by purposely lowering a person's blood sugar level with insulin injections." (Sutphen, 2000, pg 1)
Keeping these research studies in mind, I would like to continue my analysis of TV viewing habits in our society. The following survey results seem to correlate somewhat with either the idea of brainwashing or of a possible addictive quality to TV viewing (Kocher, 2000; Mander, 1978; Winn, 1985). I had asked people to describe how they felt after they had viewed TV for a couple of hours. Keep in mind that television viewing is a voluntary activity. It was extremely interesting to find that 85% used negative terms in describing how they felt.
Fifty-five percent felt drained and out of touch with what was around them. Twelve percent felt antsy. Despite the negative feelings that come from watching television for an extended period of time, 100% of students eighteen and older claim to watch three or more hours of TV each weekday evening during their school year. This is after sitting in a classroom for over six hours during the day. Sixty-two percent watch five or more hours… nearly as much time as they had spent in school that day.
During the school year weekend, 57% spend at least an equal amount of time watching TV, as they would have spent sitting in a classroom during the week. Seventy-seven percent spend four or more hours.
The numbers get higher during summer vacation where 62% spend at least the same amount of time that they would have spent learning in school, and 54% spend eight or more hours in front of the TV, instead of doing any other activity. An important point to make at this time is that one of the main premises of a good education is the importance of repetition in teaching facts and concepts to students (Joyce, 1996; Sigel, 1977; Tyler, 1949). The importance of providing information in a variety of ways and the building of one concept that has been learned on top of another, to build a strong framework of understanding and internalization of information. In a school setting, with teachers following prescribed agendas voted in by the governing populace this is one thing, but when the teacher has never had to pass any test and who is answerable only to those who pay for airtime, then the motive should be questioned (Mander, Goldstein, 1996).'=
Yet another way that advertisers instill the marketing message into the viewer is through the very carefully orchestrated use of music during a commercial (Kaufman, 2000; Kocher, 2001; Landay, 1995). Studies done (Johnson, 1999; Sutphen, 2000) show subliminal effects caused by certain speeds and beat of music. The controlled use of music as a supportive element to help infuse the marketing message into the minds of the viewer can be demonstrated by the survey results showing that 88% of those questioned repeat the tune from a commercial through humming and singing long after it was actually viewed. The internalization of auditory and visual information along with a systemic kinesthetic support where the body moves along to the beat brings the message of the sponsors to a much higher, and more subliminal level (Johnson, 1999; Hunter, 1956). When I asked Tina if she could remember any commercial where she taps her hand to the beat she quickly replied, "Oh yes! There's this really cool commercial about some kind of car…. the drumbeat is awesome! I stop everything that I'm doing and just watch it! I find that I look forward to it being on, I caught myself tapping the beat out with my hands on my thighs…I couldn't stop myself…it was great!". I asked her to describe the commercial in more detail. Tina continued, "It has a silver car in it and the door opens…. the camera shots keep changing, first one angle, then another, very quickly…. you get a bit dizzy watching it really!". "What was the make or model of the car?", I asked. "I can't remember", she answered.
Introduction
This research paper deals with how media and information technology is molding our culture (Mander & Goldsmith, 1996; Iyengar, 1991) through the increase merging of communication media in society (Cringely, 1999; Sanders, 2000; Schwartz, 2001). This chapter presents the information that I have gathered utilizing three different formats as described in detail in Chapter 3: Surveys, Interviews and Observations. References to supporting literature will be provided throughout the chapter along with graphs depicting the data collected from the various survey questions. Careful attention to the implications of both conflicting and supporting data will be analyzed.
There are four guiding questions to the overall research study:
- In our society, what habits have evolved into becoming part of a daily routine that includes television and computers?
- In what ways have television and computers affected communication between people in our society?
- Are there certain conditions that may increase or decrease the potential for behavior modification in an individual when using a computer or television?
- What technological advances increase the potential for subverting individual thought?
2. In what ways have television and computers affected communication between people in our society?
For decades the living room and kitchen were the communal gathering places in the family home (Mander, 1978; Mander, 1996; Postman, 1986) where family members and friends could gather and communicate. With 100% of those surveyed stating that their living rooms house a television set and 64% of the kitchens, communication among people now is in competition with a mechanical guest that never listens and constantly talks, stifling true communication and placing strict restraints on content, length and depth due to the need of the viewer to maintain focus and quiet while glued to the program (Mander, 1978). Even as I interviewed Marie, I felt the competition of the television. Marie would lose track of what she was talking about and start to stare at the set and its every present drone of weather related news. When she realized that this had occurred numerous times she jumped up and turned off the volume, but the video portion remained on and her gaze still became fixated on the screen now and then. She commented about how she doesn’t watch much TV, mainly the Weather Channel and CNN. Ed reminisced about when he was growing up, "When I was a kid we weren't allowed to have the TV on when company came over… it would have been an insult to our guests… it would have seemed like the TV was more important to us than those who were over the house". "There was a time, back when I used to teach younger students, " remarked Frank, " when I once was talking with a little boy, I can't remember his name now, but… he was telling me how he hated it when he wanted to talk with his mom sometimes, but she kept telling him to be quiet because she was busy watching her show… I can remember that same empty feeling… how can a kid compete with a TV?"
Content of the conversations many times include the TV show and characters, with 79% percent of those surveyed saying that the commercials themselves are often the topic of a conversation with friends and family. "Sure, we often talk about what we watched last night…in the staff room…everyone watches something and its fun to laugh about what we all saw….", says Ann. People enjoy shared experiences, they enjoy talking about programs that they have watched, as Tina describes talking about TV, "It is like a 'pseudo-communal' experience…I feel like I'm doing something with others when I am really by myself". I asked Joe about how it would be if he didn't have a TV, his first remark was, "What would I talk about with my friends! Everyone would think I was weird!". "I wouldn't know what to talk about!" exclaimed Ann, when I asked her the same question.
Mealtime is not the only time where television has created a gulf, dividing members of a family. The survey results showed that in every home there was a TV in at least one of the bedrooms, while 97% percent of those interviewed had a television in their own bedroom. With 100% of the living rooms with a TV and 40% answering that they also had a family room with a TV in it, the family unit has been effectively divided into single, separate entities, each person isolated within separate rooms, alone, except for the one-way communicator…TV.
TV commercials are drawing interest among viewers with 85% of those whom I surveyed admitting that they've enjoyed the commercials more than the program that they had initially decided to watch and well over half of these viewers saying that most of the time the commercials are more enjoyable than any of the programming. Tina thought that commercials were more interesting than most of the regular programming, "There are some commercials that I actually look forward to seeing!" exclaimed Tina. I asked Frank to tell me a bit about some commercials that he can remember…" The commercials for the Super Bowl were great; did you know how much they are charged for just thirty seconds of airtime? I love the Bud Frogs, even my kids get a kick out of them…" Commercials, with a very precise message to convey (Rushkoff, 2001) are quickly becoming the main focus of the television viewer with a feedback loop built right into the message so that no matter where anyone goes the message is repeated over and over gain.
What was extremely interesting to me, though, was the type of descriptions that those surveyed wrote in themselves when asked to describe their favorite television commercial. Of those who gave descriptions of their favorite commercial, 89% failed to mention the actual name of the product being focused on. The only product that was named was "Bud Frogs", even by Frank during his interview. Knowing how deeply researched the market is by corporate-paid advertising agencies (Rushkoff, 2001), I started to think that the product name may not be the most crucial piece of information being taught in the commercial, but something entirely different. Marie told me about one commercial that "disturbs" her, she explained that it seems to be a commercial about skateboarding and the kids are all going in different directions, very quickly, on their skateboards. There is a lot of music played in the background. At the end, after a lot of flashing images, someone falls off of their skateboard and them someone else hits the fallen child, purposefully, with their skateboard…. then there is a message about Coke soda. Marie told me that she gets very upset each time that she views this commercial, "I don't know what all the things about skateboards has to do with Coca Cola!", remarks Marie.
The television characters have become important and real enough to the viewers that 100% of those surveyed can recall the character's names from most TV shows. More importantly, a vast majority, 91%, has actually thought about these fictitious TV characters after they were done viewing the program and while they were engaged in other activities. In my interviews these were some of the responses that I received from my question, "How far back in time can you remember a particular TV show and characters?" Ed stated that, "Hey, I can remember dancing around the room to the music when I was little and watched the show "The Mouskateers", I can remember everything about that show! I can remember watching "Captain Kangaroo…. I remember his shoe box full of crayons and the ping pong balls!". Marie reminisced about the old "Honeymooners" show that used to air when she was still a young bride. "That show is still my favorite…I can remember thinking how I would decorate their apartment if it were mine…. it helped me to forget how little money we had back then too!". Three quarters of those who answered the survey questions have gone so far to reflect back on a particular fictitious TV character and used that character's contrived personality traits as a guide, a role-model, for their own behavior when trying to work out a particular situation in their own, real-life world! Joe admits to making believe he was the main character on the movie "The Matrix". He told me that he liked to dress like the character and walk like the character…"in a cool floating kinda way…" Joe told me that when he is at his computer he pretends to be someone different, like "the dude on the Matrix". Tricia told me that she imagines herself like some of the skinny girls on the TV shows. She wears her hair like some of them, long and dyed white blonde. She wants to live like they do, "with friends all around and having fun all the time…always dressed in nice clothes…"
Where real people were the guiding force as role models prior to the television era, now, more and more people are using corporate-created virtual role-models, who's only connection to the real world is its marketing and or political message sponsored by a handful of transnational corporations (Bagdikian, 1992; Mander, 1992; Warrebey, 2000). Ed remembers back when he was a lot younger, when he used to pretend that he was like Clint Eastwood…"walking slow and quiet…not saying much…the tough guy…", Ed laughed when he said this, he said that he sees that he "was foolish to act that way back then." Ann mentions that when she gets down at work, tired from teaching, she makes-believe that she is in a movie, it helps her get through the day.
Over 50% of viewers actually have a favorite TV commercial with 79% discussing the theme, characterization and plot with their friends thus further embedding the commercial message into not only their own consciousness, but also instilling a sense of reality and substance to an unreal occurrence (Bushman, 1998; Buzzell, 1998; Iyenge, 1994; Kaufman, 2000).
What is the motivational draw? I ask of Ed, "Consistency", he says, "The same thing all the time, no real surprises… sure, new shows, but everything is still pretty much the same." The chats are a big draw, as I surmised through the observations at the high school. It is lunchtime…. A dozen students are sitting, staring at the library's computer screens, they are typing words quickly…. scroll, type, click, a frantic search through numerous email accounts to see if any new messages have arrived…. disappointment if they haven't. Very little hesitation, very little pause…click, scroll…. bodies slightly tilted forward, necks stiff, eyes staring… no facial expression, bodies motionless, except for the mouse hand and fingers flitting away at the keyboards…. The bell rings and 12 zombie-out teens file out of the library. Meanwhile, a small group of kids were sitting at a worktable with their books spread open in front of them. They face each other, these four students…. They smile, lean over and whisper quick sentences. There is movement, eye contact. The contrast between the two groups of students is immense. I asked Tricia how she normally feels after she'd been chatting on the Net for awhile, "Oh, well, like….I don't know, kinda…. Wired… I like chatting….my neck gets stiff, you know how it is….". I ask her if she feels that she had enough opportunity to say what she wanted to. "Yeah…no…I don't know…. I really don't have anything to say anyway….". Tricia describes the feeling of checking her various email accounts…."It's fun, I have about 6 or 7 accounts that I normally use. Some are for real… you know, those I use with people I really know…others are…well, not really me…. I'm someone else, I have a good time, it is fun being someone else, to pretend…. Everyone does it! I have a bunch of screen names".
Copyright 2001
1. In our society, what habits have evolved into becoming part of a daily routine that includes television and computers?
Meals are being eaten in front of the television in 94% of the households of those surveyed. Eighty-two percent of these households eat their meals while ingesting the corporate message on a regular basis.
Where mealtimes had once been a time for a family to converse about what had occurred during their day's activities and offer each other advice, guidance and encouragement (Jana, 2000; Mander, 1978) the typical family now receives the advice and encouragement from corporate sponsors who first portray a fictitious character's days activities followed by advice, guidance and encouragement that inevitably meets the corporate goals of molding viewers desires and needs into that which would increase sales profits (Kocher, 2001; Rushkoff, 2001). Joe told me that he "eats just about every meal in front of the TV."…"Mom works at night so I eat supper with my sister, we keep the TV on in the kitchen…I don't want to talk to my sister anyways…she has nothing to say that I wanna hear….I like to eat and watch TV…" When I asked Joe if, when his Mom is home, do they turn off the TV when they eat together and he said, "No, Mom eats in the kitchen, she watches her show…sometimes my sister sits there with her and I go out into the living room and eat out there…I like my shows." Television has become a member of our family (Dickenson, 2000; Mander, 1978; Postman), an important and influential member. Through TV programming and commercials, advice is being given out on a daily basis on how to behave; how to handle relationships; how to dress; what to eat - practically a surrogate parent figure filling voids that are in many people's lives (Mander, 1978, McChesney, 2000). Marie tells me, "I enjoy watching the talk shows, I can learn so much from them…". Advice, once given by the loving parent with an emotional attachment and a vested interest in the welfare of the child (Greto, 1999; Jana, 2000) is now in the hands of network sponsors. Even spouses, returning home after a long day at work find solace and diversion not from their mate but from the ever patient, always available television program. Frank told me that he often watches TV after coming home from work; he does it because he doesn't want to think. He does it, "because I'm tired of thinking." Ann relates the same feeling, "I get home and all I want to do is to 'veg-out', I've had it by then….I've been thinking all day long, I need a break!" Of all the households in the United States, only two percent do not have a television (Neilsen, 2000). None of those surveyed belonged to that small percentage group, 100% stated that not only did they have a TV at home, that their homes had three or more TV sets. Eighty-two percent actually have at least four televisions, practically one in every room in the house. When asked about how many TV sets she had, Ann replied, "Well, I only have three, one in the living room, one in my bedroom and one in my kitchen…I like having one in the kitchen 'cause I can watch a show when I'm cooking, then, when my dinner is set I can bring my plate to the living room and watch the show in there without missing anything!".
Corporate goals include the development of brand loyalty (Rushkoff, 2001) throughout a particular targeted group of society. By the development of specialized themes in programming, a certain segment of society can be drawn into viewing the program on a regular basis (Rushkoff, 2001). Eighty-five percent of those surveyed had a favorite television show that they will regularly view. All seven of those interviewed called certain programs, "my show", a sense of ownership and possession concerning a particular program. Seventy-nine percent admit to planning their daily schedules around the broadcast time of a particular show. Where once a family gauged time around work, school, and social commitments (Postman, 1986), we now have allowed the media broadcasters to mold our personal time to fit into a carefully planned curriculum of life management. Tina told me that, "Sometimes I call a friend to do something and my friend says 'no, because my show is coming on soon, I don't want to miss it." I asked Tina how she felt when her friend said that and she replied, "Well, I guess I don't mind… I have favorite shows to that I don't like to miss…" Marie, when asked about watching favorite shows tells me that she never answers the telephone between 7-o-clock and 8-o-clock every evening because her two favorite shows are on then. I asked her if they were re-runs, "oh yes…but I still don't want to miss them, they are so funny!". "How about taping them to watch later?" I asked. "That isn't the same", she replied.
When questioned about the most often done activity upon returning home after a day at work or school, 85% included TV viewing as the number one pastime. This critical transition time (Hunter, 1958; Kocher, 2001) where an individual is re-adjusting him or herself to the different demands, personal roles and atmosphere of home versus work or school, the TV program has become the tool, the bridge, between people's various life-role realities. As Joe put it, "I just like to sit down and stop thinking…. I'm tired when I get home from school….I don't want to think of anything so I turn on the TV". Ed has similar feelings, he shared these thoughts, " I like to sit down in front of the ol' tube and just zone out… you know, forget about everything…". Offering a prescribed amount of information under the guise of entertainment or news, the transnational corporate sponsors have successfully intertwined their message, their carefully orchestrated mantra onto an unsuspecting public (Rushkoff, 2001). According to Ben H. Bagdikian, cited in Rushkoff's PBS Frontline Report, "In the frenetic race for attention, media companies adopt any means to freeze viewers' eyes in order to prevent viewers from changing channels". Laura had this to add, " I'm tired of thinking…. that's all I do all day at work, when I come home I want to relax, I want to unwind, I don't want to think, I turn on the TV…. I keep it on all night long. When I am making supper I watch TV, it's better than just thinking about cooking…sometimes I just sit there for hours, just staring…its great relaxation!".
Another part of our routine, going to sleep at night, now includes technology. Of those surveyed 80% said that they kept music playing in their bedroom when they went to bed and 72% keep the TV on. Sixty-two percent are not only watching over six hours of TV during the day, but they are also listening to over six hours of either TV audio messaging or radio/music messaging as well. Many people are spending well over half their day listening and viewing the corporate message.
Having determined that many students spend a fair amount of time viewing television as a pastime while at home I felt it important to see if television is being used in the schools themselves. Ninety-two percent of the students who answered the survey said that their teachers have used the TV in the classroom to show some type of regular programming. In my observations I have seen programs that had been taped by the teacher at home and then shown to their class. There were a large variety of programs taped, many science-based programs and many historical docudramas. In about half the instances, the commercials where not edited out of the video, so were shown along with the programming. Tina remembers being in school and watching Channel One, a specialized programming station with claims of providing educational content. Tina explains the system, " The TV sets are paid for by Channel One but the school has to agree to having the TV set on for a certain amount of time every day. Every homeroom period, when I was in high school, we had the TV blaring…you couldn't ignore it no matter how hard you tried…and if you wanted to talk with your friend next to you the teacher would yell, saying that we had to listen to the TV…. there were a lot of commercials that were on it...I don't remember anything educational…maybe some news items were discussed…I just remember not liking it." Frank admits to using a taped TV program to show his history class on days when he has to catch up on his grading papers, " I keep a collection of shows taped, so do other teachers…. The kids love watching them, I think that they get a good perspective from seeing these re-creations…. they loved watching "Titanic", the clothes, the way people talked, it was great educationally! I'll tape things from Discovery Channel, that's always a good place to find a show that fits into the curriculum."
Copyright 2001