Media imperialism and Generation X

Most people are ‘natives’ or, better still, cyber citizens in a digital world saturated and dominated by large media magnates, conglomerates, multinational and transnational corporations.

A statistic of 2013 among Generation X in the United states shows that 45% watch TV, 35% read and 19% use computer and internet. When it comes to spending time with family and friends, exercise, working out, walking and jogging the percentages go dramatically down

ur homes and families are invaded by relatively new forms of media, such as the internet and digital TV and their messages.

For instance in nearby Italy, one can mention just two examples of such media giants: Mediaset and Mondadori. In the United States, the 2016 Forbes Global 2000 listed Comcast as America’s largest media conglomerate, with The Walt Disney Company, Time Warner, CBS Corporation & Viacom, and 21st Century Fox in the top six.

In view of this domination, globalisation and westernisation of the media, many digital citizens ask whether we are just passive recipients of these media giants considering that their owners decide what they want us to watch and of course, what furthers their own interests.

In this context, we also need to ask if we are truly capable of using our wisdom and intellect to interpret critically, meaningfully and reflect on what is being thrown at us by the media.

Locally, for instance, in some local TV phone-in programmes, it is remarkable how many viewers not only do not keep to the theme of the programme when putting forward their point but also demonstrate gross ignorance of current affairs and incapable of offering a critical argument.

It would be a real pity if most of us are just being injected with messages and accepting them blindly without any active interpretation. Is it true that many are so gullible and easily manipulated and exploited by the media?

A statistic in 2013 among Generation X in the United States shows that 45 per cent watch TV, 35 per cent read and 19 per cent use computer and internet. When it comes to spending time with family and friends, exercise, working out, walking and jogging the percentages go down dramatically. No wonder many youngsters and even the not so young are becoming more and more obese and look like couch potatoes.

If one goes by the post-modernist view that paints a picture of the contemporary media audience as a silent uninterested mass of people who view ‘reality’ as hyper-real (dependent on media images of reality and not actual lived experience), then these statistics become even more alarming. Many are indeed living and believing more in this hyper-real world than in reality itself. In the process they are accepting this world of make believe and fantasies without questioning it.

Sifting through the study entitled ‘Leisure Trends among young people in Malta by the Office of the Commissioner for Children and Aġenzija Żgħażagħ in 2013, it is noted that TV was the third most common type of leisure (35.5 per cent), social networking sites rated 42.5 per cent and games, consoles and PC games, 29.8 per cent.

There again, these indicators reveal, as with most countries, that the media dominates the world of entertainment of young people and in a predominantly Christian country, we need to ask if we are helping our youths assess the values being projected and inculcated subliminally by media entertainment.

In answering the above question, this tentative list includes some pertinent questions that will perhaps, help us to analyse the media and reflect on several issues that it presents:

Does media mock Christianity? Does it glamorize rebellion? Does it glorify controlled substances? Are there occultic overtones? Are there sexual suggestions? Are sinful lifestyles promoted? Is violence glorified? Is vulgarity a part of the script?

Is it making us gloomy and pessimistic?

Is it making us world-weary and cynical?

Are the problems of the disabled, ethnic minorities, the poor and women invisible on the media?

The above questions would help with the growing need of our children to use critical awareness and reflective skills to liberate themselves from the addiction and compulsion to view, listen and read as passive and gullible individuals, without ever really questioning the real effects on their mind, body and soul. There is a need to put consoles, X-Boxes, Tablets, iPhone, Fifa 2018, Twitter, FB and Instagram aside for a moment.

More than ever before, there is also a need to learn to disengage at frequent intervals from the endless stream of routines of daily life and from the nosy media. We have to discipline ourselves to switch off and ignore the television and other media and reflect on how truly free we are from the media’s invasion and manipulation of our daily lives.