Popular Television Information And Its Impact On Pop Culture
One can hardly argue the symbiotic relationship that exists between mass scoial media and pop culture. In fact, it will be difficult to imagine one without another. Without the news channels broadcasting about various discoveries and findings that can be credited to various scientists and men of science around the world, one would never get to know about them. Moreover, regular updates about their work help us feel the excitement of the process as much as they themselves. Apart from this, the up to the minute updates about the political, social and economic scenarios in various parts of the globe keep us informed about the overall situation that has the capability to affect our day to day lives as well.
Thus, whether it is the scholarly facts that have a bearing on day to day lives of general public or the gossip about various Hollywood celebrities, we get to know about it all within minutes of them taking place. With a bunch of 24 hour news channels competing for the attention of viewers across boundaries, sensationalism has become the keyword to grab eyeballs and to earn higher TRPs. It is little wonder then that scoops with greater shock value get reruns on a channel as opposed to more relevant but hardly interesting news stories pertaining to an economic policy, for example. In today's age, entertainment is the undisputed king. It is thus not at all surprising to find Lady Gaga's meat dress generating more interest among the general public than the more pertinent Wiki leaks story.
Given the current state of affairs, one can easily see why senseless and unintelligent stories are becoming more of a norm on Television channels. Logically speaking, this trend is in tune with the simple demand and supply theory. Television channels are simply broadcasting what their viewers want to see. There is a growing concern about the fact that the pop culture is becoming dumber by the day with serious news being replaced with useless celebrity gossips and mundane page three events.
Even the reality shows are focused on the frivolous lifestyle of the rich and famous. Political and business news that once dominated the prime time broadcasting slots are being edged away by footage of scantily clad starlets partying in various hip locations around the town. Moreover, this trend is unlikely to die down any time soon given the people's obsession with anything that is even remotely connected to celebrity culture.
To sum up, while the pop culture as propagated by mass media may look all fun and frothy on the surface it is by and large hollow from within. Thus, though it may satiate one's craving for inconsequential information, it serves to distance them further from the deep realties of everyday life, which are of real value. As a result, though it gives an impression of integrating people by virtue of shared information, it is actually only aiding in alienating them from any kind of life enriching personal experience that could contribute to their moral development.