Monday, March 11, 2013
How has Television changed public opinion about issues such as homosexuality?
Television has almost always been the foremost influence in changing public opinion. Since it's inception television has influenced viewers in what to wear, how to act, what is acceptable, what is popular, what is cool and hip for that generation. When "Sex and the city" debuted it became more acceptable for women to speak about sexuality. When "Mash" was at it's height it brought attention to soldiers and the war front that wasn't usually seen. When the Logo channel came out there was barely a ripple initially. Logo started to gain momentum putting homosexuality on the front lines. The sitcom Glee has gained so much popularity with it's unapologetic homosexual, musical content. It has been widely accepted by the masses. Glee has changed people's opinions of high school homosexuality once highly taboo is becoming the norm. Prior to Glee mainstream shows did not usually depict a gay or lesbian as a main character, they were usually the minority and very rarely the main protagonist. The current running sitcom "The L word" and "The real L word" contain a majorly lesbian cast loosely based around each members' lives and resulting love lives and dramas. This show gained some popularity but did not take off the way "Glee" has. I believe this is due to the fact that this show airs on a premium channel and also reaches a smaller demographic in terms of viewers; women, lesbians, not quite those in power over media ad these networks so there advertisements haven't quite been as mainstream for "The L word" as opposed to "Glee". All of the aforementioned sitcoms have had their own influence on the masses all changing or at least influencing the viewers opinions on it's subject matter.
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I remember when the TV show Degrassi was out and that was in the 80's and 90's. They had a gay teen on there and that was very cutting edge. Many people were up in arms with that being aired. That really was a ground breaking show.
ReplyDeleteit was i loved that show in high school that show also wasn't made or based in america. Canada has been ahead of us for awhile lol
ReplyDeleteGood to know. I had no idea it was made in Canada.
ReplyDeleteyep made in filmed and with canadian actors hence the public school system was so far ahead of ours.
ReplyDeleteI know you believe that it is a good thing that homosexuality is becoming less of a taboo subject and moving more and more into the norm, but what do you think about your statement that “has almost always been the foremost influence in changing public opinion.” Why is it that what we see on television can almost instantly change our opinion? Some things that our parents try and instill in us never hit home, but if it is communicated on television it is seen to have some type of value. What does this say about our society and what we value? Is the fact that television can so easily change public opinion, at least in some way, scary?
ReplyDeleteI think because our parents didn't sell us on the topic just told us we grow up seeing television as hip and progressive. The shows are made to tell a story to involve the viewer to sell us on their story. We see these celebrities we want to emulate and eat it up.
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