Text VI

I. READ AND TRANSLATE THE TEXT:

THE MEDIA (by Gary Althen)

In some ways it seems pointless to talk here about the American media. American television programs, motion pictures, records, and tapes are available in all but the most remote parts of the world. American actors, actresses, and singers are familiar figures almost everywhere. The Ameri­can public's appetite for glamorous and exciting movies and TV shows seems to be widely shared.

But there are some points about the American media (referring mainly to television and motion pictures) that might help foreign visitors have a more accurate under­standing of them. Three general topics may be discussed here: the question of what makes the American media «Ameri­can,» Americans' own views of their media, and misconcep­tions about America the media promote in other countries.

There is no authoritative answer to the question of what makes the American media distinctively American. Differ­ent people will have different opinions on the matter. A few brief opinions are offered here.

Many movie and TV stories mirror the values and as­sumptions to which most Americans adhere. Among them: admiration for the individual who disregards other people's opinions and does what he wants to do; admiration for the individual who somehow outwits or bests the «establishment» or the «authorities»; a faith that good will triumph over evil; glorification of people who are young and physically attractive; glorification of people who earn large amounts of money or who have acquired impressive quantities of material goods; and a fixation on the action-filled life, as opposed to the contemplative one.

Characteristics of contemporary American life that many foreigners find objectionable are also conveyed - perhaps in

an exaggerated form - through movies and television pro­grams: a lack of intellectual depth; a larger concern for ap­pearance than for substance; a fixation on sex, as manifested by the men and women who populate many popular films and TV programs; an almost morbid interest in violence, as mani­fested by the large number and variety of ways in which tele­vision and motion picture performers do harm to other people; and a fascination with 'Gadgets', with new technolo­gical devices that enable people to do things with less effort.

The American media are driven by competition for money. In that sense they epitomize the American economic system. They are always looking for new ways to attract viewers and buyers. They experiment, trying new things and dropping old ones. Trends and fads in television programs and motion pictures come and go with striking rapidity. Stars are in heavy demand one day and are forgotten the next.

The media are leaders in the search for popular applica­tions of new technologies. Satellite television is one example of the presumably beneficial outcomes of competition for audience attention and loyalty. Other examples are satellite transmission of material to be printed, better and less expen­sive video cameras, computer graphics on television, and modern public-opinion sampling techniques, such as those television and radio use to determine audience interests and responses.

II. ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:

1. Are American media so popular all over the world?

2. What do American movie and TV stories mirror?

3. What admires Americans in their TV programs?

4. What do these shows glorify?

5. In what way are characteristics of contemporary American life exaggerated?

6.What is the basic motive for competition in the Ameri­can media?

7.What new technologies do they apply to attract viewers' attention?

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III. TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING WORD-COMBINA­ TIONS INTO RUSSIAN:

To promote misconceptions; to mirror values and as­sumptions; to disregard people's opinions; to convey charac­teristics; a large concern for appearance; to be driven by competition for money; trends and fads; to be in heavy demand; to determine interests and responses.

4. REPRODUCE SITUATIONS WHERE THESE WORD- COMBINATIONS MAY BE USED.

5. CHARACTERIZE VALUES TO WHICH MOST AMERICANS ADHERE.

VI. SPEAK ON THE TEXT. USE WORD-COMBINA­ TIONS FROM EXERCISE 3.

VII. READ THE TEXT AND CHARACTERIZE THE INFLUENCE OF TV ON AMERICANS' VIEWS:

AMERICANS' VIEWS OF THEIR MEDIA In America, as elsewhere, consumers vote with their dol­lars. If a motion picture producer makes a science fiction movie featuring creatures that visit the earth from outer space and the movie attracts large audiences, then there will be more movies with a similar theme. If a newspaper sells larger numbers of copies when it begins carrying more articles about the sex lives of well-known actresses or politicians, the newspaper will carry more such articles.

American consumers also vote by responding to surveys. Radio and television stations regularly «poll» audiences to find out what people are listening to or watching, and to find out what potential audiences want to see and hear. A program with a low «audience rating» soon goes off the air. Thus, American audiences can be said to get what they want from their media. The fact that American movies and television programs and performers are so popular else-

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where suggests that what American public wants does notdiffer dramatically from what audiences elsewhere want.

Some Americans praise radio and television for provid­ing huge amounts of free or inexpensive entertainment for the American people and for giving Americans common experiences that create bonds of understanding among them.

Some also laud television for raising the aspirations of lower-class Americans. Seeing the material well-being middle­and upper-class Americans enjoy might induce members of the lower class to work harder and save more, so they can improve their own position.

This is not to say that all Americans are satisfied with the quality of their television, radio, and newspapers. They are not. Professional media critics, other thoughtful people argue that there is a larger audience for quality programming than the media decision-makers, especially those in tele­vision, recognize or admit. They believe television and many newspapers «pander» to unsophisticated tastes and should try to elevate the intellectual level of their products.

On the other hand, there are those who argue that many high-quality programs do in fact appear on commercial tele­vision, even if they are difficult to find amidst the more trivial broadcasters.

Foreign visitors wanting assistance in identifying tele­vision programs that might interest them can refer to the television review pages of major newspapers and magazines.

Some Americans criticize their media, especially televi­sion, for being racist (by showing only white people as responsible, important individuals), sexist (by portraying women as «sex objects» rather than as whole human beings), violent, and inadequately concerned with realizing their potential for educating the public.

They criticize the media for providing only superficial treatment of complex topics and events and for distracting Americans from important issues. They applaud the non­commercial «public» radio and television networks for at

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least attempting to provide in-depth analysis of current issues and «serious» entertainment programs. They also recognize that some newspapers and magazines provide sub­stantive coverage and commentary on current affairs.

VIII. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: l.How do motion picture producers satisfy consumers'

interests?

2.What do some Americans praise their radio and tele­vision for?

3. Are professional media critics satisfied with the quality of television?

4. Are there racist and sexist programs on TV?

5. Some programs distract Americans from important issues, don't they?

6. What public networks do they laud?

IX. READ THE ARTICLE AND GIVE ITS MAIN IDEA: MISCONCEPTIONS THE MEDIA PROMOTE

A Middle Eastern graduate student at the University of Pittsburg was very unhappy about his housing arrange­ment. He had come to Pittsburg with the idea that he would live in an apartment such as one he had seen portrayed in a recently-popular American movie. In that movie the main male actor' had taken a job as a manager of a small apart­ment complex. The apartments were modest, clean and at­tractive. There was a swimming pool on the grounds.

The student did not find such a place to live in Pitts­burg. Nor would he have found one anywhere else in the States. The movie had misled him into some false concep­tions about the people and life in the country.

The movie was not intended to mislead foreigners. Its purpose was to earn money, which means it had to attract audiences in America. American audiences are attracted by novelty, glamour and action. Americans view their movies and television programs in the context of their own real-life

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experiences, so they have information on the basis of which to interpret them more or less accurately. Most Americans will know, for example, that apartment complexes like the one the graduate student sought exist «only in the movies.»

People abroad who see American films and television programs and who read American publications do not have the same context for understanding what they see and read. They inevitably relate American media products to their own experiences in their own countries, and the result is often misunderstanding and misconception.

The main misconceptions TV and movies convey abroad include these:

Most American women are beautiful (according to con­temporary Western standards) and most American men are handsome (according to the same standards). Those who are not beautiful or handsome are criminals, deceitful people, and members of the lower class.

Violent crime is an ever-present threat in all parts of the country.

Average Americans are rich and usually do not have to work to get money.

Average Americans live in large, modern, shiny houses or apartments.

X. EXPRESS YOUR PERSONAL OPINION OF THE MESSAGE OF THE AMERICAN MOVIES AND TV. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE AS MISLEADING AS IT IS GIVEN IN THE ARTICLE? GIVE YOUR ARGUMENTS.