Analysis of Wolves in Sheep' Clothing
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Analysis of Wolves in Sheep' Clothing
Leading children program providers such as Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, WB, and Fox show two extremes of content tailored to children. Cartoon Network and WB show the highest number of instances of violence, abusive language, and sexual content whereas Disney and WB had the lowest number (WB has the highest AND the lowest?). What aspects are considered in the study? Which one of them is relevant or irrelevant to the aims of the study? The following findings aim to consider crucial aspects of the study as well as those that could be deemed irrelevant when taken into consideration.
The PTC considered four scientifically proven factors when conducting the study [1] More time in front of the TV increases likelihood of obesity, [2] Presence of TV in a child’s room results in poor academic performance, [3] Exposure to sexual content results in earlier sexual activeness in children and [4] Exposure to violence results in adaptation of violence. These aspects were then applied to the content aired for children, considering around-the-clock availability of content and the statistics proved that these scientific findings are indeed relevant and true. However, have the programs always been tailored with such content? Are all children’s programs similar in nature?
Relevant
The aspects considered when conducting the study are indeed crucial and TV content for children does indeed contain violence. There is no doubt that cartoons and TV programs aimed at children include violent content, abusive language, and sexual content masked in one way or another. It is also true that children learn as much from TV as they do from their parents and peers in the digital age that we live in.
Irrelevant
The examples of content of each category mentioned in the study are just a few in number and, most likely, at the top of the list of disapproving content. The study does not provide each instance of such content being aired on television. There may be instances when the violent or abusive content is mild and not of an extreme nature. Critics may term this as a generalization that all content is of similar nature.
Another questionable factor of the study is the duration that each channel or television network was observed. A 24-hour observation was not done and hence based on only specific time duration; the study’s conclusiveness may be questioned. The percentage of disapproved content may fall lower than what it is termed to be.
Thirdly, critics may argue that the study was based solely for discrediting programs and channels and as a result, researchers only monitored the programs for finding content that is not good for children. Even if some programs delivered good teachings, researchers ignored them in their studies. There could have been programs or part of programs that promoted social welfare, harmony, and unity. However, such studies looked over such content because it was not related to the theme they were covering.
It can also be argued that while one program may be a hundred percent violent, abusive, and sexual in nature, there may be various series that are the whole contradictory. Those programs may have not been considered or may be aired at a time that the channel was not under observation. It is also possible that when the currently aired cartoon series or programs have ended or reached their final episode, the program that replaces the given program will not be of a similar nature.
Conclusion
Hence, we can conclude that there are indeed factors of relevance present in the readings, in addition to those that are irrelevant to this study. Furthermore, there are certain factors which, are not been taken into contemplation at all such as the possibility that the programs being aired the following year are not of a similar nature compared to those presently being aired on television.
References
Fyfe, K. (2006). Wolves in Sheep's Clothes. Los Angeles, CA: Parents Television Council.
