Question

Discuss how "reality television" differs in its portrayal of communication and families in the 1960s compared with those of today. Provide examples from contemporary reality television shows that feature families in your response.

Compare/contrast the portrayal of gender roles both then (1960s) and now. What influence does the media's portrayal of gender roles have on society's expectations for the communication of males and females in the family context?

In the documentary, Ellen Robertson critiqued the lack of attention devoted to her family's 'real' problems in "TV Family" in the following statement: "Family sticks together through difficult times. Life's not perfect...and that's when you need family the most." Discuss how the media shapes our perception of family struggles and conflict. (Not Psychology but it's the closest subject)

Answer 1

The television in 1960s was new concept. Not everybody owned a TV. People in India used to watch TV together. by running to neighbourhood. Family shows were as such not there in India atleast, there was a famous detective show, there were more news etc. But the family shows shown at that time were close to reality, there was pure humor in that, there was simplicity in humor. Whereas the today's family shows are far fetched, their concepts, principles of people are far from the reality.

The gender roles of male is typical one, one who goes out to work, the one who is bread winner. Earlier the females of TV shows were shown who were at home, cooking, taking care of their child. Now in TVs it is often shown that women goes to out to office, she proves herself. The society usually demans the current situation that is happeneing over to some unreaslitic thing.

I believe that media does not do shaping of family values and relationships work very coorectly. The media or these TV shows makes our mind unstable, we start thinking from that point of view or get carried away. I firmly believe that instead of watching TV if one spends time with family talking with each other, conflicts would be resolved easily, there would be more communication. Hence I am firmly against watching any TV shows. In TV shows everthing is shown iwithin 100- 200 episodes, whereas life is not like that. It may take several years for things to impove.