JNJWAT+Media

HOME //**__ Media Representation __**//

Publicity in teen magazines and on television normally glamorizes thin models who do not bear a resemblance to the standard woman. In fact, today's models generally weigh 23% less than the average woman. Bearing in mind the average person sees approximately 3,000 ads in magazines, billboards, and television every day, your teenager is getting the incorrect memo about 'their body' much too frequent.

When most teenagers (mainly girls) see this image, they feel insecure of their body and feel that they should wear make-up and be much skinnier. This can lead to some teenagers becoming anorexic because it causes them to want to be as skinny as they model. Body image is how you perceive, think and feel about your body, but this may have no bearing at all on your actual appearance. For instince most woman think there fatter than they really are.

Many teen magazines deguise the model as being really pretty and skinny by using computer software and loads of make-up.It does't take much to fool the mind of a viewer and give the wrong message to adolescent teenagers.

__**// Positive Media Effects on Teenagers //**__ media type="youtube" key="pcFlxSlOKNI" height="229" width="288" align="right" One of the most positive effects of media is teenagers have learned to embrace technology, such as computers, Internet or the ipods. Media has also chipped in to increase the overall awareness of teenagers about their surroundings. In addition to this, media has also resulted in improved overall knowledge and understanding of program subjects owing to the vast information resources that the media has to offer. If managed properly, media can be effectively used to generate awareness amongst teenagers about issues like sex, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, drugs, alcohol and smoking.

__//** Negative Media Effects on Teenagers **//__

There are several negative media effects on teenagers as well. Media is responsible for creating ideals about body image, remaining to which several teenagers (especially girls) suffer from inferiority complex and choose to do unhealthy practices to lose weight and get skinny. The amount of excessive violence in media – be it the television, movies or the video games, tends to increase aggressive tendencies in teenagers. The amount of celebrity hype created by the media causes many children to make irrational demands for designer clothing, accessories and other perks of the celebrity life that they are exposed to. Glorification of unhealthy habits like smoking, drug abuse, unprotected sex and alcohol can encourage these habits in teenagers, which can permanently scar their lives.