Images of Media

I think that Meyrowitz left out the viewer or recipient of the media in question. It is true that we are constantly exposed to various types of media and messages, but it is the responsibility of the receiver to decipher the message that is trying to be sent. Throughout my studies of media, I have come to terms with the fact that it is the perception of the receiver that ultimately responsible for how they respond to the information given to them. The average recipient (for lack of a better term) chooses what to take away from mediums that are not instantly interactive. That is to say, no immediate response to any questions that may have come up during the message sent. Although technology is moving towards the integration of instant feedback and quick reply's, most media is still a one-way street. That being said, most "average" people don't break down the production values of media in the same way that scholars do.

A few things that came to mind while reading this article:

Media/Art reflects life, and life reflects media and art. Therefore anything that we create or are exposed to is something that our society has either created or has had to address.

In reference to camera angels, lighting, and visual, audio, etc. adjustments to convey a certain message or feeling about something or someone is still left up to the receiver to decipher. You can try to paint a picture in a certain way in order to try to communicate what you are trying to achieve, but if a person walks away with something other than you intended, it doesn't mean that the message was a failure, it simply means that it could have other meanings than you originally intended.

And finally, you can choose what to watch, when you want to watch it, we are not force-fed media. If it challenges your particular view point (i.e. Morals, beliefs, ideas, etc.) then don't watch it. However, if you are a parent or someone who has to educate someone else about something they are exposed to, it is your responsibility to address any questions that arise. To put blame on others for your lack of wanting to explains something (what is sex?) is inexcusable. It is easy to blame others for your own discomfort with dealing with such issues. If you are not comfortable enough to explain what sex is, how to respect partners, why people do it, etc. DO NOT blame the media for filling in those gaps. If a child sees a bad relationship on TV, and that's all they ever know about relationships, that child will probably emulate what they see. If there isn't any other messages to be received on relationships to counter balance what is seen, then this is what they will think is the norm.

HA HA! I do love a good rant.