Malcolm in the Middle in of the Family

All in the Family is a situation comedy that was broadcast on the CBS Network from January 12, 1971 to April 8, 1979.  The show was notable for taking on issues that had been previously absent from American television. In comparison, the FOX show Malcolm in the Middle, which was broadcast on that network from January 9, 2000 to May 14, 2006, had a seemingly, very different goal.

One can tell these shows came from different generations just by watching for only a few minutes. All in the Family was shot in front of a live audience using the traditional three-camera setup. In addition, this show was shot on the new, less expensive format of videotape. In comparison, Malcolm in the Middle was shot on film using a single camera and without a studio audience. This less traditional style for a sitcom reveals production values more in line with a film television drama rather than a TV show. In addition, the age of the characters in Malcolm in the Middle was definitely skewed towards a younger generation as compared with All in the Family.

These two shows do have some similarities. Both rely heavily on the conflict between family members to provide humor, whether at be Archie the bigot’s conflicts with his more liberal son, or Malcolm fighting with his rather crazy mom Lois. In addition, they were both 30-minute (less with commercials) sitcoms on network TV.

One area where there two shows differ greatly is how and what issues are discussed. While All in the Family was very provocative and dealt head on with the issues of racism and homosexuality (above) through Archie the bigot, Malcolm in the Middle was much more focused on the internals of the family. The latter show cared more about family dynamics and inter-personal conflict than the issues facing the country. Malcolm in the Middle never really seemed to actively challenge society norms outside of the geek fitting in at school and the like. All in the Family was much more “in-your-face” about serious issues.

Overall, these two sitcoms define their decades. All in the Family was provocative in that it challenged the pressing issues of the 1970s while Malcolm in the Middle tried to make sense of a modern early 2000s family. Despite their differences, these two shows have one thing in common; they both were popular and won many awards.

Oh Hey Radio... It's Me... The Government

In terms of shaping the American radio industry, government interaction and regulation definitely had the greatest influence as it essentially controlled who owned radio, what networks could exist, and set the basics for frequency designation. In fact, without government interaction and regulation, radio in America today could be a very different machine.

In general, governmental interaction and regulation provides influence by making compliance a law that is subject to punishment. In order to avoid legal troubles or possibly being shut down, any sector subject to government control must abide by the rules set forth. For example, the government, through the FCC, regulates what is acceptable to show on network television. If the standards are broken, even accidentally as occurred during Super Bowl XXXVIII where performer Janet Jackson’s breast was exposed on live TV, fines upwards of half a million dollars can be levied. Essentially, control by government interaction and regulation works by providing for consequences if compliance is not met.

Specifically in the case of American radio, government interaction first occurred with the Radio Act of 1912, in which the first radio transmitters were licensed.  Soon after, a forced settlement with Marconi, the developer of the radio transmitter, mandated that he sell his American interests to GE. This important event prevented foreign control of American radio. If the government had not stepped in, public radio today could be very different. Who knows who would have owned the airwaves? In relation, government interaction limited monopolies by forcing too powerful networks to sell part of their corporation. For example, the FCC forced NBC to sell off its second network to prevent NBC from becoming too powerful. That second network eventually became ABC. In addition, the government stepped in to make sure that the different frequencies did not overlap. With the Radio Act of 1927, The Federal Radio Commission was created, which defined the broadcast band and made frequency designations more standardized. Government interaction here prevented radio stations from overlapping and degrading each other’s signals. This act was completely beneficial for the consumer and definitely helped propel and shape radio. With less confusion on the listener’s end, the popularity of radio could only rise.

Overall, government interaction and regulation helped shape the American radio industry more than any other factor. Without it, radio certainly would have delved into chaos in the 1920s and might have been very different today.

Look What I Learned at the Movies Mom!

The concept of social learning is instrumental in understanding how films like Juno and it’s handling of teenage pregnancy can potentially lead to negative societal impacts.

Social learning at it most basic level is the act of observational learning on behalf of a viewer of media. When a viewer watches a piece of media, a movie or television show for example, they can absorb some of the ideas and value systems presented in that media and begin to imitate what they have just seen. The issue with social learning arises when the hyper-fantasized worlds portrayed in media influence viewers in ways that would be unacceptable in reality. Through social learning, people can develop value sets like the idea that men have to be extremely manly or even violent to be successful, or that women have to meet some crazy perfect body type to be considered beautiful. Of course, imitating these in reality is not always ideal.

The 2007 film Juno (trailer), directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody, deals with the issue of character Juno facing high school being a single, pregnant teen. As a comedy, the movie never really places too harsh of implications on Juno for her situation, something that probably would occur in reality. Due to this, social learning could occur through the film teaching teens that being single and pregnant can be almost entertaining and have few if any consequences. In 2008, at least 17 teens at Gloucester High School (right) in Massachusetts were pregnant by the summer. Apparently, these girls had entered into a pregnancy pact that could have come from watching movies like Juno that portray teen pregnancy with very few consequences when in reality the consequences are life altering, something that the movie seems to skip over. The power of social learning can turn a simple comedy film into a national controversy that shook America.

Overall, social learning has the power to turn media from entertainment into life teachings for viewers. The question arises, if viewers are known to imitate media, should the media be more careful as to what is shown?

Media Framing

            Much like a picture frame can crop out or cover up part of a picture, possibly removing some detail, the framing of any piece of media can significantly change its meaning, as is the case with many news stories.

            Framing can be characterized as the deliberate association of one or more ideas with a piece of media. These carefully selected linkages play a large role in helping to maintain hegemony among consumers of media by essentially forcing a particular viewpoint upon them. With careful word choice, camera angles, or cropping (among other techniques), an editor of media can make two similar pieces have completely different meanings. A positive can be turned into a negative, and vice versa, with the simple changes of a few words, pictures, or clips of video. Essentially, the way an editor or producer frames a piece of media goes a long way in terms of how the public perceives that media and what they will take away from it.

             A recent example of news framing can be seen in the media’s handling of the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico. As seen in the CNN News screen shot to the right, BP is referred to as just that, “BP,” the name that it has been going since 1998.  This is in direct contrast to how statements released to the media by President Obama called the company by its original full name, “British Petroleum.” The name stuck and media outlets began using this name as opposed to just BP. This BBC News article explains how the British greatly took offense to these remarks. Essentially, documents released to the news media from the US government are using framing to try and make Americans see this oil rig blowout as a foreign, British problem. This framing, by simply using an older, outdated term for BP, associates this disaster with Britain as a whole, rather than just one company. Obama insisted that his comments were not anti-British, and while that may be true, his media statements have already been released. The framing and linking had already been sent around the country and world. All of a sudden, Britain had dumped oil in the gulf, not just BP.

          Overall, framing is a very powerful tool. The media can change and manipulate a story to give the view that they want. All it takes is the simple manipulation of a few words, pictures, or clips of video to make this happen.