Children’s programming.
Why so popular.
At the risk of sounding like a dissenter, America is hedonistic. I know this isn’t front page news or a new thought but I think it plays into the topic. America is full of lots of everything, it’s a consumerist smorgasbord of thing to consume and all of it in excess. not the least of which is Television. It seems sometimes that if there is a way to do something to an excess it will be, we just call it “Ultimate” or “extreme” Even water we hoard! It never fails to strike guilt to my core when I go to a pool or drive past a water park. There are countries that lack water for basic needs, yet we play in it…. Millions and millions of gallons of it. I’ve digressed. The use of television in America has transformed through out its life. From its roots in simple, light entertainment to being a tool of educational and information to what it is now, globalize, profit driven, satellite controlled and oft times life encompassing. Television has become a tool of parenting.. or rather not parenting in some cases. It has replaced the training previously offered through parental and familial interaction. Now children learn from television, how to act, what’s acceptable, how to deal with bullies and what standards they are supposed to uphold. Additionally, television is used, ironically, as a agent of early education, Providing parents with a peace of mind that their child is a prodigy. And will be going to an Ivy League college. Personally, I think that while children’s programming does offer several positive aspects, some of which I’ve mocked above, there seem to be far more negative effect of it. Which begets the questions: How and why is it so globally pervasive?
International- As is emphasized in the article, the “media superpowers” such as Viacom, have played a crucial role in the development of a global economy. (Pg172) This success could be seen as largely dependant on “Customization, localization, regionalization or domestication”(pg173). It may sound ethnocentric but, in this topic, it seems like westernization would also fit to describe what supports globalization of this extent. As capitalism expands and consumerism thrives there is a need to take in more territory. Children’s programming is hugely popular in the U.S. and in order to make more money companies need only to tap into ready and waiting foreign markets. The shows and all the ancillary money making products are enough incentive to put forth the effort to popularize this type of show. Realistically, Barney is appalling, sponge bob – ridiculous, and Hannah Montana is at the very least vacuous. Yet, all are or were popular at a global level.
To attempt to shorten what is apparently becoming a novella with a sanctimonious vein, Children’s programming is, like many products, a tool of capitalism and consumerism. Yes is has functional value, but even that comes at a cost. It is propelled by greed which is masked by education for children and progress for our world.
